Longest Golf Driver Ever - 4 Decade Old Undefeated Record • On The Golf Green

I am surprised how the longest golf driver ever remains unchallenged even after other golfers indulged in more than four-decade attempts to snatch its place.

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Longest Golf Driver Ever - 4 Decade Old Undefeated Record

Mike Austin is behind the 515-yard shot made during the US National Seniors open in 1974.

Austin was able to swing what seemed to be an impossible shot at the time using only a wooden club, which was prior to equipment innovation.

If he was able to do that, perhaps advanced golfing technology and proper training can make it possible for us too.

Hitting a long drive is hard enough when we’re not comfortable with the equipment we’re using.

Buying just whatever we stumble upon a sports center won’t make our game any easier, but assessing what fits us best, might.

Here are some basics we need to know to triumph on beating the longest golf driver ever.

What is the standard length of a golf driver shaft?

When answering questions such as what is the standard length of a golf driver shaft, we should place ourselves in the right category. Men and women play differently.

Women’s golf driver shafts are always an inch shorter than men’s. The former uses a 44-inch while the latter uses a 45-inch shaft.

What is the legal length of a golf driver?

The maximum or legal length of a golf driver under the Rules of Golf is 48 inches. Not exceeding the maximum length settings, the clubs should at least be 18 inches. However, putters are not under this rule.

What does 10.5 mean on a golf driver?

It refers to a specific degree of the loft. What is loft then? Trajectory and distance are what the feature called loft affects the most.

Drivers usually have a loft that’s within 8 to 11 degrees. The 10.5-degree loft, along with 9.5 degrees are much more common than the other types.

Now, how can we determine which loft fits us best?

We will benefit more from a high-lofted driver if our swing speed is low. An 11-degree loft might be our best option. However, the 10.5-degree loft is more useful when our tee shot trajectory is too low.

Golf is often challenging because of the weather, so we might as well consider it too. If it’s too windy, less-lofted clubs will give us better game performance.

How to measure the length of a golf driver?

There are different ways on how to measure the length of a golf driver. We should place the club in a playing position with the center of its sole touching the ground when we use the first method.

Once we’ve positioned it, we should put a 48-inch club ruler vertically at its backside.

When I perform this method, I make sure the tip of the ruler touches the ground for more accurate and reliable measurements.

We should consider the grip cap edge and not the top when measuring the final length. The method is used most commonly, albeit it does not apply to putters.

There is also another method to know if our golf driver or at least the one we want to buy is within how long should a golf driver be.

It is called the United States Golf Association (USGA) method. The UGSA employs an apparatus with an angle iron that was designed to form a 60-degree angle.

If we have the equipment, we should place the golf clubs in either a playing position or a horizontal position. Measuring the final length is based on the very end of the grip cap and not on its edge.

Long Drivers of America (LDA) also devised a method on how to measure the length of a golf driver.

We should place the shaft flat against a wall with the driver’s toe positioned on the ground when using this method. In comparison to the other two, this one will give us a result of a longer length.

The LDA has a 50” limit, which is 2” longer. The final length of the golf driver depends on how we put the lie of the driver.

How to make your golf driver longer?

Of course, every golfer wishes to beat the longest golf driver ever recorded. It is undeniably challenging, but proper training might help us with it.

Setting up our swing

How we set up our swing contributes to the distance the ball reaches. Teeing the ball higher than usual can develop our launch angle.

A wider stance also does the trick. It is a more stable position, and it can help generate more power on the swing without us losing balance. It also positions our front shoulder lower than our back shoulder.

For right-handed golfers like me, we should position our front shoulder lower than our left shoulder.

The position will allow us to sweep the ball off the tee quickly. Hitting the ball on the upswing would be our best move if we’re aiming for a longer distance.

It will launch the ball higher, and we can expect no backspin. Placing the ball forward in our stance can also help us achieve more distance. Positioning it that way can give more power behind it.

We should position the tee just inside our left heel. Again, that applies if you’re right-handed like me. This will allow us to put more than fifty percent of our weight on our right side.

It is the ideal position because it can give our body enough tilt to launch the ball properly.

Synchronization is one of the keys needed to make a good record in golf. Our hands and arms should be in sync with our core.

Once we do it properly, it can allow our body to move in a fluid motion resulting in a perfect swing and longer distance.

However, if synchronization is absent, we can hit the ball with the outside of the clubface. This will give a weak contact and thus resulting in a shorter distance.

Striking the ball properly

Aside from proper swing set up, how we strike the ball off the tee is also crucial. Shifting most of our weight on our front foot by the time we hit the ball will allow improved distance and accuracy.

As we shift, staying loose and relaxed can help us generate enough power to drive the ball in the distance we like.

The opposite is true if our body tightens up. It can then affect the range and accuracy of our shot.

Getting too excited doesn’t help when we’re swinging. Accelerating our swing only when we’re about to reach the ball is the best move to drive it to a longer distance.

Knowing the concepts isn’t enough to drive longer. If our body familiarizes the movements, chances are we can get more than a miracle shot in golf.

Practice makes perfect

Practicing allows you to master how to make your golf driver longer. Slicing the work is an effective way of perfecting our shot.

If we work on our swing individually, nailing our motion becomes more possible. Allotting a good 15 minutes to work on our backswing, weight shift, and the positionings mentioned above can also do so much.

Taking a swing without a ball can also be helpful. The goal is to set a good habit of swinging, and once we’ve done it, we could rest already.

Hitting a bucket of balls is a classic. The more we do it, the closer we get in hitting the longest golf driver ever.

Final Thoughts

The key to achieving the longest golf driver ever doesn’t only rely on proper training. Getting the right golf equipment plays a huge role in perfecting our swing.

We should always bear in mind these questions before investing money on our equipment:

What is the standard length of a golf driver shaft?
What does 10.5 mean on a golf driver?
What is the legal length of a golf driver?
How to make your golf driver longer?

Being aware of these things can help us decide when buying, what driver suits our skills well.

If all our golf equipment is settled, then that’s when we push ourselves in practice.

The steps on making a long drive might be difficult to follow at first, but once we get the hang of it, we will be able to drive the ball in whatever distance we like.