Most amateurs are locked into a seemingly endless pursuit of longer drives, a search that doesn’t always pay off as much as hoped.
Most amateur golfers spend years chasing more distance off the tee, often assuming it requires a complete swing overhaul. In reality, adding yardage is far more achievable than many believe, especially when you apply the right principles and work with today’s equipment rather than against it.
The modern game has made power increasingly important. In 2025, the average driving distance among all 34 PGA Tour winners was 306 yards, with only seven of those winners averaging under 300. While amateurs will not reach those numbers, even modest gains can transform scoring potential.
Three secrets to help amateurs hit longer drives
Speed training is essential
Distance begins with speed. Increasing clubhead speed leads directly to higher ball speed and longer drives, regardless of skill level.
Speed training became mainstream when Bryson DeChambeau dramatically boosted his ball speed in 2019, and the concept now underpins elite performance. Two simple tools — speed sticks and an impact bag — can replicate many of those benefits for amateurs.
Speed sticks teach the body to accelerate efficiently through impact, syncing hands and torso. The impact bag reinforces proper impact position with forward hands and slight shaft lean, ensuring energy is delivered at the ball rather than wasted before contact.
Tee the ball higher
This tip is purely about distance, not accuracy. The modern driver is designed to launch the ball higher with lower spin, and striking the ball on the upswing is key to maximizing carry.
By teeing the ball higher, golfers encourage a higher launch window, producing more carry and overall distance. While lower tee heights still have their place for control shots, when length matters — on par-5s or short par-4s — a high tee allows the driver to perform as intended.
Adjust ball position
Ball position is one of the easiest distance gains available. With irons, golfers strike down on the ball. With the driver, the opposite is true.
Placing the ball just inside the lead heel promotes an upward strike, reducing spin and increasing launch. When combined with a higher tee height, this simple adjustment unlocks the full potential of modern driver technology without altering swing mechanics.
Longer drives come from preparation, not swing changes
None of these improvements require technical swing changes. They rely on preparation, training purposefully, and using equipment correctly. Many amateurs lose power by trying to generate speed with their hands and arms from the top of the swing, rather than engaging the body’s larger muscles. Speed training tools retrain that sequence, while tee height and ball position amplify the results.
With focused practice and these small but powerful changes, consistent extra distance is not only possible — it becomes inevitable.
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