It makes sense that we all want to know how to drive long off the tee. After all, more distance gives us shorter and easier approach shots to the green. Most of the golf swing instruction e-books offer to teach us how to add more distance. Most of them promise an extra few yards or so.
These guidebooks, however, are designed for the recreational or beginner golfer. They teach you all about the golf swing; the grip, setup, backswing, downswing, and follow through. But if you are a competent golfer that is just looking for more in depth information about how to drive long, you will learn more from the distance golf experts.
The Long Drivers of America
The first website that you should check out is the Long Drivers of America. They are the golf association that runs the Remax Long Drive Championship. They are into learning the power golf swing for attaining maximum golf distance. So, if you want to participate in the Re/Max World Long Drive Championship, then you need to visit the LDA website.
Mike Austin And The Worlds Longest Drive
Unbelievably, the Worlds longest golf drive has not been broken since 1974. Golfing legend, Mike Austin, holds the Guinness World Record for longest drive in a tournament. His record breaking 515-yard drive was accomplished at the 1974 U.S. National Senior Open in Las Vegas - at the age of 64!
Austin managed that incredible drive using a 43.5 inch long steel-shafted driver with a wood-head! So clearly, the golfing equipment doesn't have as much to do with how far you can drive the ball as the technique. However, the long drive champions nowadays like to use 2X or 3X, extra-stiff shafts that are up to 50 inches in length, and that have lofts that are as low as 5 or 6 degrees.
Learning How To Drive Long
For most of us, we just want to learn how to drive long and to improve our general golf game. Even if you have a decent grip and swing, it doesn't necessarily mean that you will have a good golf distance off the tee. The major factor that you need to improve is your golf club head speed. Every 1 mph of increased golf swing speed translates into about 2.5 yards of distance. If you increase your swing speed, you'll increase your distance.
Obviously, there are other factors to perfect if you want to learn how to drive long. Golf flexibility and fitness training will improve your overall golf game, as well as your distance. Another important area of your game that you should know about is the mental game of golf. These areas of golf are usually ignored by most golfers, but they are crucial if you want to take your game to the next level.
A Distance Golf Instructor
To learn how to drive long properly, you need a golf instructor who knows what it takes to achieve distance golf. If you are actually driving the ball 200 yards or less, then adding only a few yards to your drives won't help you too much. Find someone that used to shoot in the 90's, who learned how to hit 350 to 430 yard drives, and who can now score in the 60's and 70's.
Turbo Power Golf Clubs
Drive for show and putt for dough maybe sound advice, but if you ask the average weekend golfer whether they would like to putt like Brad Faxon, or regularly belt the ball like Tiger, most would opt for Tiger's power off the tee.
It is this fascination with power in golf that prompt's me to write this article, and provide a golf tip.
A couple of facts first, that were discovered two or three years ago, by the teaching profession in the USA. These were, that by using the golf swing, test robotic arm generating a clubhead speed of 100 mph, the golf ball, on average, would go around 265 yards.
However, if the clubface is opened by 2 degrees only, then the distance reached was only 225 yards, with the same clubhead speed. Again by opening up the face to 4 degrees, the distance covered was only 185 yards.
This shows that distance is not just about power, and clubhead speed, but also hitting the ball squarely with a nice golf swing. This may sound like common sense, however many golfers are trying to hit the ball with the incorrect golf swing.
So, what is the secret of achieving maximum power? My golf tip is this:-
Speed, can be increased, by setting the wrists into a cocked position early, and on the downswing keeping the wrists cocked for as late as possible, and then swishing through the ball. This is similar to flicking your wrists, when using a badminton, squash, or tennis racket.
Power, comes from having as full and flexible a body turn as possible, plus creating a wide arc. The powerful muscles of the legs will also help.
To generate maximum power, it is essential that the start of the downswing be calm and unhurried. This enables the golfer to build up speed, so that the golf club is still accelerating when it reaches the ball. Finally, ensure that the arms are fully extended through to a high finish.
A key point to note is that the hands control the position of the clubface, keeping it square at impact.
Golfers, who are inclined to hit at the ball with their hands rather than a nice even tempo golf swing through the ball, find that they lose a lot of power, and hence distance.
Both Mick Euan Tait & Jeff Seward are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Mick Euan Tait has sinced written about articles on various topics from Recreation and Sports, Recreation and Sports and Recreation and Sports. At Mick's Golf Review Blog, you will find out which Long Drive Champion can teach you his secrets of . This Golf Professional can teach men and women of A. Mick Euan Tait's top article generates over 6600 views. to your Favourites.
Jeff Seward has sinced written about articles on various topics from Greenhouse Garden, Science and Museum Guide. Learn about and. Jeff Seward's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.
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