Every weekend warrior is on the same quest. You want more ball speed. You want to bomb your driver past your playing partners. You want to squeeze every inch possible out of your irons. So, what’s the first thing most amateurs do when they step up to the tee? They try to murder it.
They grip the club like they’re choking a snake. They tense their forearms. Their legs turn to cement and their entire body freezes up.
Here’s the truth: Tight ain’t right. If you want real distance, you need to stay loose as a goose.
Tension is the silent killer of clubhead speed. When you squeeze the grip at an 8, 9, or 10 on the pressure scale, that tension doesn’t stay in your hands. It crawls up your arms, locks your shoulders, and freezes your lower body. A body made of concrete cannot create speed. Speed comes from rhythm, flexibility, and the whip-like release of the golf club.
So, how do you fix it? First, check your grip pressure. You need to hold the club at a 6/6.5 ( firm enough to control the club but not strangling it to death ) That’s it. When you stand over the ball and think “big drive,” your instinct will be to jump to a 9. Fight it. Stay at a 6.
The second trick is movement. The worst thing you can do is freeze over the ball like a statue. When you stand perfectly still, tension creeps right back into your forearms.
So, waggle the club. Keep the head moving. That little back-and-forth motion prevents the death grip from sneaking in. It keeps your wrists soft and your brain thinking about rhythm, not force.
Also, shuffle your feet. Pick your left foot up. Put it down. Shift your weight. You don’t need to stand like you’re waiting for a mugshot. You need to feel athletic. When you move, you stay loose. When you stay loose, you can actually create lag on the downswing and snap through the ball.
I guarantee you this: Your clubhead speed will be higher, your ball speed will be hotter, and your drives will be longer when you are relaxed and in control than they ever will be when you are tight and trying to crush it.
Next time you’re on the range, grip it at a 6, waggle the club, shuffle your feet, and swing smooth. You’ll be shocked how far the ball goes when you stop trying to force it. Stay loose, and watch the distance increase.
Listen to the ‘Tommy Does Golf’ podcast
Tom Long