Hitting the Golf Ball Farther: Top Tips

Looking at all of the golf club shafts for sale here, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of thinking that just spending more, or finding the perfect club and shaft combo, is all it takes to get better at the game.

There is truth to the supposition that gear influences performance. But as golfers, we need to remember that we are the most important piece of the performance puzzle. That’s why a pro will do better with a Fujikura Ventus Black than an amateur. Sure, it’s a great shaft, but the golfer is more important.

Knowing this, it’s what you do, not what you do with, that chiefly drives the game. So, let’s take a closer look at a few things you can do to generate more carry distance for your drives, regardless of what you’re swinging.

Work on Center Contact

This is one of the best tips we have to offer you. Golf clubs are engineered to have a sweet spot and missing this sweet spot can utterly rob you of distance (not to mention accuracy).

Worse, beginner golfers have a habit of hitting the ball all over the clubface, and small aberrations can rack up costly losses in terms of range. Even if you’re consistent, if you miss on center face contact, you’re losing yards.

Either use a swing training aid like a launch monitor or spray your club face and check where you made contact after each drive, then make adjustments accordingly. Master consistent center face contact and you will hit the ball farther, period.

Increase Your Hand Arc

The idea behind moving your hands a little farther back on the grip is this - it creates a bigger arc to swing the club, and a bigger arc provides a greater mechanical advantage. That is, no matter how hard you swing it, if you create a longer arc, the club will be moving faster around the outside of that arc. Extend the arc, and you don’t need to swing faster - the clubhead will automatically do that.

Now, you can’t get drastic with this, as holding your club right at the tip of the grip can mess up your entire form and your overall swing mechanics. But at the same time, shifting back only a centimeter, or even an inch, can result in some gains in terms of range.

Start Working Out

What can we say other than that, if you’re stronger, you’ll be able to hit the ball farther. Stronger players swing faster and tend to swing more aggressively, that’s just how it is.

Now, any exercise is better than no exercise, but if you want to learn how you can bulk up your “golf muscles” you’re in luck, because we’ve published on that before. For more information on how to get in “golfing shape,” see our previous post, Strengthening Your Golf Swing Muscles with 5 Key Exercises.

Loosen Your Grip

It’s a common misconception that you should hold your golf club tightly throughout the swing sequence. This is not the case, and keeping your club in a death grip will restrict your range of motion, keep your arms and shoulders tight, and tire you out faster. None of those things is good if you want to hit the ball farther (or for that matter, more accurately).

Rather, relax your grip on the club. Remember, it’s not your grip muscles in your forearm that send the ball, anyway, it’s the muscles in your shoulders, back and core.

Here’s another tip: if worn out grips are requiring you to squeeze the club a bit harder than you’d like, get them replaced. Fresh grips will give you better purchase on the club so you don’t have to squeeze too hard.

Consciously Shift Your Weight Onto Your Front Foot As Your Bring the Club Down

Focusing on where your gravity rests is one of the keys to efficient energy transfer to the golf ball, and it’s important to remember that all your power doesn’t just come from your shoulders and arms, but your core, making shifting your weight critical.

Focus on shifting your weight onto your lead foot as soon as you begin the downswing; lean slightly onto the foot or bend your knee a bit to bring down your weight as your arms and the club come down, too. This will add power to your swing.

Combine that with solid center face contact and a wider arc, and you will be able to hit the ball further, almost regardless of what you are swinging.

Explore Golf Club Shafts for Sale Here

While the techniques in this article don’t focus on gear, being prepared with the right shaft and club combo can’t hurt, either. Shop a full collection of golf clubs and shafts for sale here and get in touch with our fitters if you want any help choosing or pairing.