subject: Gripping It and Ripping It Long and Accurate [print this page] The game of golf has evolved massively over the last 20 years. The reason? Players have become particularly effective at gripping it and ripping it long and accurate. The good news is you can do it as well.
Tiger Woods drives the ball the longest distance on the Tour right? Not even close. The PGA maintains records of driving distance for the last 20 years. During that time, Tiger only reached number 31 on the list with a drive of 425 years in 2004. Wonder who has the top position? Youll be shocked. Although he is known for having a strong long game, few would probably guess that Davis Love III has the longest drive of the last 20 years during a tournament. He had a 476 yard bomb in 2004. Hey, it was a great year for the driver!
Driving is hardly the only part of ones golf game. For most of us, however, it is a key part. If we can add 20 to 50 yards to our game, we can greatly reduce our scores. 20 yards might not mean much to Davis Love III, but is a huge difference for the rest of us. So, how do we do this? Lets take a look.
Equipment
Blaming the equipment is usually a copout of the worst kind. In golf, this isnt necessarily true. The problem is not the quality of the equipment, but the angle used. Most of us use a 7 to 8 degree angle. This doesnt create enough loft. Try going with a 9 to 10 degree angle. Youll get more loft and more distance.
Moving Weight
Many people think the rotation of the body gives the swing power. It does to an extent, but the real power is generated by moving your weight. You should line up with your front foot even with the ball. Move your weight backward with the backward swing and then forward with the striking of the ball. This will add a lot of power to the swing and generate more distance.
Patience
Many people accelerate to quickly at the top of their swing. Dont! Youre wasting power. Start slowly and calmly on the downswing. Accelerate as you come down to the ball. You want to the swing to still be accelerating as it blows through the ball.
There are many other tips that can add power to your swing and lower scores dramatically. Master these three, however, and you should see a noticeable improvement.
