How to Maximize Your Distance
By Steve Silverman
Learning how to hit the ball consistently is a great boon for any golfer. Once you know how to hit the ball with confidence, you can build off that swing and attempt to fine-tune it. One thing you may want to do is hit the ball for greater distance, and you can do that with a few adjustments to your swing.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Address the ball squarely and do not round off your stance. If you are a right-handed golfer, make sure your left shoulder is facing the target directly. Your left foot needs to be directly underneath your left shoulder. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart.
Make sure you take an athletic position as you prepare to hit the golf ball. This means your knees must be bent slightly. This flex in your knees will allow you to shift your weight easily from back leg to front leg. Standing up taller will keep you from shifting your weight and getting the distance you want.
Grip the club firmly. You don't want to squeeze the life out of the club, but you do want to grip it firmly enough that the club will not slip or move when you make impact with the ball. Grip the club at a "5" on a scale of 1 to 10.
Tilt backward slightly as you get ready to begin your swing. This move with your upper body will give you the ideal hitting angle as your clubhead approaches the ball. This tilt is called the power lean and can give you an extra 10 to 15 yards when you hit the ball cleanly.
Snap your right wrist when you make impact with the ball. Most golfers let their left hand do all the work because it is the lead hand. The left hand is the starter on the takeaway and the downswing, but the right hand will provide you with extra distance when you come through the ball. This move will help your ball go an additional 20 yards or more and keep it on course.
About The Author
Steve Silverman is an award-winning writer, covering sports since 1980. Silverman authored The Minnesota Vikings: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Who's Better, Who's Best in Football -- The Top 60 Players of All-Time, among others, and placed in the Pro Football Writers of America awards three times. Silverman holds a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism.
