Breaking down the distance myth

The 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 Stealth 2 drivers from TaylorMade 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 carbon face on the Stealth 2 driver features TaylorMade’s own Inverted Cone Technology, which helps make sure you maintain a fast ball speed even on those off-centre strikes. The face is also covered in a nanotexture cover that helps fine-tune your shot’s launch and spin to give you the most distance possible down the fairway.

Part of what helps you pull off amazing shots with the club is just how aerodynamic it is. The driver has a lighter carbon clubhead than the original Stealth, and has a carbon reinforced composite ring that frees up weight which makes it very easy to swing. The club also has an “Inertia Generator” weight that helps improve the aerodynamics and aids swing speed.

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 TaylorMade models

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

If you suffer from a slice or regularly find your shots go too far to the right, you’d benefit from playing with the Stealth 2 HD driver. This club has a draw bias built in to help you fight your mishit and make straighter drives down the fairway more often.

The Stealth 2 Plus driver has some incredible tech built in to the clubhead, such as the 15g sliding weight rack. This mechanism lets you shift how the club is weighted at the touch of a finger, so you can decide whether you want your next shot to have a fade or draw bias. This is perfect for golfers that love to shake up their game.

We’ve already mentioned it, and the standard Stealth 2 driver has been designed to give you two things above all else; distance and forgiveness. This club will help you land your ball far down the fairway, even if you don’t hit it cleanly out of the centre.

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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.