Luke is an avid weekend-warrior golfer from the East Coast who plays golf more than he cares to admit.
Does it seem impossible to reach the green in three strokes? The frustration of coming up short leaves many golfers wondering how to hit a golf ball farther.
One of the fantastic things about golf is that you don’t have to be athletic to play well. Tour players don’t usually look like they spend their lives in the gym. Golf is the great equalizer.
We love golf! At Our Golf Clubs, we bring you the best in golf tips and tricks. Check back often to get more ideas for improving your game!
How To Hit A Golf Ball Farther
- Hip Use
- Lead Arm Position
- Center of the club face (strike it!)
- FINISH your swing by keeping your head DOWN!
- Get fitted for the right clubs!
Now we’ll dive into the details of each tip. Coming from experience – driving the golf ball 200 yards and then crushing a 300 yard hard drive the next tee shot later – it all comes down to the swing sequence.
#1. It’s All In The Hips
Arms are strong, but whole bodies are stronger. If you are only swinging with your arms, you aren’t reaching your full potential.
You will hit the golf ball farther if you incorporate your hips into your swing.
Let’s break it down.
Line up for your shot and slowly take your backswing. Then, when you reach the apex of your swing, pause.
How do you usually bring that energy forward through to the ball? Many players focus on hitting the ball as hard as possible, effectively trying to kill the ball.
Your golf game will not improve by killing your ball. Let’s try a different focus.
After you’ve lined up and executed your backswing, pause at the apex. Now, instead of leading your forward motion with your clubhead, think about leading with your hips.
Your downswing begins with your hips turning toward your target. The hips turn forward, the body follows, and the arms and club swing through. When done correctly, the clubhead speed will have all your body’s power behind it.
As you follow through, your swing should finish with shoulders and hips facing the green or fairway.
#2. Keep Your Lead Arm Straight
You’ll hit the golf ball farther if you keep your lead arm straight. If you’re right-handed, your left arm is your lead arm because it’s closer to your target as you address the ball.
Line up for your shot, getting a comfortable grip on your club. Then, before starting your takeaway, confirm that your elbow and wrist are in line with your shoulder and your club.
Creating a straight line from your shoulder to your clubhead will increase the radius of your golf swing. When you increase the distance of your swing arc, your swing speeds will also increase.
Think of driving your car around a bend. If you drive along the lane closest to the curve, you’ll travel less distance than if you take the outside lane. To get around the curve in the same amount of time, a car in that longer outside lane will need to travel faster.
Keeping your arm straight is like putting your clubhead in the outside lane. It will travel faster, resulting in a faster swing. The faster swing delivers more power when you hit the ball.
The force of your faster club will result in your golf ball traveling faster and farther.
#3. Find the Sweet Spot
There’s hitting the ball, and then there’s hitting the ball well.
Take a look at the head of a golf club. The clubface has grooves to help catch and lift your ball.
Imagine drawing a rectangle over the grooved lines in the center of the clubface. That’s your sweet spot.
You can have a strong, fast swing. But if your clubface is connecting outside of that rectangle, you won’t be happy with the result.
If your ball is dirty, it can leave a mark on your clubface after your shot. While none of us really want a muddy ball, you can learn a lot from that mark.
You can also get a good idea of where your clubface is connecting by using impact decals. This tape easily sticks to your clubface and changes color at the impact point.
Try one of these methods on the range or your next trip around the golf course. Once you can see where your clubface is connecting, slow down and focus on a more precise hit. When you’ve dialed into your sweet spot, you’ll have figured out how to hit a golf ball farther.
#4. Drive Through Service
Some golfers stop paying attention once the club strikes the ball.
We know. It’s exciting. But your swing isn’t done quite yet.
To get all the distance out of that swing, you need to follow through. Failing to drive through the ball is like throwing a rabbit punch. It has an effect, but it isn’t going to knock anybody’s socks off.
As you drive through the ball, your swing should naturally continue forward and up. Your weight should almost entirely transfer to your left foot, assuming you’re a rightie.
Your hips follow the motion of your swing, turning towards your target. Your back foot will turn as well, and your foot will raise to a toe-touch for balance.
If you are following through correctly, you should have no problem holding the finished position for several seconds. Practice holding your final position for a count of five. If you are wobbly, slow your swing until it feels stable.
#5. Let’s Go Shopping
If your form is in shape and the ball generally goes where you’d expect, it might be time to upgrade your equipment.
Tailored clubs are a great way to hit a golf ball farther.
Newer golf clubs are often made from lighter materials and have larger sweet spots. Therefore, this can literally translate to the same swing getting more distance.
When you purchase a new set of clubs, you can also have them customized for your height and stance. Customized clubs can eliminate the need for the golfer to compensate for standard sizing.
My Recommendation For Distance Increasing Golf Clubs
Time To Play A Round?
Now that you have some ideas for how to hit a golf ball farther get out there and practice!
When you’ve finished your round, stop back into Our Golf Clubs! We are always on the lookout for new tips and tricks to help improve your game. Check in again soon!
