Anyone who plays golf is looking to hit the ball farther. Equipment advancements have made that possible, but there are still swing improvements, tips, and drills that can help increase distance.
Bob Beach, the head professional at Braintree Municipal Golf Course, has a three-step process for greater distance. Beach writes:
“The first step to hitting it longer is to make your stance wider, with a ball position (for a righthanded player) that is off the inside of the left foot. This position gets your body more behind the golf ball at address and will help you build up more energy on the backswing. It will also help you to create a higher launch with less spin.
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“The second step to more distance is to slow down your takeaway so that you complete your backswing and make a full turn. The key word is ‘slow,’ because it is easy to rush things when you’re trying to blast one. The long hitter feels like they have created a big, wide arc and have loaded up their right side.
“The final step to hitting it longer is to hold the golf club a little bit lighter in your hands. This will help activate your hands and wrists to create the snap that long hitters have through impact. You need a big arc and fast hands to hit it long like PGA Tour player Bubba Watson and LPGA Tour player Michelle Wie.”
Are you having specific problems with your game and want a local PGA professional to provide some helpful tips? E-mail your question to mwhitmer@globe.com.