Breaking down the distance myth

The distance myth

How many times have you heard that the secret to pulling off the best drive possible is to hit the ball as hard as possible with as much force as you can?

We all have a golfing buddy that prides themselves on hitting the ball really far, but the funny thing about golf, whether you’re just starting out or all the way even up to professional level, is that we’re all different and our golf swings are completely unique.

We all like to hear a satisfying smack when we hit the ball on the driving range, but how much of that is down to speed? Considering that all our swings are unique, it’s mostly all down to us and our ability.

Think back to when you very first held a golf club, it was a miracle if you managed to hit the ball 50 yards in the air! You’ve played a lot of golf since then and your performance has increased over time. Now the idea of being challenged to hit a drive just 50 yards is laughable.

However, another big factor that will determine the results of your shots is the quality of your gear, and the latest Dynapower drivers from Wilson are packed with tech to help you succeed. Please read on as we break down the myth that hitting the ball harder will always give you more distance.

Hitting the ball cleanly

While your natural strength is a big part of getting the ball off the ground and into the air, it’s important that you make a clean impact to give the ball the impressive flight you’re after. Modern driver faces are designed to transfer as much energy from the club into the ball as possible to keep the momentum going to gain maximum distance.

The face on the Titanium Dynapower driver has been made using Wilson’s own PKR2 (Peak Kinetic Response) technology to deliver you faster ball speeds with lots of forgiveness. Now that's a combination we like.

A big part of what makes this driver feel so effortless to play with is how well the weight has been distributed. The club has a 16g rear weight that really helps you pop the ball in the air to get a higher launch when you tee off. The driver also has a slight draw tendency so if you tend to hit it to the right, this club will help you find the fairway more often.

Naturally, the closer your strike is to the centre of the clubface, the better your shot will be. However, a huge benefit to these modern driver faces is that they’re incredibly forgiving across the entire face. This means if you mishit a shot and don’t hit it perfectly out of the centre of the face, you’ll still hit it closer to your intended target than you would with previous models.

So, whether you approach the ball with a fast or a slow swing, the biggest thing to consider and strive to improve upon is the quality of your contact. While there will always persist to be a myth that hitting it fast = hitting it far, you need to hit the ball cleanly to get the best result.

Different Dynapower models

You may not even be aware, but brands including Wilson make specific driver models to accommodate different players, and you’ll definitely fit into needing one of these models in regards to swing speed.

The Carbon driver features carbon composite panels on the crown and sole, making it super lightweight. This allows Wilson's engineers to move this saved weight around to change the centre of gravity, which makes this the perfect driver for a low-handicap golfer that likes to shape their shots.

As we’ve discussed, the Titanium driver has a very responsive and forgiving clubface that will help you get the best shot possible. If you want to build up more consistency on the tee, this is the driver for you.

We're here to help

When you get custom fit for a driver, we’ll walk you through how important it is that you’re playing with the right gear for your game.

It’s also important to keep in mind that there are a variety of shaft options available to you when deciding on a new club. Shafts have different levels of flexibility so you’ll need to consider the flex that’s most appropriate for you. Essentially, the faster you swing the club, the stiffer your shaft should be.

So, to answer the question, swing speed may have a bearing on how much distance you get, but hitting it far is determined more by how clean your strike is. It’s definitely a good idea to consider how fast your swing speed is the next time you head out to practice. We’re always on-hand to offer you a custom-fitting so you can better get to know your gear and your game.