Golf question - longer drives?
Discussion
Ok, this may be a dumb question, but after a surf of the net I'm not 100 sure of the answer.
Distance of drives, is it just a simple mechanics questions (ie the distance is a function of force applied by the club, initial angle of flight of the ball, and drag coefficient of the ball)?
If it is, then is the easiest way to increase distance off the tee to increase the speed at which the club-head comes around before striking the ball?
Or am I so far off the short-stuff I'm out of bounds (again)?
How does one go about increasing club speed?
Distance of drives, is it just a simple mechanics questions (ie the distance is a function of force applied by the club, initial angle of flight of the ball, and drag coefficient of the ball)?
If it is, then is the easiest way to increase distance off the tee to increase the speed at which the club-head comes around before striking the ball?
Or am I so far off the short-stuff I'm out of bounds (again)?
How does one go about increasing club speed?
Simple answer is yes - it relates to club head speed but the most important thing is to get your weight moving properly through the ball. Swing the club as hard as you can with your arms and then do the same using your body weight. Can almost guarentee the ball will go further with the later.
Simple test is to get to the top of your back swing and remember the movement through the ball starts at the ankles. Rotate them and everything else follows. Big Ernie hardly looks like he's trying to hit the ball and that's simply because he lets his body do the work.
Simple test is to get to the top of your back swing and remember the movement through the ball starts at the ankles. Rotate them and everything else follows. Big Ernie hardly looks like he's trying to hit the ball and that's simply because he lets his body do the work.
cwoodsie2 said:
Simple answer is yes - it relates to club head speed but the most important thing is to get your weight moving properly through the ball. Swing the club as hard as you can with your arms and then do the same using your body weight. Can almost guarentee the ball will go further with the later.
Simple test is to get to the top of your back swing and remember the movement through the ball starts at the ankles. Rotate them and everything else follows. Big Ernie hardly looks like he's trying to hit the ball and that's simply because he lets his body do the work.
How on gods green earth do you rotate your ankles?Simple test is to get to the top of your back swing and remember the movement through the ball starts at the ankles. Rotate them and everything else follows. Big Ernie hardly looks like he's trying to hit the ball and that's simply because he lets his body do the work.
To hit the ball further you need to hit the ball harder, simple.
To generate more club head speed can be quite simple and there are a number of things you can do.
Get the correct shaft for your swing.
Get a longer shaft.
Get stronger.
Start your down swing by rotating your hips.
SWING HARDER.
Gropes said:
cwoodsie2 said:
Simple answer is yes - it relates to club head speed but the most important thing is to get your weight moving properly through the ball. Swing the club as hard as you can with your arms and then do the same using your body weight. Can almost guarentee the ball will go further with the later.
Simple test is to get to the top of your back swing and remember the movement through the ball starts at the ankles. Rotate them and everything else follows. Big Ernie hardly looks like he's trying to hit the ball and that's simply because he lets his body do the work.
How on gods green earth do you rotate your ankles?Simple test is to get to the top of your back swing and remember the movement through the ball starts at the ankles. Rotate them and everything else follows. Big Ernie hardly looks like he's trying to hit the ball and that's simply because he lets his body do the work.
To hit the ball further you need to hit the ball harder, simple.
To generate more club head speed can be quite simple and there are a number of things you can do.
Get the correct shaft for your swing.
Get a longer shaft.
Get stronger.
Start your down swing by rotating your hips.
SWING HARDER.
I've already got a long shaft (ffnarrr) for somebody of my height, so I guess I'll be having a play with it at the driving range and see what happens. I guess, like everything else, it will get worse before it gets better.
Don't worry about your driving distance unless you are a low handicapper. The simple fact is you only use a driver on average 13-14 times a round.
I couldn't care less if I could learn to drive the ball an extra 10 yards. The important shot it the green approach afterwards.
Maximise your shortgame with irons, these are the clubs you use the most and this is where you drop the most shots.
I couldn't care less if I could learn to drive the ball an extra 10 yards. The important shot it the green approach afterwards.
Maximise your shortgame with irons, these are the clubs you use the most and this is where you drop the most shots.
Cheers Disco - I'd not really thought about that...at the minute I hit as far with a 3 iron as with a driver (150 yards in the air) so I suppose you're right, I'd not get an awful lot of benefit from hitting further - other than confidence clearing the odd water hazard (that currently I tend to play around, one in particular which is about 150 yards from the tee to clear the wet stuff).
Short game is getting there - I no longer consider myself to be an absolute beginner, although in reality, I am.
Still I'm 27, so I've about 40 years (touches wood) to get to grips with it!
Short game is getting there - I no longer consider myself to be an absolute beginner, although in reality, I am.
Still I'm 27, so I've about 40 years (touches wood) to get to grips with it!
Gropes said:
cwoodsie2 said:
Simple answer is yes - it relates to club head speed but the most important thing is to get your weight moving properly through the ball. Swing the club as hard as you can with your arms and then do the same using your body weight. Can almost guarentee the ball will go further with the later.
Simple test is to get to the top of your back swing and remember the movement through the ball starts at the ankles. Rotate them and everything else follows. Big Ernie hardly looks like he's trying to hit the ball and that's simply because he lets his body do the work.
How on gods green earth do you rotate your ankles?Simple test is to get to the top of your back swing and remember the movement through the ball starts at the ankles. Rotate them and everything else follows. Big Ernie hardly looks like he's trying to hit the ball and that's simply because he lets his body do the work.
To hit the ball further you need to hit the ball harder, simple.
To generate more club head speed can be quite simple and there are a number of things you can do.
Get the correct shaft for your swing.
Get a longer shaft.
Get stronger.
Start your down swing by rotating your hips.
SWING HARDER.
And if you've just started i'd almost keep the woods in the garage. If you can hit it as far with a 3-iron then why bother with them? Mate i play with got down to a 10 handicap and only used irons. Only now is he playing with woods as he's confident enough.
tigger1 said:
Cheers Disco - I'd not really thought about that...at the minute I hit as far with a 3 iron as with a driver (150 yards in the air) so I suppose you're right, I'd not get an awful lot of benefit from hitting further - other than confidence clearing the odd water hazard (that currently I tend to play around, one in particular which is about 150 yards from the tee to clear the wet stuff).
Short game is getting there - I no longer consider myself to be an absolute beginner, although in reality, I am.
Still I'm 27, so I've about 40 years (touches wood) to get to grips with it!
If that's the case, forget the driver for a few months, stick with a 3-Wood or perhaps even a rescue-iron. get the swing woriking first on those clubs before you bring out the big stick.Short game is getting there - I no longer consider myself to be an absolute beginner, although in reality, I am.
Still I'm 27, so I've about 40 years (touches wood) to get to grips with it!
tigger1 said:
Gropes said:
cwoodsie2 said:
Simple answer is yes - it relates to club head speed but the most important thing is to get your weight moving properly through the ball. Swing the club as hard as you can with your arms and then do the same using your body weight. Can almost guarentee the ball will go further with the later.
Simple test is to get to the top of your back swing and remember the movement through the ball starts at the ankles. Rotate them and everything else follows. Big Ernie hardly looks like he's trying to hit the ball and that's simply because he lets his body do the work.
How on gods green earth do you rotate your ankles?Simple test is to get to the top of your back swing and remember the movement through the ball starts at the ankles. Rotate them and everything else follows. Big Ernie hardly looks like he's trying to hit the ball and that's simply because he lets his body do the work.
To hit the ball further you need to hit the ball harder, simple.
To generate more club head speed can be quite simple and there are a number of things you can do.
Get the correct shaft for your swing.
Get a longer shaft.
Get stronger.
Start your down swing by rotating your hips.
SWING HARDER.
I've already got a long shaft (ffnarrr) for somebody of my height, so I guess I'll be having a play with it at the driving range and see what happens. I guess, like everything else, it will get worse before it gets better.
disco1 said:
Don't worry about your driving distance unless you are a low handicapper. The simple fact is you only use a driver on average 13-14 times a round.
I couldn't care less if I could learn to drive the ball an extra 10 yards. The important shot it the green approach afterwards.
Maximise your short game with irons, these are the clubs you use the most and this is where you drop the most shots.
But if you can hit your driver longer and straighter your approach shots are shorter therefore easier putting less pressure on your short game, because with shorter approach shots you should hit more greens. I couldn't care less if I could learn to drive the ball an extra 10 yards. The important shot it the green approach afterwards.
Maximise your short game with irons, these are the clubs you use the most and this is where you drop the most shots.
Think about it. For every 10 yards you gain from the tee you should hit 1 less club into the green. So if you can gain say, 20 yards (which should be pretty easy if you only carry the ball 150) you should in theory be hitting 2 clubs less into the green. I know I would rather hit a 6 iron rather than a 4 iron, or a wedge instead of an 8.
Gropes said:
disco1 said:
Don't worry about your driving distance unless you are a low handicapper. The simple fact is you only use a driver on average 13-14 times a round.
I couldn't care less if I could learn to drive the ball an extra 10 yards. The important shot it the green approach afterwards.
Maximise your short game with irons, these are the clubs you use the most and this is where you drop the most shots.
But if you can hit your driver longer and straighter your approach shots are shorter therefore easier putting less pressure on your short game, because with shorter approach shots you should hit more greens. I couldn't care less if I could learn to drive the ball an extra 10 yards. The important shot it the green approach afterwards.
Maximise your short game with irons, these are the clubs you use the most and this is where you drop the most shots.
Think about it. For every 10 yards you gain from the tee you should hit 1 less club into the green. So if you can gain say, 20 yards (which should be pretty easy if you only carry the ball 150) you should in theory be hitting 2 clubs less into the green. I know I would rather hit a 6 iron rather than a 4 iron, or a wedge instead of an 8.
I used a driver for a few months but now leave it at home and use a 3 iron instead. I can hit the 3 iron far and straight down the fairway every single time. With my King Cobra driver I can hit it straight about 25% of the time, I spend the other 75% in the bushes losing 1-2 shots per hole. Multiply this 14 times and I've already dropped 14+ shots in just 1 round. This is a massive amount of shots to save from something so simple.
Its pretty simple to hit the ball further off the tee
1. Hit the ball on slightly assending blow
2. Hit the ball with the middle of the clubface
3. Make sure you are accelerating through the shot
Make sure you are not HITTING the ball, but swinging through the ball, as if the ball is in the way of your swing.
Most people get to the driver and try and smash it which cause them to slow down as they hit the ball, because they have hit there max swing speed early
1. Hit the ball on slightly assending blow
2. Hit the ball with the middle of the clubface
3. Make sure you are accelerating through the shot
Make sure you are not HITTING the ball, but swinging through the ball, as if the ball is in the way of your swing.
Most people get to the driver and try and smash it which cause them to slow down as they hit the ball, because they have hit there max swing speed early
disco1 said:
Don't worry about your driving distance unless you are a low handicapper. The simple fact is you only use a driver on average 13-14 times a round.
I couldn't care less if I could learn to drive the ball an extra 10 yards. The important shot it the green approach afterwards.
Maximise your shortgame with irons, these are the clubs you use the most and this is where you drop the most shots.
Correct. I play off 3.6 and have played (club member) since I was 7, I'm now 28. All I would say from experience is don't worry too much about thrashing it off the tee, simply aim to keep the ball in play and give your self a chance of getting your par even if it means via a chip and a putt. Far more strokes are gained from the short game.(I hit an iron off the tee a lot when playing unknown courses) And for the record it's nothing to do with trying to hit it as hard/fast as you can, it's to do with your swing path and correct shaft for your swing - that is what generates club head speed! Just watch how slow Ernie Els swings.I couldn't care less if I could learn to drive the ball an extra 10 yards. The important shot it the green approach afterwards.
Maximise your shortgame with irons, these are the clubs you use the most and this is where you drop the most shots.
Leithen said:
tigger1 said:
Cheers Disco - I'd not really thought about that...at the minute I hit as far with a 3 iron as with a driver (150 yards in the air) so I suppose you're right, I'd not get an awful lot of benefit from hitting further - other than confidence clearing the odd water hazard (that currently I tend to play around, one in particular which is about 150 yards from the tee to clear the wet stuff).
Short game is getting there - I no longer consider myself to be an absolute beginner, although in reality, I am.
Still I'm 27, so I've about 40 years (touches wood) to get to grips with it!
If that's the case, forget the driver for a few months, stick with a 3-Wood or perhaps even a rescue-iron. get the swing woriking first on those clubs before you bring out the big stick.Short game is getting there - I no longer consider myself to be an absolute beginner, although in reality, I am.
Still I'm 27, so I've about 40 years (touches wood) to get to grips with it!
I dont even have a driver and just use a 3+ wood (thats 13 degrees) Gives me plenty of distance and is easier to use. Then again im only 16 so im probably completely different.RWA28 said:
disco1 said:
Don't worry about your driving distance unless you are a low handicapper. The simple fact is you only use a driver on average 13-14 times a round.
I couldn't care less if I could learn to drive the ball an extra 10 yards. The important shot it the green approach afterwards.
Maximise your shortgame with irons, these are the clubs you use the most and this is where you drop the most shots.
Correct. I play off 3.6 and have played (club member) since I was 7, I'm now 28. All I would say from experience is don't worry too much about thrashing it off the tee, simply aim to keep the ball in play and give your self a chance of getting your par even if it means via a chip and a putt. Far more strokes are gained from the short game.(I hit an iron off the tee a lot when playing unknown courses) And for the record it's nothing to do with trying to hit it as hard/fast as you can, it's to do with your swing path and correct shaft for your swing - that is what generates club head speed! Just watch how slow Ernie Els swings.I couldn't care less if I could learn to drive the ball an extra 10 yards. The important shot it the green approach afterwards.
Maximise your shortgame with irons, these are the clubs you use the most and this is where you drop the most shots.
Use your ankles .... what a load of b
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