To get your golf ball to travel that extra distance on long shots, you'll need to get your club traveling faster at impact. One of the key reasons many golfers lose distance is because they try to hit the ball too hard. When you do this, you tense your muscles, causing your arms to slow down your swing. This can also cause an abbreviated follow-through, leading to more club deceleration. A few tips that help you relax your muscles will help you maintain your club head speed and get more distance when you need it.
Step 1
Place the ball forward in your stance, closer to your front foot. Experiment with ball placement, starting with placing your ball even with the heel of your front foot. Placing the ball farther forward lets you shift your weight into the ball, generating more club head speed with your lower body, taking the pressure of your arms to do the work.
Step 2
Begin your backswing by breaking your wrists backward, moving the club head backward. This releases tension in the forearms during the backswing.
Step 3
Push your club backward with your shoulders, keeping your arms still. Let the arms separate naturally from your body after you have completed your shoulder and torso turn until your arms are straight.
Step 4
Pause slightly at the top of your backswing before bringing the club forward. This will let you transfer the energy you created during the backswing to the forward swing.
Step 5
Shift your weight from your back leg to your front leg by moving your hips forward. The heel of your back foot should come off the ground at the end of this weight transfer, with most of your weight on your front leg.
Step 6
Swing your club forward as part of your forward hip turn. Your hips should open up your shoulders, which will propel your arms forward by pulling them forward, according to speed training expert Larry Van Such in the article, "The Anatomy of the Forward Swing." Keep a relaxed grip and let your arms come through naturally, pulled forward by the weight shift.
Step 7
Turn your wrists and forearms forward just prior to contact. This will accelerate the club head into the shot and allow you to maintain your acceleration through the shot.
Step 8
Swing through the ball, stopping your club naturally over your front shoulder. Your right hand should touch your left shoulder, if you are right-handed. Hitting through the ball and finishing over your shoulder prevents you from slowing down your club prior to contact, which loses you distance.
Tips and Warnings
- Practice a relaxed grip by taking practice swings without hitting a ball, taking your pinkies off the club at the top of your backswing. If you can't, you are gripping the club too tightly.
Member Comments