Golf Tips: Control Distance

One two three o'clock four o'clock swing...

Controlling distance is one huge way PGA Tour players are far better than the average golfer.  Their ability to control distances with their clubs is one way they can shoot much lower scores on average.  But how do they do it? Swing Time Many well known instructors teach the "clock" theory of golf swings.  Picture your hands or arms as the hands of a clock.  As you swing from your beginning position, imagine your arms passing the numbers of a clock.  As you are addressing the ball, you are at the 30 minute mark.  When your left arm (for right handed players) is parallel to the ground, you are at the 45 minute mark.  As you reach the top of your swing above your head, you are at the top of the hour. Now that we have established markers in the golf swing which coincide with a clock, how do we convert that to distance control? We'll take a 7-iron as an example, and say that the normal distance we hit the club is 150 yards with a full swing.  That full swing is the top of the hour.  The next time we swing on the range, we'll practice hitting 7-irons at the 45 minute mark, and note the distance it will travel.  My guess is that it will travel about 140 yards.  So now we know that a full 7-iron goes 150 and a 45 minute mark 7-iron goes 140 yards.  We'll proceed down the clock and note times and distances, and a chart may look like this for the 7-iron when we are done: Top of the hour: 150 yards 55 minutes: 147 yards 50 minutes: 144 yards 45 minutes: 140 yards 40 minutes: 130 yards 35 minutes: 125 yards We will do this process for every club in the bag, except the putter.  Each club will have 5-6 yardages, rather than just one.  It is like adding about 65 more clubs to your bag! For every player these distances will vary, so it is important to test our all of your clubs to find your own numbers.  Yardages will surely overlap, but you may decide to pick one time-swing club over another because of the conditions. For instance a full, top of the hour 9-iron may go 125 yards, and a 35 minute 7-iron the same distance.  If it is windy, you may choose to hit the 35 minute 7-iron to produce a lower trajectory shot which won't be affected by the wind like the 9-iron would. No more "tweeners" Once you've got all of your yardages figured out and you've grooved the swing, you will have confidence in yardage control.  On old shots which were between clubs, you will now have a perfect shot or shots for that yardage.