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Is distance embarrassing?

Thanks, I don't like offending people but seem to have here. Glad you're not one of them :)



Cheers. Luckily largely water off a duck's back :)

I just thought I could share some things I've learnt and put into practice. Bob nailed it for me when he said I had worked hard on hitting the ball better, not harder - you can pick up distance through improving technique. Someone asked to show how, I used myself as an example - fat 40 year old with a dodgy knee but with hard work (yes and using the tech wisely) has got a big increase in distance. Wasn't meant to be a 'how to thread' was more a light hearted 'dig' about the fact that talking distance appears in some quatres to be somewhat 'taboo'.

think I'm done. If anyone has gained an insight into distance off the tee, great. For those who are offended - sorry.

Pete

If I were nearer you Pete, I would take you up on that offer of a Trackman! Unfortunately it would likely show that I have a horrible out to in swing, with an open clubface, so unlikely to show much!
 
I wish I had that set up in my garage!!

I'd be around like a shot if I was closer, on the proviso that you made a decent cup of tea:D

it's possible to optimise the conditions from a launch monitor, but not make it lie.

give me a shout if you're ever over this way, tea and coffee is part of the deal :)
 
There's no substitute for hitting it better, which we are all striving for, no? Basic science says you hit it better, you play better, you score better. A bye product is better distance. Its not rocket science.

It's good that Nosevi gets it out there. Quite a few people do - D4S is not short off the tee :D - and that's great for them. It seems to show that having your own LM will help. When Nosevi gets the bolt-on HMT, he could go longer! :D. Have a look at the Rick Shiels videos - very similar distances and same tech.

GC2 won't lie as you can't really 'jack it up' but the distance is optimised as it calculates distance based on measure ball data. Wind, humidity, temp, etc. doesn't get factored in (and nor should it).
 
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Nosevi, did you find a big Increase in club head speed after you improved you technique. 113mph is on the screenshot from one of your drives. That is no slouch by any means. Definitely getting it out there.
 
Nosevi, did you find a big Increase in club head speed after you improved you technique. 113mph is on the screenshot from one of your drives. That is no slouch by any means. Definitely getting it out there.

Slightly slower than I expected, but the use of a personal LM probably explains that - easier to optimise changes.

It's still Swing Speed that is the important variable - other factors (that Bob posted) being 'reasonable'. Between that and Centred-ness of Strike for what affects distance most - Additional Swing Speed when swinging 'under control' and C-of-S when nearer the limit of Swing Speed.
 
So - Pete and Bob - what course did you play and who won? :D

We're halfway round the Belfry but had to save the game (too much talking and spent most of the time with Bob giving me pointers on the virtual range). I'm one shot up but have a nagging suspicion that won't last on the back nine, especially if Bob keeps succeeding in bantering me into going for long carries over water. Have an even stronger suspicion that it wouldn't last on a real course either :)

Nosevi, did you find a big Increase in club head speed after you improved you technique. 113mph is on the screenshot from one of your drives. That is no slouch by any means. Definitely getting it out there.

I don't have HMT which measures clubhead speed so only the ball speed is truly accurate. It's estimating club head speed by ball speed and how good it thinks the strike is (from spin etc). I ignore the clubhead speed info tbh. The ball speed hasgone up a lot though. My guess is a little is from a faster clubhead speed mostly due to technique and a lot is from getting a much better smash factor almost entirely due to technique. Hope that helps.
 
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Slightly slower than I expected, but the use of a personal LM probably explains that - easier to optimise changes.

It's still Swing Speed that is the important variable - other factors (that Bob posted) being 'reasonable'. Between that and Centred-ness of Strike for what affects distance most - Additional Swing Speed when swinging 'under control' and C-of-S when nearer the limit of Swing Speed.

Agree and as I say, the ball speed is accurate, the club head speed is estimated without HMT. Agree about swing speed being a factor in pushing it out there and as you've said, maximising this (for any given individual) is also largely about technique.
 
Was wondering what your clubhead speed was before you changed your technique. You must not have been no slouch then either.


Do you work on hitting shaped drives too or just straight hitting?
 
Agree and as I say, the ball speed is accurate, the club head speed is estimated without HMT. Agree about swing speed being a factor in pushing it out there and as you've said, maximising this (for any given individual) is also largely about technique.

Actually, that's not what I said/meant. For 'best' distance (consistently) Optimising Smash Factor (as close to 1.50 as poss) at High (not necessarily Maximum) Swing Speed is the way. That reflects the 'hit it better not harder' approach!
 
Was wondering what your clubhead speed was before you changed your technique. You must not have been no slouch then either.


Do you work on hitting shaped drives too or just straight hitting?

I'd only be guessing I'm afraid as I use ball speed as that's what I know for certain from my kit. Not so long ago my carry numbers were more like 240ish and often below that though and then it felt like I was hitting it harder. I wasn't I'm sure but I was certainly trying harder. Shape wise my natural shape is a slight draw but when Bob asked me to hit a cut I just about managed. A draw is easier for me though.
 
Actually, that's not what I said/meant. For 'best' distance (consistently) Optimising Smash Factor (as close to 1.50 as poss) at High (not necessarily Maximum) Swing Speed is the way. That reflects the 'hit it better not harder' approach!

Sorry I just meant a good technique helps you hit it better. I guess it also lets you hit it harder too while staying in balance. All in all I think we more or less agree :)
 
I have a Callaway X Hot driver 10.5 regular shaft. If I adjust it to be closed it increases the loft by 1 degree to 11.5. When I do this, my drives "tend" to be a bit straighter, but probably max out around 200-210. I assume though that by increasing the loft I am actually increasing the spin? Would I have more luck with actually adjusting the face to drop the loft to 9.5 in terms of distance as it's like to create less spin?

I have only had one proper Trackman session, but my numbers on AoA were fairly consistent around -3. Obviously meaning I was hitting down, rather than up but I couldn't work out in the short session how I could actually improve that. This combined with a lower loft made for a very low ball flight and a loss of distance.

Guess I need to go down a range and experiment with the lofts to see what is better.
 
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