Nina Caldwell
Golfing is a male-dominated sport, and it's no surprise that many are curious about how to hit the golf ball farther. There are many ways to improve your distance, and it often involves refining your technique and setup, using the right equipment, and focusing on your physical fitness. For example, you can try to increase your shoulder and hip turn, improve your footwork, or change your golf ball.
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What You'll Learn
Utilise the right equipment
To hit a golf ball far, one of the most important factors is to utilise the right equipment. This includes choosing the right clubs, balls, and technology to help improve your launch angle, spin rate, and overall performance.
Firstly, consider the type of clubs you are using. For maximum distance, the driver is the preferred choice among golfers. A higher launch angle combined with a lower spin usually results in increased distance. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that your driver's loft is suited to your swing speed. If the loft is too low, achieving the optimal launch combination may be challenging. Additionally, properly fitted clubs can enhance your launch angle and spin rate, both of which influence the distance the ball travels. Fairway woods, such as the 3-wood and 5-wood, are also useful for achieving longer shots from the fairway or rough. To maximise distance with fairway woods, focus on a smooth, sweeping swing, aiming for a slight upward angle to strike the ball cleanly.
Secondly, the choice of golf ball can impact the distance you achieve. By testing different brands of balls, you can determine which ones allow you to gain extra speed, resulting in increased distance. Technology such as Trackman, Flightscope, or Quad can assist in measuring various parameters and identifying the best ball for your game.
Lastly, incorporating technology into your practice routine can be beneficial. Tools like HackMotion can aid in perfecting your wrist position, which is crucial for achieving greater distances. Additionally, analysing your swing with slow-motion video technology can help you understand how to generate more power and speed, similar to what top golfers like Bryson Dechambeau demonstrate with their swing speeds of 115 to 120 mph.
By selecting the right equipment, from clubs to balls, and utilising available technology, you can significantly enhance your performance and achieve those longer drives on the golf course.
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Improve your swing
Improving your golf swing is a surefire way to increase the distance of your shots. Here are some tips to help you achieve that:
Firstly, it is important to focus on your stance and setup. The ball should be positioned just inside your lead foot for a driver, and closer to the centre of your stance when using irons. A good stance has your feet shoulder-width apart, with your weight balanced and feet and clubface square. Your knees should be bent, and your upper body tilted forward. Your hands should be flowing straight down from your shoulders, and your wrists should be quiet and stable.
Secondly, you should focus on your swing. A common mistake is to swing too hard and too fast. The best swings tend to be those that allow speed to develop gradually, with the club accelerating all the way down until impact. A slower, more rhythmic swing will produce more distance than a faster, more powerful swing. You should also focus on your follow-through; your hands and clubhead should circle back around your body, with your weight moving towards your left foot.
Thirdly, you should focus on your technique. A common misconception is that you should lift the ball into the air, but the key is to hit down and through, taking a divot just after impact. This will create solid contact, better launch, and consistent spin. You should also focus on your wrists during the early part of the backswing, and make sure your takeaway is driven by your shoulders, not your hands.
Finally, you should focus on your equipment. Using the right clubs for your swing will make a big difference. Irons with lower lofts will give you more distance, but are harder to control, so a balanced set of irons is key. You should also make sure you have the right weight of club for your swing; a club that is too heavy or too light will affect your ability to hit the ball consistently and with power.
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Master your wrist position
Mastering your wrist position is key to optimising your golf game. The wrists control the clubface, and the angle of the clubface controls where the ball goes. The wrists move in three ways: extension/flexion, radial deviation/ulnar deviation, and pronation/supination.
A bowed wrist means your lead wrist (left wrist for right-handed players) is flexed, not cupped. A flat lead wrist promotes forward shaft lean at address, clean contact, more distance, and better consistency.
To master your wrist position, start by adopting a stronger hold. Get your hands more on top of the handle (rotated to the right for a right-handed player) so that when you look down at the address, you can see at least two knuckles on your glove hand. This effectively “presets” flexion in your lead wrist even before you start your swing.
The last part of the puzzle is maintaining the flex throughout your backswing and into your transition. As you practice these moves, keep in mind the following analogy: your lead wrist is your swing’s steering wheel, but your body remains the engine. The engine can never stall. By taking the correct grip and maintaining lead-wrist flexion deep into your downswing, all that’s left to do on your part is to rotate your body.
To check your wrist position, use the HackMotion wrist sensor and record data at setup, top of the backswing, and impact. This will help you get the proper wrist action in your golf game.
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Perfect your stance
Perfecting your stance is a key part of improving your golf game and hitting the ball further. Here are some tips to help you achieve the perfect stance:
Firstly, when addressing the ball, imagine a vertical plane in line with your toes or the tips of your shoes. The butt of the club should just break that plane. This will help you avoid reaching too far for the ball and ensure a more natural arm swing.
Next, focus on your footwork. The ground is a significant power source for golfers, so make sure you're using it effectively. At the tour level, players like Justin Thomas, Phil Mickleson, and Lexi Thompson are known for using the ground for power. One drill that can help you generate power and speed is pushing away from the ground at impact. Watch slow-motion swings of top players to see how they efficiently push off through the ground.
Another important aspect of stance is the ball position in relation to your feet. With a driver, the ball should be positioned just inside your lead foot, while with irons, it's usually closer to the centre of your stance.
Before setting up your stance, make sure your arms are hanging down naturally and not too tense or strong. Then, step up to the ball, position your clubface to your target line, and set your feet last. This will help ensure your arms are in the correct position and give you more control over your body position.
Finally, when holding the club, take your right hand and hold it parallel to the ground. There should be a hand width between the butt end of the club and your belt. This is a consistent measurement that will help you maintain a proper stance.
Remember, achieving the perfect stance takes practice and patience. Focus on refining your technique and making incremental improvements over time.
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Practice, practice, practice
Practice makes perfect, and this is especially true when it comes to golf. The more you practice, the more you will improve your technique and the further your golf ball will fly.
Start by focusing on your stance and alignment. Set your feet last, ensuring they are in a natural position, not too tense or strong. Imagine a vertical plane in line with your toes/tips of your shoes—the butt of the club should just break that plane. You should also ensure that the ball is in the right position. Generally, with a driver, the ball should be positioned just inside your lead foot, while with irons, the ball will be closer to the centre of your stance.
Next, you need to think about your swing. It's not about swinging harder, but about swinging smarter. A common misconception is that hitting the ball lower or harder will result in more distance. In fact, a higher launch angle combined with a lower spin usually increases distance. Make sure your driver's loft is suited to your swing speed. You can also try increasing your shoulder and hip turn to gain more distance.
To hit the ball further, you also need to focus on making solid contact with the centre of the club. If you are about 1 inch off centre, you are losing about 10% of your distance. To improve, spray your club and find out where you are hitting the club face. If you are hitting it all over the face, minimise your area by starting with smaller pitch shots and working on centre contact.
Finally, don't forget the importance of physical conditioning. Strength training can help you generate more power and stability for better performance. Just like the professionals, you can work on setting up correctly and engaging your lower body to generate more power and speed through impact.
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Frequently asked questions
Hitting the ball harder will make it travel further, but only if you're already hitting the ball well. Focus on making better contact by aiming for the sweet spot on the club face.
Wipe the clubface between hits to see where the ball hit it. Adjust your technique until you're consistently hitting the sweet spot.
Work on your footwork. Many top golfers use the ground for power. Practise small swings at home, feeling the weight move from side to side.
Slow down your swing, especially your backswing. Stand closer to the ball and tee it up slightly higher.
Focus on keeping your head in an imaginary box during your back swing. Keep the same distance between your ball and your head.
