Wonder why you can’t hit your golf ball as far as you want? Not being able to do so makes the course seem even longer and puts more pressure on your short game. If you can’t reach par 4’s in two, your wedge shots have to make up for this gap.
Fortunately, taking golf lessons in Mississauga from Learn 2 Golf can teach you how to generate more clubhead speed and better swing techniques.
In this post, we discuss the reasons why you may be lagging behind and the techniques to hit longer drives.
Several factors can curtail your power. Let’s find out what they are.
If you are anxious or under too much stress when addressing the ball, you can have trouble generating maximum clubhead speed. Your goal is a long, loose swing, but stress can tighten your muscles, which causes the swing to be shorter and slower.
Rushing your downswing can cause you to dissipate clubhead speed. Remember that muscle strength is not everything.
If you want to be a good golfer, you have to know how to maintain a good tempo and maximize clubhead speed at the right point.
To generate the power you require during the swing, you need to make a full shoulder turn. But a lack of muscle flexibility can prevent this. You can increase your flexibility through strengthening exercises.
To drive further, golfers often force their swing too hard. But a forced swing action dismantles the harmony between your arms, shoulders and legs, resulting in shorter drives. Extending your backswing beyond parallel can also disrupt the timing of your downswing.
If you notice that you are losing distance near the end of the round, the reason could be tired legs. Strength training is one approach to building your leg endurance.
Who doesn’t want a long, solid drive? Here are some fundamentals and techniques that will help you gain yardage.
1. Build Center Contact
Try to hit your driver properly in the center of the face. With new technology, you can measure the percentage of distance lost in off-center hits. Mark your driver’s face with tape or powder spray so you can locate the contact point between the driver’s face and the ball. Then build good contact by starting with slow, small swings with a good grip and setup.
Once you find the right hit spot, add speed. Making better shots will automatically increase your confidence and add to your speed.
2. It’s All About Posture
The center of your upper spine, your knees, and the balls of your feet should line up vertically. Your back knee should be slightly turned inward, pointing at the target. Don’t bend at your waist; use your hips! If you are in the proper stance, you will feel your buttocks stick out slightly.
Turning your shoulders on the backswing will dictate your power. Keeping your spine straight equals longer drives and more consistent shots.
3. Get a Good Grip
One of the most effective ways to hit your drive longer is having a good grip that promotes the hands to actively release on impact. Grip pressure should be firm enough to control the club but not so tight that it builds up tension in your forearms and shoulders. A tighter grip also restricts and slows your hands. This can cause you to lose both swing speed and the ability to square the clubface fast enough through impact.
Only begin your swing when you feel relaxed and comfortable. You can practice placing your lead hand onto the club exactly as it hangs and in your fingers. Try to relax your lead arm and count how many knuckles you see when gripping. This is exactly what it should look like when your lead hand is on the club.
4. Swing in a Circle
A proper swing path has a lot to do with maximizing distance. A club head that cuts across the golf ball will make glancing contact and produce a distance that you might not like.
To ensure a proper swing path, practice with an alignment aid outside your golf ball. This will help with a proper swing path at impact.
5. Change Your Attack Angle
Change your angle of attack from negative to positive to hit longer drives. An upward angle of attack will impart less spin to the ball, launch it higher off the tee and, as a result, make it travel further. You can get extra yards off the tee by simply hitting up on the ball without increasing your swing speed.
When swinging for more distance, aim for a better quality swing, not a harder one. Make sure your grip is not too tight and try to implement the above-mentioned technique to get longer drives. If you want expert golf lessons to improve your swing technique, contact Learn 2 Golf.