Chasing distance is common. It’s human nature to want to hit a golf ball further. As great as distance is, it can really cause some damage to your game if you focus too much on increasing your distance in your golf game.
Here are some of the hidden dangers you may encounter if you focus only on distance when playing your next golf round.
You’ll hit less accurate shots
When you look at golfers who hit the ball further, you’ll see that they often struggle with accuracy.
Lack of accuracy and increase in distance go hand in hand. While some lack of accuracy (a few yards right or left of the target) is not an issue, sometimes it can have a big impact on your game.
If your goal during your next round of golf is to hit the ball as far as you can, expect a lack of accuracy to cost you some strokes.
You may get hurt
Truus on this one. You are always the one who will never get hurt until suddenly it’s you. Getting hurt from golf is a real possibility, especially as you get older.
One of the most common ways golfers get injured is by swinging hard to increase their distance. You should accelerate through the ball and even be aggressive, but you may get hurt if you swing with only one goal to crush it.
You’ll create some swing flaws
The swing mechanics needed to hit accurate and consistent shots may differ slightly from those needed to hit the longest shots. If you focus only on distance in your next round of golf, you may create some swing flaws without even thinking about it.
Some players take the club back too far or lose their timing, tempo, and balance to create extra distance.
It’s not typically worth it for a few extra yards.
You may neglect the real weaknesses in your game
When you decided to work on getting more distance out of your golf shots, did you look at your weaknesses?
Did you find that lack of distance was actually the issue causing you to score higher?
For most golfers, the answer is no. Most golfers score higher because of issues in their short game or because of a lack of control of the golf ball. Learn your weaknesses and then improve from there; don’t assume it’s just distance.
You forget about course management
As great as it is to be able to hit long and far golf shots, you still have to plan your way around the golf course.
Sometimes, the longest shot is not the best shot to take. Plan your golf shots accordingly, and don’t forget about golf course management just because you are looking for extra distance.
Final Thoughts
We love distance just as much as you do. However, if you chase distance without regard for the rest of your golf game, it’s probably hurting your scores more than helping.
Go get some extra yards, but go about it the right way. Speed train and work on your fundamentals simultaneously.
