Advice on boosting distance without sacrificing accuracy

By Kim Jeong-kyoo

For longer tee shots, you need to hit your ball in the middle of the clubface. Granted, you need to swing your club so your clubhead speed peaks through your shot. To this end, you need to swing your club on the correct path. The advice here will help you hit your ball longer and straighter with ease.

1. Turn your shoulders more

A sure-fire way to hit longer tee shots with more accuracy is to turn your shoulders more on the backswing. This helps create more torque between your upper body and lower body -- right at your waist. The greater torque you build on the backswing, the longer you can hit your ball.

2. Use your legs

Also, turn your left knee to the right until it points behind your ball to complete your backswing. Then, turn your left knee toward the target as you start your downswing. That encourages you to rotate your hips fully, and thus your shoulders.

To turn your body fully, you need to use your legs, especially if you are a senior player. You will lose power and distance with age. As your flexibility lessens, you start to face difficulty turning your body enough on the backswing. Failing to turn fully plays havoc with your ability to hit your ball as far as you used to.

To effect a full backswing turn, simply allow your left knee to turn behind your ball. Getting your left knee behind your ball helps you rotate your body freely and fully. Turning your body fully, you will build your torque to the fullest.

That also helps you swing your club correctly in a circle. You will also create centrifugal force easily on the backswing, swinging your club back on the plane. You will eventually hit your ball longer and straighter.

3. Hinge your wrists early

For more power and distance, you should start hinging your wrists once you have swung your club back. Make sure your left arm and club shaft form a 90-degree angle when your left arm gets horizontal. That ensures you will swing your club back on the plane and on the correct path. Complete your backswing so your left shoulder hits your chin, with your left wrist staying flat.

4. Shift your weight differently for your tee shots

A striking difference between your irons and driver is weight shift. Hitting your iron, you need to have roughly 80 percent of your weight on your left foot at impact. Hitting your tee shots, however, you need to concentrate on keeping your weight back during the downswing. If you shift your weight prematurely to the left, turning your body, you can pull or pull-slice your shot. You will even top your ball. You need to let your weight shift and body rotate just a touch later than when you hit an iron. Just let them take place naturally. Make sure your weight does not move off your right side until your hands come roughly halfway down. After all, this will happen if you let your body weight shift naturally as you turn your body.

When you practice hitting your drives, hit them with your left heel up at address and your right heel down. Stay that way throughout your swing, at least until well after you hit your ball. When you are swinging for real, try to re-create the feeling. You’d better practice hitting your irons with your left heel down and your right heel up.

5. Extend your spine

Once you have shifted your left hip left, extend your left leg and spine as you hit your ball. Picture the energy a standing long jumper creates when he leaps. That’s the power driving upward you need to feel through your shot.

Extending your spine helps your left leg straighten and allows your hips to turn freely and fully. This in turn allows you to rotate your clubface and square it when your club catches your ball. Extending your spine also clears your body out of the way. This gives your arms enough room to swing your club down on plane and on the correct path. That also allows you to keep your head behind your ball and swing your club freely and fully. This ensures you release your club properly so the clubhead speed peaks through your ball.

6. Unhinge your wrist early on the downswing

Allow your wrists to unhinge when your hands get thigh-high on the downswing. That will help you release your club fully, creating more power. The earlier release or throw helps you sling your club through the shot with your hands and arms. You will enjoy hitting your ball far and accurately. You need to avoid trying to hold your wrist hinge for too long. That can force you to spin your hips, causing your right shoulder to jut out. If you do this, you will incur pulls and pull-slices.

7. Let your hands and zipper pass together through your shot

Try to feel that your hands and zipper are passing together through your shot. That allows you to stay connected through your shot, leaving your hips and shoulders in alignment. You will hit your ball consistently to your heart’s content. That will prevent your hips from rotating too soon, keeping your right shoulder from dipping or jutting out. More importantly, that will leave your clubface square when you hit your ball.

8. Let your clubhead reach your ball early

To hit your ball longer, you need to whack the ball as hard as you can without losing your balance. To this end, try to get your clubhead to reach your ball sooner as you hit your ball. That helps you speed up your release and square the clubface.

Don’t strive to keep your clubhead lagging behind your hands through your shot. Purge your mind of the thought of the “late hit” or “hands first.” Feel your clubhead arriving at your ball before your left hand. Snap your left hand as you hit your ball. That will help you swing your club more freely and fully, and effortlessly. You will enjoy straight shots or beautiful draws, swinging your club gracefully.

9. Carry out a slap shot in hockey

To hit your ball consistently well, you need to pinch your ball off the turf. Imagine you are carrying out a slap shot in hockey. You need to compress your ball into the turf, pinching your ball off the turf. Just picture that you are hitting a hockey puck into the net. You will enjoy a perfect golf shot that travels far and straight.

10. Imagine you are carrying out a karate chop

Picture a karate chop. This helps you keep your head steady. Critically, you will feel your arms swinging the club past your body through your shot. This way you will speed up your club and square its face through your ball.

Namely, you will start your downswing with your lower body, letting your arms drop. You will naturally return your right elbow correctly in front of your right hip. Your belt buckle will look at your ball, with your shoulders remaining closed to the target.