Every golfer knows the feeling. You step onto a tee box with a wide-open fairway and only one thing on your mind: “Time to let the big dog eat.”
Unfortunately, that’s usually when things go sideways.
Instead of creating more speed, most golfers try to manufacture it — swinging harder, tensing up and throwing their sequence out of sync. Ironically, the harder they chase distance, the less of it they find.
According to GOLF Top 100 Teacher David Armitage, the longest drives don’t come from brute force. They come from creating the right conditions to generate speed — and delivering it at the right time.
With Armitage’s simple formula, you’ll learn how to master the high bomb and tap into speed you didn’t know you had.
Create proper launch conditions
To set yourself up for the high-launching bomb, you first need to create the right launch conditions. That starts with two simple adjustments: teeing the ball higher and positioning it farther forward in your stance.
Tee the ball so roughly half of it sits above the crown of the driver at address. Then, position it so the ball lines up with the inside of your lead heel. These changes promote an upward angle of attack that helps you launch the ball higher.
But Armitage warns golfers not to let their ball position pull their body open.
“When [the ball’s] forward in your stance, that might encourage those shoulders to be a little open because they want to face the ball,” he says. “So you’ve got to feel like you still stay closed.”
A square setup gives you the freedom to make a bigger turn and create the speed you’re looking for.
Big turn in the backswing
Speed isn’t created at impact — it’s stored before.
Watch the best players in the world, and you’ll notice they don’t rush from the top. They create a powerful coil in the backswing, then unleash that energy through the ball.
“From there [your setup], what I want you to do is make a nice full turn,” Armitage says. “And then I want you to just keep your head behind the ball and just release that club head.”
Chase clubhead speed, not handle speed
One of the biggest distance killers among amateurs is trying to drag the handle through impact.
“It’s club head speed. It’s not handle speed,” Armitage says. “So you don’t want to be pulling [the handle] hard. You want to be swinging [the clubhead] fast.”
You want to feel the clubhead releasing through the ball, not the handle dragging toward the target. Try flipping your driver upside down and making practice swings. Listen for the “woosh.” If it happens before impact, you’re delivering your speed too early.
Keep your head behind the ball
To maximize launch, keep your head behind the ball while your lower body continues rotating toward the target.
This doesn’t mean hanging back on your trail foot. Instead, Armitage says to keep your upper body centered while your lower body leads the motion.
This should keep you balanced, allowing you to deliver maximum speed without losing control.
Choose a driver that inspires confidence
Once you understand how to create speed, the next step is having the confidence to actually let it go. The best swing in the world won’t help if you’re standing over the ball trying to steer it into the fairway. Hitting the high bomb requires commitment — and that starts with a driver you trust.
The right driver isn’t just about chasing extra yards. It’s about giving you the freedom to make your biggest swing without worrying that a slight miss will cost you.
Modern drivers, like the Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond Max, are designed to deliver speed, stability and forgiveness across the face. For golfers of all levels, that forgiveness matters. When mishits still produce strong results, you can stay aggressive instead of trying to guide the ball.
“The biggest thing for me is that mishits are so much better, more forgiving,” Armitage says. “You can go for it more and I think that should give [amateurs] the confidence to have a bigger swing at it.”
Because at the end of the day, unlocking more distance isn’t just about swinging harder — it’s about building a motion you trust. When the setup, backswing, release and equipment all work together, the result is exactly what golfers are chasing: higher drives, more carry and shorter approach shots.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: golf.com
