Distance help!!!

[Runner Runner]

The courses opened a couple weeks ago up here in Winnipeg and after going out a few times I've got a good feel for my swing again and know where the ball is going.

I'm about a 20 and am going to work on reducing that # by improving my short game.

My real problem however is distance. I seem to hit the ball too high, and wind up leaving myself with long approach shots into par 4s and almost never get there in 2 on a par 5. Also, because I hit the ball so high, the wind really hurts me and when it gusts, holes into the wind can become almost impossible to par.

Here are my pathetic typical distances for the following clubs:

Driver 200 yds
5 wood 160 yds
5 iron 140 yds
8 iron 100 yds

I am 6 feet tall, 30 yrs old and a good athlete. I play basketball, ultimate and squash yet I hit the golf ball like a girl. What can I do to hit the ball further?

I have a 7 degree driver and I still hit that thing quite high in the air. I feel like I am making a full shoulder turn and am swinging at the proper speed. What gives? Anyone have any suggestions?

[ghostface]

film your swing
post on youtube
????
profit

but seriously it sounds like your swing speed is around 80. Get a speed stick (golf training aid) and experiment with ways to get your speed up. Or get a lesson as a pros advice could be invaluable to you.

[Sluss]

Sounds like you could be hitting the ball on you upswing. Are you hitting down onto the ball?

Also most of the power in a golf swing comes from your legs. Think Fred Couples.

[JTrout]

My guess is you suffer more from poor technique than low clubhead speed. The solidness (squareness?) of impact has as much to do with distance as how fast you swing the club.

Sounds like you are fanning the club open at impact, adding extra loft. Do your shots drift right, as well as balloon?

Squash may be the culprit of your problem (although I've never played [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]).

If your hands are not turning over through impact, you get a double-negative effect of adding loft to the clubhead, and losing clubhead speed.

As you swing into the impact area, try to turn your right palm to the ground. (You may hear this expressed as "covering" the ball.)

Thinking of it in terms of squash, act as if you want to swing the racquet parallel to the ground, but hit every ball into the ground ASAP.

Hope this helps!

[Atlanta Andrew]

I will give a disclaimer up front that I am a beginner who can't break 100 so you might want to skip over my reply. (Cliff Notes = Take a Lesson)

However, I feel I am somewhat qualified to answer your question because less than a month ago, I was in your exact same situation hitting the clubs similar distances to what you listed. With a few recent adjustments, I now hit the ball about 40 yards longer.

(Assuming you are right handed)
1. Keep your left arm extended throughout the swing. Not rigid, but straight and extended. Allowing it to bend will result in major power loss and probably get your club off plane too.

2. Don't let the club drift away from your body during the first part of your backswing. This helps to maintain an inside-to-outside swing. Check your divots to make sure they point straight at the target and not to the left, which would indicate an over-the-top (outside-to-inside) swing.

3. When the club is pointing directly behind you (away from target), the clubface should be opened so the toe is pointing straight up in the air. Excess wrist twisting/action should not be required to achieve this position. If you keep the clubface closed during the backswing, there's a tendency to open it during the downswing, thus creating the high and short shots that you are seeing.

4. Posture is very important. Make sure your back is straight. Test it by running a club shaft from your neck all the way down below your back. There should be no gaps between club and body. Even more important...maintain this spine angle during the swing. Avoid the tendency to lean into the ball during the downswing.

Oh, and of course, the best advice I can give you is to take a lesson or two with a qualified professional.

I hope this helps! Good luck.

-Andrew

[limon]

[ QUOTE ]
film your swing
post on youtube
????
profit

but seriously it sounds like your swing speed is around 80. Get a speed stick (golf training aid) and experiment with ways to get your speed up. Or get a lesson as a pros advice could be invaluable to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

defn. NOT a clubhead speed problem. it takes plenty of speed to baloon a 7 degree driver. there is no doubt hes starting the downswing w/ his hands creating an outside in swingplane and "cutting" the ball adding extra loft and inefficiently delivering energy to the ball.

[mflip]

Sounds likes a handsy swing with a swingplane that is a lot too steep. But definitely video tape your swing and post it. Maybe a sticky can be made for that type of thing and a lot of us can post our swings and get advice/praise for having a horrible/nice swing.

[Poker CPA]

Try and learn the differences between the "big muscles" swing (as taught by David Ledbetter) and the "arms and hands" swing. Ledbetter will produce a "fade", while the "hands" produce a "draw". As you age, the draw is much easier on your body and provides a better "feel" to your game.

You need to pick the fade or the draw, it doubles the size of the fairway, as opposed to the golfer who tries to hit the middle of every fairway. His hooks and slices get only 1/2 of the fairway to land on.

Based on your description, go with the draw. I think "JTrout" hits a draw and his advice is very good.

"If your hands are not turning over through impact, you get a double-negative effect of adding loft to the clubhead, and losing clubhead speed." ESPECIALLY THIS

"As you swing into the impact area, try to turn your right palm to the ground. (You may hear this expressed as "covering" the ball.)"

So the power source is the hand action through the hitting zone, while the power source of the Ledbetter theory is the legs, hips, back and shoulders (or the backswing "load"). Very hard as you get older.

Here's a drill to use to feel the power of the hands. During your practice rounds work on your chipping, where you provide the power with the right hand, while the left wrist tries to stop the right wrist from turning over. This should produce solid and crisp chips (the feel part) and the arms will produce the direction.

Now go to the full shots, the left wrist can't stop the right hand and you don't need to to be thinking "back swing", only the timing in the hitting zone. On my back swing I only think "set the wrists", left wrist cupped and right palm facing target. Its a short backswing. As you progress think "power" first, drawing action second and then direction. Try to understand club path and club action (or club face) at impact, and how it relates to where the ball is going.

Good luck and remembr use 100% of the fairway, not 50. Good players never start the ball down the middle of the fairway, they just aim there.

[limon]

[ QUOTE ]
Sounds like you could be hitting the ball on you upswing. Are you hitting down onto the ball?

Also most of the power in a golf swing comes from your legs. Think Fred Couples.

[/ QUOTE ]

your supposed to hit the drive on the upswing.

[ClubChamp04]

I would guess the shafts are way to weak for you and/or you are adding loads of loft to the clubs at impact and hitting high ballon slices. What type of shafts are you playing? Something is seriously wrong if you are hitting a 7 degree driver 200 yards if you are athletic. Try a driver combo with a heavier, stiffer and higher kickpoint shaft in it. That should help sort out the driver. Post a video and some of us may be able to help further.