Golf scrambles are fun. They give you a way to play golf with friends and enjoy your time on the course without the same stress as you would find when playing your own ball the entire way.

As great as the golf scramble can be from the perspective of fun and games, there is also a bit of strategy involved.

If you want to win your next scramble tournament, here are the tips I have used to bring home quite a few golf scramble trophies through the years!

Background: The Rules of a Golf Scramble Tournament

The basic scramble is most commonly played; however, there are times when you may have a shamble, Texas Scramble, or even a Florida Scramble as your format of choice during a tournament. Here is what you need to know about the rules of a golf scramble tournament.

Traditional Scramble

In a traditional scramble, every player tees off. After the tee shots, the best is selected, and all players hit their shots from this location. This process is continued until you get the ball in the hole. The great thing about a traditional scramble is that you won’t need to play your ball if you hit a bad shot.

Texas Scramble or Shamble

The Texas Scramble or Shamble is where all golfers tee off, and the best shot is selected. From this point, all players will then play their own ball all the way into the hole. With this format, you play a bit more of your golf ball than you do with the Traditional Scramble format.

Florida Scramble

With a Florida Scramble, all golfers tee off, the best shot is selected, and then only three players hit their second shots. After these three shots are hit, the better one is chosen, and the player who hits that shot has to sit out. The process is then continued until the ball is in the hole.

7 Tips for a Winning Golf Scramble Strategy

Winning a golf scramble is a lot of fun. It’s a great way to play with a group of people that all have different handicaps but still get to be competitive together. When you play in a scramble, it’s all about being a great team player.

Don’t get overly worried about your own game; see what you can do to help out your team. Even the highest handicap players often have a chance in the scramble format to save the day and make their score count for the team.

1. Determine an Order

The first thing I recommend doing is establishing an order of play. You must decide who is going to go first on every hole. I like to keep the order the same throughout the entire round of golf.

Most of the time, the best way to do the order is to have the highest handicapped golfers tee off first. When high handicappers tee off and have a good shot, it eases some pressure from the lower handicap golfers.

These lower handicap golfers can now swing freely and get as much power as they can. Once a drive is in the fairway, you will have no trouble working to get some extra distance. If that doesn’t go well and the drive ends up in a bunker or the rough, you still have a straight shot to choose from.

2. Best Putter Putts Last

In addition to making sure that the best hitter goes last off the tee, make sure that the best putter goes last. When you are the best putter, your chance of making the putt is the highest.

If everyone else misses, the last player to go will have watched those three putts and can determine which way they want to play the break. When the best putter goes, there should also be one putt that is a tap-in so that they can go to the hole at full speed and really try to make it.

When playing in a scramble, you can go low, but golfers need to make some fairly long putts, and the good news is that even higher handicappers can do that from time to time.

3. Don’t Always Choose The Shortest Shot

The ball that is closest to the hole is not always the best shot. Take a look at where the pin is on the green and decide which one makes the most sense to play. If the pin is on the left side of the green, you will want to choose an approach shot from the right.

In addition, if one shot is in the rough, play the one from the fairway. Be smart about the shot you are choosing; making up for five or ten yards is not a big deal. Distance is not always the most critical thing in a scramble.

4. Don’t Always Choose The Closest Putt

When your group makes it to the putting green, you have to choose a putt that is most makeable. If you have a 10 foot putt down the hill or a 12 foot putt up the hill, the 12 foot putt is often the better choice.

Be really smart about which putts you decide to use, and make sure that it is a shot that several players in the group feel confident about making. Look at the slope, angles, and grain to determine your most significant percentage of making the putt.

The putting green is where you can earn the most strokes back after a bad hole. Take your time and be selective about your angles.

5. Alternate The Club Hit Off The Tee

One of the biggest mistakes that I have seen players make through the years is trying to have all golfers on the scramble team hit a driver off the par 4’s and par 5s. As long as you have some players in the group that can generate good clubhead speed, you can hit a 3 wood or even a utility iron at times to get a great shot in play.

This is especially important to consider when golfers are playing from different tees. If one of the golfers in the group plays from a shorter tee, let them get a shot in the fairway for you.

On par 3 holes, you will also want to have players alternate the clubs that they are hitting. Pay close attention to the yardage that your playing partners can hit their shots. If somebody can hit the ball 150 with their 7 iron, make sure you base your club selection off of that.

6. Check for The Minimum Number of Drives

Although some four-person scrambles have no extra rules or regulations, there are times when you will find a minimum number of drives is required. This minimum number of drives from each player can become a real issue if you ignore it early on in the game.

It’s usually easy to get two drives from the lowest handicap player, but from the highest handicap player, it can be a bit of a problem.

Make sure that you are working on this process right from the start of your round. Lets’ say the first hole results in a shot by the highest handicap golfer that is in the middle of the fairway but about three yards back from the lowest handicap golfer.

This is the time to check one off the list for the high handicapper.

If you wait until the end of the round, you will get stuck with these requirements and be forced to use a shot from a specific player. I have seen groups come down to the 18th hole, and the only shot they can even take from the tee box is the one outstanding player who has not fulfilled their drive quote.

This is a mistake.

Get those drives crossed off early, and then play the rest of the round, focusing on locking in those birdies and eagles.

7. The Pace of Play Can Be Different

The pace of play during a scramble can be a little different. You may feel like there is a lot of running around and motion, picking up golf balls and getting them to the best spot. Then once you get to that spot, it feels like a lot of waiting.

Prepare yourself for the scramble to be a slightly different pace of play.

Most of the time, things should move faster than they do when everyone plays their own ball, but plenty of beginner golfers play in scrambles and slow things down. Just be mindful that this will be different than a standard round, and you will have a lot more fun and a much better chance of winning your scramble event.

Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children.

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Most female players choose to use women’s clubs. However, this is often done unknowingly without much consideration for the actual differences between men’s and women’s golf clubs.

Depending on if you have a slower swing speed, more height in your swing, strength, stability in your stance, etc., the type of golf club that you need could be greatly impacted.

Let’s look at the main differences between golf clubs for men and women and help you determine which is best for you.

1. Length

The length of the club is the most significant difference between men’s and women’s golf clubs. Male golfers, on average, are taller than women, so the clubs are typically one inch longer. Sometimes this can vary between manufacturers and could be ½ inch to ¾ inch.

With the length of the club, you can make adjustments based on player height. In fact, most golfers should consider a custom fitting where the exact length of the club they need is measured.

When you play with the length of the club, the lie angle is also changed, something that needs to be considered for better consistency and playability.

2. Shaft Flexibility

The flexibility of the golf shaft will also be different between men’s and women’s golf clubs. Women’s clubs come with a ladies’ shaft, which is more flexible than a men’s shaft. The idea behind a more flexible shaft is that with slower swing speed, women golfers can get more distance and better ball flight.

Men’s golf clubs have various shaft options to choose from based on swing power and whether or not higher swing speed comes into play. Men can choose from a senior shafted golf club to an extra stiff shaft.

Women golfers have much less variety to choose from. If they need something that is a bit less flexible, the men’s shafts become the best option.

Sometimes problems come up for women golfers as they start to age. Unfortunately, no real senior women’s golf shaft can be put in the club to help improve overall ball speed and make up for lost yards.

However, more and more companies are coming up with lighter golf shafts that have a better launch, and this is certainly helping older women golfers find an option that works for them.

Male golfers have a nice progression of golf shafts that they can move through if needed, and when swing speeds are a match, the ladies’ golf shaft will always work as well.

3. Clubhead & Grip Sizing/Shape

Most golf club manufacturers will use the same clubhead for women golfers as they do for men golfers. However, some companies will put a larger clubhead with a bit sweet spot in the golf clubs for women.

It’s often assumed in golf that women need more accuracy in their shots. This comes from the idea that women golfers tend to have slightly less clubhead speed.

Also, as a whole, the handicaps of men, on average, are often lower than women simply because more men play the game than women. You have to remember that golf club manufacturers try to create clubs that work for the largest group of people.

The grip for male golfers is usually a standard or midsize grip. However, for female golfers, the grip is usually undersized. Women golfers have slightly smaller hands, and the undersized grip tends to give their hands an easier time getting on the club properly.

When shopping for ladies’ golf clubs, it is important to look at the club head and see if you are getting something specifically built for the woman golfer or if it is simply a men’s club with a ladies’ shaft in place. There could be impacts on the center of gravity or overall performance that are worth considering.

4. Availability

When you look at LPGA Tour players, they are almost always using men’s golf clubs. The reason behind this is availability.

Unfortunately, there are not as many women’s golf clubs on the market as there are for men. This is simply a sales and marketing issue, as there are not nearly as many women golfers as there are men golfers.

In the game improvement and beginner category of golf clubs, there are plenty of options for women to try. However, when you look at things like blade-style irons or players’ distance irons, there are very few choices.

Today, most golfers go for a complete custom fitting when they are between golf clubs. If you are a female player that is looking for increased feel and accuracy in a set of clubs, a custom fitting for a men’s set of players’ irons is probably the best choice.

Male golfers starting to lose some of their clubhead speed can find that a ladies’ shaft is actually the best option for their game. If the overall height of the player is a problem, it is easy to extend the shaft and ensure that there is enough length for accuracy.

As a whole, there are more men’s golf clubs on the market than women’s, but this is not nearly the problem it once was. Custom club fitting has really changed the way we look at the game of golf.

5. Lofts

Women’s golf clubs tend to have higher lofts than men’s golf clubs. This is particularly seen in something like a driver. Men’s drivers are often going to have between 9 and 10 degrees of loft. With the women’s golf clubs, expect to see between 12 and 15 degrees of loft.

This extra loft is intended to add forgiveness.

However, it can also become problematic for women golfers. As great as the loft is in helping with accuracy and forgiveness, it does nothing for your distance. The higher the loft on your driver, the more you will struggle to hit it far.

Female players that are looking to capitalize on distance will need to be very careful of this feature.

The good news is that for slightly faster swing speed women golfers, there are plenty of options out there. Conversely, for slower-swinging male golfers, the women’s drivers could always be a good choice. Distance may not be the best feature here, but a shot that is 10 yards shorter and in the fairway may be one worth considering!

Although these differences in lofts still impact golf drivers, the fact that so many of them are now adjustable has made this a little less of an issue. The higher lofts are easily adjusted in most clubheads, so you can dial in the exact amount that will work for your game.

Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children.

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World No. 1 Rory McIlroy has made it no secret that he’s not a fan of LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman. On Tuesday, he made that opinion crystal clear as he prepares to compete at the DP World Tour Championship. Speaking to the media ahead of the European finale, which McIlroy seeks to capture across from his FedEx Cup crown on the PGA Tour, the 33-year-old laid out what he believes needs to occur for peace to be reached in the world of men’s golf.

“There’s a few things that I would like to see on the LIV side that needs to happen,” McIlroy said. “I think Greg [Norman] needs to go. I think he needs to just exit stage left. Look, he’s made his mark, I think now is the right time to sort of say, ‘Look, you’ve got this thing off the ground, but no one is going to talk unless there’s an adult in the room that can actually try to mend fences.'”

Norman, the current CEO and figurehead for LIV Golf, has been at the center of headlines in recent weeks; the Telegraph recently reported on a potential departure from his current position with the rival league. That report was later denied by Majed Al Sorour, CEO of the Saudi Golf Federation and leader of Saudi Golf, and the Australian has since been vocal of LIV’s success and the debt of gratitude he believes those on the PGA Tour owe.

“Every PGA Tour player should be thanking LIV, including Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, because the PIP program wouldn’t have been increased without LIV,” said Norman. “Prize money wouldn’t have been increased without LIV, all these other things that have been introduced by the PGA Tour because of LIV. Competition is the best thing in life, in business and in sport. LIV is not going to go anywhere. LIV is just going to get better and better and better, and LIV Golf has only just begun.”

This direct assertion from Norman may have been the cog for McIlroy’s plea for his removal. Later asked whether this claim was warranted, the Northern Irishman couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.

“I’ve said this a million times: Tiger is the reason that we are playing for as much as we are playing for,” McIlroy said. “Tiger is the reason that stature of our game is where it is. The generation of Tiger and the generation coming after Tiger have all benefited from him and his achievements and what he’s done for the game of golf.

“I don’t think Tiger should be thankful to anyone for anything. I think everyone else in the game should be thankful.”

LIV Golf and the PGA Tour — as well as the DP World Tour — are currently in battle not only on the golf course but also in the courtroom. With an antitrust lawsuit from LIV Golf claiming the PGA Tour illegally suspended players for competing in LIV Golf events, and a countersuit from the PGA Tour claiming LIV interfered with player contracts still needing to reach their conclusion, it is clear no movement in potential peace talks will be made until those are put to rest.

“It’s obviously been a very contentious year in golf,” McIlroy said. “And I’ve said this: The best thing for golf is to have all the best players playing together, and what’s happening right now, that’s not happening. So I fear for the game when that’s going on.

“It’s contentious because there’s lawsuits going on and people suing people; it’s very, very messy. So again, if all that stuff can be sorted out one way or the other, then you can get to the stage where there’s forgiveness and people can have dialogue and come to some sort of common ground or compromise. But again, once all this is happening, it’s very hard to do that.”

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Swinging over the top is a problem that so many golfers struggle with.

It doesn’t matter if you are brand new to the game or have been playing your entire life; getting a swing path that is a bit over the top is something that needs to be fixed.

For some golfers, a simple swing thought can have you on your way to square shots. However, for most players I have worked with, a combination of drills, training aids, and good old-fashioned practice have been the only ways to fix your over the top golf swing.

Take a look at my six key steps to finally fix your over the top golf swing, and start swinging through the golf ball with confidence.

Step 1: Record a Video

The first step in this process may seem like a simple one but both pro golfers and average golfers that have done it will tell you it’s a must.

Start by recording a video of your golf swing.

One of the most challenging things about the game of golf is that we can’t see the golf club when we swing. Trying to determine where the swing path or swing plane is wont’ be easy. However, with modern technology, a quick video will let you see quite a bit.

So many players say to me, “I don’t know how to diagnose the video.”

I understand you may think that is the case. However, chances are you will be able to see a great deal of what you are doing wrong. Also, you want this video as a comparison when you finish fixing your over the top swing.

Take two videos with the help of a friend. One of the videos should be down the line; another should be a face on video.

If you don’t hit the big slice that has been bothering you, record a few swings so you have some evidence of the problem.

Step 2: Check Your Setup

The next part of this process is to look at the most obvious errors in the game. Players who have their grip, feet position, shoulder line, hips, or even their head position wrong at setup.

So many players want to fix their over the top swing by working on their angle into the ball, their rotation, or ensuring they make a good transition. These are all important but are you setting yourself up to get to this position?

If your feet and your shoulder lines are crossed, straight shots are hard to achieve.

We know that practicing your setup and stance is quite boring compared to other things on this list; it’s well worth getting this down before you try and fix something that may or may not even need to be fixed.

Step 3: Perfect The Takeaway

The takeaway of your golf shots should be low and slow. Taking the club back with just your arms, swinging back really fast, or forgetting that important transition between backswing and downswing can cause poor shots and an over the top swing.

Most golfers struggle at the top of the swing, but there are issues at the start of the swing that can cause this problem.

The golf takeaway is often overlooked by amateur players.

One of my favorite swing tips for golfers working on their takeaway is to take a small blade of grass or even a leaf and place it just a few inches behind the ball.

On your backswing, make sure you may contact with this. To do so, you will have to engage your lower body, keep the arms out of it and ensure you are having the golf club and the body work together.

Step 4: Get To The Inside

Now that the basics are out of the way, it’s time to do the actual work to fix your over the top golf swing. There are two things you need to think about here, getting the club path more on the inside and ensuring the club face is rotated so that it is square at impact.

The first part of this process is ensuring a more inside club path. This club path encourages a golfer to keep their right elbow (right-handed golfer) more connected throughout the swing. The right elbow should even feel as though it is touching your body as you make your transition at the top of the downswing.

One of the simplest and best drills for this is to put a golf glove or even a towel under your right armpit and ensure it stays in place as you make a good transition.

Another drill to consider here is over-exaggerating the inside to out swing path. Most golfers that come over the top have an out-to-in swing path. What this typically looks like is a golf club that starts coming down with the arms and shoulders from the top of the swing.

The club never appears to drop into place and fill in that space that you created with a good rotation.

Exaggerating this move so that you feel as though you are coming way inside on the approach to the ball is a good way to get your lower body sequence worked out and feel what you need to do.

When you go back to hitting balls, chances are you won’t be exaggerating nearly as much, and you will actually be in the correct position. Some players that struggle with this common problem of coming over the top will add an exaggerated inside approach to their pre-shot routine.

The next thing to work on is the club face angle. If you get to the inside, but your club face is not square to the target line, the shot won’t work out. Most golfers struggle to rotate their forearms.

Step 5: Training Aids to Help

Feeling this inside-to-out path and getting rid of the over the top swing plane will be hard for some players. If you have been swinging like this your entire life, you won’t fix it with one good swing. In fact, it will take quite a bit of time and effort to work this out.

Some of the best options for fixing coming over the top is to use alignment sticks or something like the Eyeline Speed Trap. All you need to do with an alignment stick is set it in the ground at an angle just above the golf ball.

The goal is to swing under this alignment stick. If you swing over the top, you will hit the alignment stick.

Start with slow swings here, as you won’t want to make contact with the alignment stick and hurt yourself.

The Eyeline Speed Trap is another excellent device that allows you to see the proper path and eventually leads to golfers having a square face at impact. The latest release of the Eyeline Speed Trap makes it much easier to use the device without damage to your club or yourself.

I love the visual benefits of a tool like this.

When you head out to the golf course, you can be sure that your mind is in the right place and that you are prepared for what impact position should look like.

Step 6: Transfer to The Course

As a golfer (and teacher of the game) who has had issues with swing path in the past, I know how it can feel simple to fix issues on the range and then an entirely different situation to fix them on the golf course.

You are not alone in this frustration of transferring knowledge to the course.

The best way I have found to help this issue is to work on making your driving range practice more like the course.

Most amateur players head to the driving range with a bucket of 75 golf balls and then just start firing away. This is, of course, not the solution. Even if you do come closer to fixing your over the top swing, chances are you have ignored other issues that could be creating inconsistency.

Instead, take some time to work on the drills we talked about. Hit ten or twenty golf balls using the drills. Then take out a training aid like alignment sticks or a path trainer and work with that for some swings.

The idea is that you are building the muscle memory to then use when the pressure is on.

Once you feel like you understand the motion, you have to start putting pressure on.

Pick a target and try to hit it just as you would on the golf course. If you miss the green because of a slice, chances are you were over the top. If you hook it or draw it, maybe you came a little too far from the inside.

Make a mental note of this shot and then move to the next one. Don’t stand there and rapid-fire golf shots; it gets you nowhere. Make your practice like the course, and everything will transition to the course independently.

Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children.

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There’s one thing that every golfer wants more of… DISTANCE!

Learning how to increase driver distance not only makes you look awesome in front of your playing partners, but it also makes the game a whole lot easier.

There is nothing more rewarding then stepping up to the tee box and knowing that you are going to launch the ball down the middle of the fairway.

Driving the golf ball straight and long is an important skill that every golfer should develop.

Golf is a game of confidence and nothing builds confidence faster than hitting a beautiful draw long and straight down the middle of the fairway.

It leads to shorter approach shots, more greens in regulations, and better golf scores.

Have you ever wondered:

What are the key elements that lead to longer drives?

What is the most effective way to train for speed?

How big of a role does driver technology play with distance improvement?

In this article we are going to answer these important questions and, show you step-by-step how to increase your driving distance.

Let’s dive in!

The Art of the Long Drive

Have you ever watched the World Long Drive Championships?

It is amazing to watch the fastest, most powerful men and women in golf smash the ball amazing distances.

While the vast majority of recreational golfers will never come close to matching these athletes in terms of clubhead speed, there are certain elements of their swing that you can apply directly to your own swing.

Watch any long driver of the golf ball and they will absolutely be doing the following four principles in their setup:

1. Ball Height

As a general rule, the equator of the golf ball should be directly in-line with the top of the clubface at setup. Your primary goal when using a driver is to “hit up” on the golf ball and teeing the ball this height will encourage an upward strike.

2. Wide Stance

The driver is your longest club in the bag and therefore the club you can swing the fastest.

If you are going to be increasing your speed you need to make sure you have the proper golf stance, and a solid base to maintain balance. Too many times amateurs will set up with their feet too narrow which leads to sloppy, unbalanced swings. To ensure your body has a solid base, set up with the outside of your shoulders extended down to the inside of your feet.

3. Forward Ball Position

Many amateurs make the mistake of placing the ball too close to the middle of the stance as if they were preparing to hit an iron shot (see image below).

Many problems occur when the ball position is too close to the center of the stance. Notice how the clubhead has been de-lofted as a result of this improper setup.

In fact, this is one of the most common mistakes amateurs make with their driver. When the ball is placed in the middle of the stance it affects how a player’s shoulders are set at address and changes the path of the club.

Players with a ball position too close to the center will strike down on the ball, the exact opposite of what we are trying to do. A downward strike with a driver puts excess spin on the ball, resulting in a ballooning shot that goes very high but travels a very short distance.

In order to maximize distance, you must strike up on the ball. Place the ball on the inside of the forward foot to help insure your clubhead bottoms out earlier in the swing and you can hit the ball on the upswing (see proper stance below).

4. Spine Angle

At setup your upper body (specifically your spine) should be slightly tilted away from the target.

What does this mean?

This means for the right-handed player, their left shoulder should be slightly higher than their right shoulder at address.

The best drill to feel the correct amount of tilt is to setup and place the grip of the driver at your sternum with the clubhead resting directly between both knees. Tilt away from your target, until the clubhead touches your lead leg. This small amount of movement represents the correct angle to tilt at address.

Use this drill to ensure you are tilting the correct amount as too much tilt will restrict your turn in the backswing. The tilted spine is again important as it puts your body in a powerful position to strike up on the golf ball.

3 Important Factors That Influence Distance

Clubhead speed has a direct correlation to your potential distance off the tee.

If you want to increase your distance off the tee you will need to increase your clubhead speed, however notice how we wrote “potential distance”.

Increasing your clubhead speed is not always the fastest and most effective way to increase distance. For example, if you currently have a 25-yard slice with your driver, increasing your clubhead speed will only increase your slice (learn how to fix a slice here). There are three important elements that we should address before learning how to train for speed. Let’s examine them now:

1. Centeredness of Contact

The easiest way to increase your distance is not by increasing your speed, but rather striking the ball closer to the center of the clubface.

How important is it to hit the center?

Let’s assume a 20-handicapper hits his average drive a modest 200 yards off the tee. Given his handicap, he most likely is striking many shots away from the center of the clubface resulting in an immediate loss of distance.

A one-inch off-center hit translates into an approximate 12% loss of distance.

By consistently learning to hit the ball in the center of the clubface this player could immediately gain 20-25 yards off the tee by changing this one single element.

What’s the best way to strike the ball in the center of the clubface?

Swinging in balance.

Practice a proper driver setup with your feet as wide as your shoulders and take some practice swings while focusing on completing your swing and finishing in a balanced follow through position. Most off-centered golf shots are a result of a loss of posture. If you can swing in balance and hold your finish, you will start to strike the ball closer to the center of the clubface.

2. Angle of Attack

Thanks to launch monitor companies like Trackman, golf professionals now realize the most efficient way to strike a golf ball is by using more loft and having a positive attack angle (hitting up on the ball) at impact.

Justin Thomas, the 2017 PGA Tour Player has one of the highest launch angles with his driver, with an average 14.11 degree of launch at impact. Considering Thomas uses an 9.5 degree driver, this means his is hitting up almost 5 degrees at impact.

So how does this apply to your game?

Simply put, you need to have an upward strike on the ball with your driver in order to maximize distance.

Review the 4 elements of a proper driver setup we discussed earlier one more time. I can’t stress how important this setup position is to create a positive attack angle and more distance off the tee.

3. Face Angle

Delivering the club into impact with a square clubface is also very important.

An open clubface at impact leads to a slice which is the most common problem amateur golfers suffer from.

The best way to control your clubface is to ensure your hands are placed in a powerful position on the club.

While there is no perfect grip in golf, a stronger grip is almost always better than a weaker grip for the average amateur golfer. A stronger grip encourages the proper release of the clubface and will help you increase distance.

Ensure that you can see between 2-3 knuckles of the left hand at address. This puts your left hand (the controller of the release) into a powerful position.

At least two knuckles of the glove hand should be visible at address (red dots), while the lines created by the thumb and forefinger should be parallel and point to the right shoulder.

The Most Efficient Method To Train Speed (& Increase Distance)

Sometimes people classify golf as a boring sport that is “too slow” and non-athletic. If you’ve seen any of the young players of today’s generation, you know golf is anything but slow and boring.

Golfers of this generation are athletes, trained to unleash sudden bursts of power and energy when swinging the driver. These powerful bursts of energy come from the fast twitch muscle fibers in our body that are specifically trained by moving both heavy and lightweight objects in a fast motion.

One of the best exercises you can perform to train your clubhead speed and increase your driver distance is to swing a combination of both heavy and lightweight clubs.

Best Drill To Increase Speed (& Driving Distance)

Begin this exercise by grabbing an alignment stick and swinging it 5 times as fast as you can with your normal stance.

After completing these swings, grab one of your irons and make an additional 5 swings with your normal stance.

Repeat this exercise a total of three times on both sides (right handed and left handed) while focusing on accelerating your club through the impact area and hearing the “swoosh” of the club well past impact.

Swinging an alignment stick is a powerful exercise that trains the fast twitch muscle fibers of the body.

How Does Equipment Effect Your Driving Distance?

Over the last few years golf equipment companies have been criticized for releasing products too often, forcing golfers to upgrade their sets a couple times a year to stay current with the latest technology.

While advancements in the game are always being made by R&D teams, the reality is that a sound golf swing with proper technique will help you improve your distance much faster than upgrading your equipment.

One of the best examples of this is the European Tour golfer, Lee Westwood. A loyal PING ambassador throughout his entire career, Lee Westwood used his PING G10 driver for over 6 straight years. As PING debuted new technology advances with the launch of its G15, G20, and G25 lines of clubs, it wasn’t until PING released its G30 line that Lee finally upgraded his driver. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Lee has always been a premium ball striker and consistently hit his driver over 300 yards. Why would he need to upgrade?

Another example is Henrik Stenson, the 2016 Open Champion. Henrik is famous for using his 3-wood off the tee and in fact prefers it over his driver. Henrik has used his current Callaway 3-wood for over 7 straight years! Once when asked why he doesn’t upgrade his woods, Henrik simply replied, “If you hit your 3-wood 300 yards would you change it?”.

I had the pleasure of spending a week with Henrik Stenson and learned all about serious golf power.

It important to note that we are not discrediting the amazing work equipment companies do each and every year to keep improving.

We are simply stating that you don’t necessarily need to upgrade your equipment to see results. The vast majority of golfers can improve their distance off the tee by improving their swing mechanics and training to improve speed.

Start Increasing Your Driving Distance Today!

Learning to hit the ball farther is a process that involves many different elements.

Our goal with this article is to educate you on some of the most important factors involved (the 4 key elements of a great driver setup for example) and some of the common problems you can immediately fix to improve distance.

Once you have improved your setup and are starting to swing in balance and find the center of the clubface more often, begin training speed and you will start to see some amazing transformations in distance off the tee.

No more excuses.

August Noble

August Noble was first introduced to golf at 7 years old. In 2013 he started seriously working on his game and was able to reduce his handicap from 19 to 3.4 in less than two years. He’s been helping other golfers do the same ever since.

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Did you know that the grip is the most important part of the golf swing? 

Think about it. The only thing that connects your hands to the golf club is your grip!

How do different grip pressure points affect your golf swing? Find out the main pressure points on the grip and how these pressure points can help your swing.

How Grip Pressure Affects Your Golf Swing

How you hold the golf club affects your swing in a variety of ways. When it comes to grip pressure, gripping the club too tight or too loose can negatively affect your swing. We’ll examine the consequences of each below.

Results of a Grip That’s Too Tight

A whole host of problems are caused by gripping the golf club too tight. Here are a few of the most common ones.

Your Swing Tempo Becomes Jerky

The first telltale sign that you’re holding the golf club too tight is a swing tempo that is too fast and jerky. Instead of a smooth, controlled swing, a grip pressure that is too tight will lead to a rushed, restrictive swing. 

Reduced Clubhead Speed

This one is counterintuitive. So many golfers assume that gripping the golf club harder will lead to more clubhead speed and more distance. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Using too much grip pressure causes unnecessary tension in the hands, wrists, and forearms. All that tension makes you swing slower because everything is so knotted up. 

Again, it seems counterintuitive but several studies that involve grip pressure, clubhead speed, and ball speed prove that too much grip pressure decreases distance.

Constant Slices or Pushes

Gripping the golf club too tight can also cause you to slice and push the ball quite a bit. This is because when you grip the club too tight, the hands cannot close the clubface in time. This means that your clubface will usually be open at impact, which is the main cause of a slice.

If you’re constantly missing your targets and losing your ball out to the right (for a right-handed golfer), you may need to lighten your grip pressure. 

Results of a Grip That’s Too Loose

While lots of golfers struggle with a grip that is too tight, there aren’t many out there that hold the club too loose. 

For those rare folks that do hold the club too loosely, the main negative consequence is not having enough control of the clubface. These folks will also struggle with the direction of their shots and end up hitting lots of hooks and slices. 

On rare occasions, the club may even fly out of their hands.

Where Pressure Should Be Applied in Your Golf Grip

Okay, now that we know there are dangers of holding the golf club too tight and too loose, once we find that “sweet spot” of grip pressure, where do we apply it? 

Top Hand (Left Hand for Right-Handed Golfer)

Finding the proper grip pressure point on the top hand can be difficult for golfers because it is usually their non-dominant hand. 

Ideally, you want the grip pressure on this hand to be in the heel pad of your palm near the pinkie and ring fingers. 

Again, getting used to the feel of this may take quite a while.

Bottom Hand (Right Hand for Right-Handed Golfer)

Now let’s talk about the correct pressure points in the bottom hand. In this case, we are often dealing with the golfer’s dominant hand. You want the majority of the grip pressure in this hand to be on your index finger (ie pointer finger).

Surprisingly, you shouldn’t feel much grip pressure on your right thumb at all. When gripped correctly, the index finger will be able to easily guide the golf club. Now you’re ready to hit a great shot!

How Tight Your Golf Grip Should Be

On a scale of 1 to 10, you should aim to have a grip pressure of around 4 or 5. The ideal golf grip is not too tight but not too light. Here are a few analogies to remind you of this.

When thinking of grip pressure, remind yourself of Goldilocks and the porridge. She didn’t want the porridge to be too hot or too cold. You don’t want grip pressure that is too tight or too loose.

The great Sam Snead (winner of 82 PGA Tour tournaments) had a famous theory on grip pressure. Snead said to imagine that you’re holding a baby bird. You want to hold the bird tight enough so that it can’t fly away but not so tight that you harm it.

Another popular grip pressure analogy is the tube of toothpaste. You want to hold the tube of toothpaste with both hands but imagine that the cap is off. You don’t want to grip the tube too hard and splatter toothpaste all over your bathroom mirror.

What Happens When Your Golf Grip is Too Strong

There’s a saying in golf that goes something like this: To hit it long, grip it strong! 

That saying isn’t referring to grip pressure, it’s referring to the position of your hands on the golf club. Here’s a quick exercise to determine what type of golf grip you have:

1. Hold the golf club like you’re about to hit a full shot
2. Count how many knuckles you can see on your left hand
3. If you see 1 knuckle, you have a weak grip
4. If you see 2 knuckles, you have a neutral grip
5. If you see 3 knuckles, you have a strong grip

What are some unwanted side effects of a grip that is too strong? 

Most of the time, a grip that is too strong can cause the golfer to hit lots of hooks and pulls because the clubface is shut at impact. This can lead to lots of frustration, not to mention lots of lost golf balls.

Other nasty consequences of having a grip that’s too strong include lower ball flight and inaccurate chipping around the greens. Both are hazardous to shooting low scores on the course. 

If any of these problems are plaguing you, consider weakening your grip a bit.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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If you are new to the game of golf, a great milestone to shoot for is to break 100. 

It can take some time and patience, but with the right tips, any golfer can start to break 100 on their scorecard regularly.

How Long Does it Take Most Golfers to Break 100?

According to multiple statistics, it can take anywhere from 1 to 2 years for beginner golfers to break 100. Some talented beginners may be able to break 100 within a few months, but only if they commit to a rigorous practice schedule.

Did you know that only 55% of all golfers break 100 consistently? That’s why setting a goal to break 100 on your scorecard is a great place for amateur golfers to start.

10 Key Tips You Can Start Using Today to Finally Break 100 in a Round of Golf

1. Take Lessons from a PGA Teaching Pro

If I could change one thing about my golf career, I would have taken lessons from a professional instructor right away. 

Most golf courses have a PGA teaching pro on staff who can help teach you the basics of the game like the proper grip, stance, and setup. Taking lessons from a pro when you are first learning to play will help you learn the proper mechanics of the golf swing before any bad habits get ingrained into you.

Many folks have been able to shave 10 strokes or more off their score by simply getting a few key pointers from a professional instructor. A private lesson will usually cost anywhere from $60 to $125 an hour, but most instructors will normally give you a nice bulk discount if you purchase a set number of lessons. 

I was amazed at how much my game improved after only six lessons with a PGA teaching pro.

2. Get Fitted for Golf Clubs

Did you know that even if your swing mechanics are fundamentally sound, your golf clubs could be keeping you from breaking 100? A professional fitter can conduct a lie board test to determine what type of lie to give your irons. This simple adjustment will make it so much easier to hit your approach shots straighter.

A professional fitter will also make sure each of your clubs has the proper amount of loft. This will give you more control over your distance, which will greatly increase your chances of breaking 100.

Getting fitted for golf clubs can cost up to $400. However, some club fitters will either waive or severely reduce the fitting fee if you buy the new clubs from them. If you are going to pay top dollar for new golf clubs anyway, you might as well have them tailored to your own personal swing type.

3. Improve Your Putting with The Gate Drill

Did you know that most of your strokes on the golf course come on the putting green? Think about it. If you two-putt every hole, that’s 36 strokes. If you three-putt every hole (which is not uncommon for newbies), that adds up to 54 strokes. 

The fastest way to improve your score and break 100 is to learn the correct putting technique. The gate drill will make sure your putting stroke stays on a consistent “straight back and straight through” plane. This will help you make more birdies and pars.

Tiger Woods has been using the gate drill for several years. This drill is perfect for making sure that the putter face stays square at impact. Here is how it works:

• On a practice putting green, stand about 4 feet from the hole.
• Place two tees in the ground that are barely wide enough for your putter head to glide through.
• Now practice your putting stroke without making contact with either of the tees.
• Now that your putting stroke is more fundamentally sound, you should notice a big improvement on your scorecard.

4. Get Better at Lag Putting with the 40 / 50 / 60 Drill

A key to breaking 100 is learning how to avoid three-putts at all costs. The best way to do that is to improve your lag putting. This will especially come in handy on greens that are exceptionally large and fast.

Phil Mickelson is one of the best left-handed golfers in PGA Tour history. In the video below, Mickelson talks about how the 40/50/60 drill has helped his lag putting. Here’s how to perform it:

• Set three golf balls down 40 feet away from the pin.
• Do the same thing at 50 feet and 60 feet distances.
• Hit three lag putts from each distance while trying to get each ball to within five feet of the hole.
• Hit each lag putt with maximum force and aggressiveness but experiment with how far back you take the putter at each distance.

5. Try the Best Chipping Drill Ever

Let’s stick with short game tips and talk about hitting better chip shots. It’s amazing how many golfers neglect chipping during their practice time. That won’t cut it if you’re trying to break 100 on your scorecard.

The below video from Craig Hanson is a fantastic way to practice hitting quality chip shots. The cool thing is you don’t even need to be at the driving range to do this drill. You can perform it just fine in your backyard.

• Use 6 golf clubs to make 5 corridors.
• Each corridor should be spaced about 5 yards apart.
• Set a pile of golf balls 5 yards away from the first corridor.
• Practice landing your chip shots into the first corridor.
• Once you land one in the first corridor, proceed to the second corridor, third corridor, etc.
• Continue in order until you land a golf ball in each corridor.
• Now work your way back from corridor #5 to corridor #1.

A key to hitting good chip shots is being able to land the golf ball where you want it. This drill is one of the best around for helping golfers with their chipping accuracy.

(Bonus Tip: Practice your chip shots with your left hand lower on the golf club. This will help give you a better feel of the clubface.)

6. Dial In Your Driving Accuracy with the 4 Tees Drill

Nothing will keep you from breaking 100 faster than hitting inaccurate tee shots with your driver. Hitting your golf ball into water hazards or out of bounds (OB) isn’t just annoying, it costs you a penalty stroke every time.

The most common mistake that most rookie golfers make with the driver is overswinging. Lots of folks immediately try to kill the golf ball once they get the driver in their hands. This leads to way too many wayward tee shots and lots of lost golf balls.

The drill outlined below is perfect for teaching golfers how to make a more relaxed swing with the driver. Here’s how to try it out:

• Put 4 tees into the ground in a horizontal pattern without golf balls on top of them.
• Make a smooth, relaxed swing while simply trying to knock the tee out of the ground.
• Repeat the process until all 4 tees are out of the ground.
• Now tee a golf ball up and make the same type of smooth swing (you should notice that you probably made good contact with the sweet spot on the driver’s face).
• Hold your finishing pose for at least three seconds to ensure that your golf swing has plenty of balance.

7. Improve Your Bunker Play with the Best Bunker Drill Ever

Bunkers can ruin a good round of golf in a hurry. Bunkers can also keep you from breaking 100 if you don’t know how to get out of them safely and quickly. 

It’s not uncommon for some amateur golfers to cost themselves three or four strokes if they get caught in a particularly tough bunker. This can lead to lots of unwanted double bogeys and triple bogeys. Those big scores can make breaking 100 almost impossible.

In the video below, Zach Allen goes through a great drill that will help all golfers improve their bunker play. Here’s a brief description of how it works.

Take your sand wedge and dig it into the sand about one inch behind the golf ball. Now, make an aggressive swing and try to spank the sand. This will help you get used to what a good bunker shot should feel like and sound like.

(Note: During a live round of golf, you cannot ground your golf club into the sand. Doing so will result in a two-stroke penalty)

8. Smoke the Ball with Your Fairway Woods

Most beginner golfers and even some average golfers have a tough time hitting their fairway woods. This is because the fairway woods are longer and they have a straighter face. 

It can be incredibly difficult to get the ball off the ground with a 3-wood. For this reason, most high handicappers should opt for a 5-wood or one of their hybrids instead of the 3-wood. The extra loft from these clubs helps get the golf ball in the air.

Here are a few tips that will help you hit your fairway woods a bit better. This will help you shoot lower scores, especially on the longer Par 4 and Par 5 holes.

• Choke down on the club by an inch or two (this will give you more control of the clubface).
• Never try to scoop the ball up off the ground.
• Aim a little bit to the right and try to hit the ball to the left.

9. Hit Better Approach Shots with this Iron Drill

A great way to lower your handicap and start breaking 100 consistently is to improve your iron play. While hitting the driver accurately off the tee is very important, hitting a quality second shot will help you avoid the bogey blues.

Chris Ryan explains in the below video how to do his favorite iron drill. This drill will give you immediate feedback after each golf swing. Here is a brief guide to how it works.

• Take a can of white spray paint and spray a straight line in the fairway.
• Place a golf ball on the far side of the line.
• Take a 7-iron and address the golf ball while placing the clubface on the near side of the white line.
• Make several practice swings while focusing on hitting the left side of the line (target side).
• After all the practice swings, look down at the white line and study where you’ve been making contact with the ground.
• Now line up and hit the golf ball.

10. Perfect Your Pitch Shots with These 3 Tips

If you are going to break the 100 milestone consistently, you’ll need to be able to execute quality shots with your pitching wedge. Pitch shots are tough to execute for most amateur golfers because they are usually considered to be “in-between” shots. 

If your golf ball is too far for a chip shot but too close for a full shot, you are in prime pitching distance. A key to hitting good pitch shots is to focus on finesse and accuracy. In the video below from Alex Elliott, you’ll learn these three pitching fundamentals.

• Match your setup and length of your swing to the length of the shot. For shorter pitch shots, you want to use a more narrow stance. For longer pitches, consider spreading your feet out a bit more. It also helps to choke down on the golf club and open up your left foot a tad.
• Keep your arms in sync with your body. Focus on making a U shape from one hip to the other hip. This will keep you from getting too steep in your backswing.
• Complete a nice follow-through with your belt buckle pointing toward your target. This will help improve your balance.

Master these tips and you’ll be on your way to breaking 100 (and then 80) in no time.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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