Unlock More Distance: 8 Effective Ways to Drive a Golf Ball Farther

HackMotion

Apr 22, 2024 . 9 mins read

Like this post

63,931 subscribers

Share Post

Do you play with any golfers who complain about driving the golf ball too far?

Probably not.

More distance from the tee will increase your ability to score, get you closer to the greens, and even make you feel more confident about your golf game.

We have analyzed more than 1,000,000 golf swings to determine what helps golfers hit their drivers further.

If you’ve tried swinging at it harder or buying a new golf driver and you aren’t getting results, try these 8 unique ways to drive a golf ball farther.

How to Increase Driver Distance (Key Takeaways)

If you don’t have time to read through all of these ways right now, here are some of the key points you can take with you.

• A lead wrist that is in an extended position at impact will cause you to lose distance (as much as 25 yards), launch, and direction. Work on getting to a flexed position sooner.
• To help increase rotation in the swing, make small tweaks to your address position (e.g., turning out your trail leg and sliding it back).
• Use the ground to help you push off and gain power; do this while wearing the correct golf shoes.
• Speed training, both overspeed and underspeed can help you increase your distance off the tee and build muscle strength without getting injured.

8 Effective Ways to Add Distance to Your Driver

1. Decrease Lead Wrist Extension to Improve Impact

For many golfers, years of poor body motion have led to compensatory wrist motion, which is inefficient and costs you distance. Other golfers never learned the proper wrist position from the start and have no idea what role the wrists need to take.

One of the most common mistakes we see is an over exaggeration of the wrist motion because it “feels” more powerful.

In reality, these motions are not at all more powerful.

Take a look at this video of Rob Cheney showing you how to lengthen the swing at the top via more flexion with the lead wrist. When the wrist is flat it can travel further and get you into a better position to launch your driver.

You can increase the swing’s length (without increasing extension), creating better wrist conditions and more rotation. With this scenario, the clubface will also remain more closed at the top and let you rotate through at full speed.

Wearing the HackMotion will help you measure your extension and work towards getting into the positon that the professionals do.

2. Decrease Spin and Launch

Golf manufacturers have been telling players that hitting the ball high is a good thing, and this has not changed.

However, the initial launch angle of the shot is just a little lower (due to more flexion in the wrist at impact) can get those 25 extra yards of distance you are looking for.

We tested this scenario with a large group of golfers.

The key here is that your swing speed has to be high enough to still achieve optimal ball flight.

Slower swing speed golfers cannot decrease launch angle too much as they will struggle to even get the golf ball off the ground. If you feel like you have good speed but are not maximizing your distance on the course, work on decreasing extension at impact and adding distance to your drives.

Here’s an example of a shot that we tried using HackMotion and simply changing the wrist angle at impact.

Shot 1: High Launch/High Spin

This golfer had extension in the lead wrist at impact. The results are not bad, but in the next example, you will see how decreasing extension will change the results.

• 105 mph club speed
• Smash factor of 1.5
• Launch angle – 19 degrees
• Spin rate- 4500 rpm
• Total distance – 252 yards

Shot 2: Lower Launch/Lower Spin

In this example, the golfer has the same clubhead speed and smash factor but they are much less extended with their wrist angles at impact.

• 105 mph club speed
• Smash factor of 1.5
• Launch angle – 11 degrees
• Spin rate – 2800 rpm
• Total distance – 275 yards

3. Fix Your Address Position

The turn in golf is a power generator. If you are struggling to turn properly, it could be because your address position is off.

The first step here is to turn your feet out.

So many golfers have their feet pinned in, limiting the rotation in the backswing and also the downswing. For most golfers, turning their trail foot out, more will help to increase the range of motion. The trail hip can move back much easier.

This is also a great solution for golfers who feel limited in mobility. If you have knee, back, or hip issues, this slight adjustment can get you where you need to be in your golf swing.

In addition, you can also pull back slightly on the trail foot. After turning the trail foot out, try to pull it back just an inch or so.

That helps to close out the hip, and the shoulder turns a bit more. This makes the backswing and this extra rotation easier to achieve; it can also help if you tend to come over the top.

4. Enhanced Shoulder Turn (Add a Little Resistance)

The shoulders are a very powerful way to add resistance to your driver’s swing. When you incorporate resistance bands into your training, you’ll improve shoulder flexibility and strength at the same time.

One of the best ways to work on the shoulder turn is to use resistance bands. You can practice rotating by gripping the band, and you can also use it for a variety of shoulder strength training techniques.

This video will give you some ideas, start with a more flexible band until you increase the strength and flexibility of your shoulder muscles.

5. Ground Reaction Force Training

The ground is your friend.

Yes, you want to get the golf ball up off the ground, but if you are not pushing off the ground when you hit shots, you are not utilizing the ground correctly.

To increase ball speed and carry distance with your driver, you should push off the ground as you go through impact. You’ll need to make sure some weight is transferred over to your lead leg, and you’ll have to rotate the hips cleanly through impact.

Ground reaction force training can add significant distance to your drives simply by pushing off the ground as you go through impact.

6. Check Your Footwear

While you are working on your ground reaction force training, make sure you also have the correct golf shoes. It may seem like a new driver is your best choice to gain distance, but it could be in your shoes.

Experiment with spineless and spiked designs. For most players to optimize traction and stability you will need to have shoes designed to grab the ground just a little better.

Pay close attention to the fit of the shoe as well. Sometimes a shoe that is slightly tighter fitting will make it easier for you to feel that push off the ground.

7. Overspeed and Underspeed Training

One of the more interesting developments in the game of golf over the last ten years has been a better understanding of how we use speed. Speed training, including overspeed and underspeed training, will help you build strength and help your muscles contract faster.

The key is to mix both processes.

At first, you will want to use lightweight clubs or training devices – lighter than your standard driver. These lighter clubs can increase your swing speed by training your muscles to contract faster.

At some point, you can transition to heavier clubs which will build strength in your golf specific muscles. You’ll gain most of that strength in your shoulders and core.

8. Keep the Head Behind the Ball

Finally, to add distance to your drive you will want to ensure your head stays behind the ball at impact. If you look at any great player, you’ll quickly see that at impact, their head is behind the golf ball.

Sometimes in an effort to increase power golfers make sort of a dive towards the golf ball that leaves the head in a poor position.

Instead, focus on staying behind while transferring your weight to the lead leg. The move takes a bit of practice, and this video will show you exactly how to work on it.

FAQs

Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about the best ways to drive a golf ball farther.

Do I need a new driver to add drive the golf ball further?

A new golf driver can help you increase distance, but it’s not the only option. Test a few and compare them to the club you already own. Are there real differences in launch, spin, and total distance?

How many yards does a slice cost me on my drives?

A slice can cost you anywhere from 5 to 35 yards. Fixing a slice by improving your wrist action at impact is a quick and easy way to pick up serious distance off the tee.

How does wrist action add distance to my drives?

Proper wrist action will add distance to your drives because of the launch angles and ball flight it can create at impact. Proper wrist action includes less extension at impact.

What is the average driving distance?

The average driving distance for an amateur golfer is between 200 and 240 yards.

Final Thoughts

At this point, you are likely itching to get to the driving range to work on your golf drives. Adding distance is an exciting concept, and when it works, you’ll notice big changes in your game.

Hopefully, these effective ways to drive a golf ball further will set you up for extra yards and lower scores.