You're Correct!

Hitting golf shots a long way when you are out on the golf course really can help you to lower your scores. Longer shots mean you can hit greens in fewer shots than would be necessary if you could not achieve such length. Getting to the green in the fewest shots possible sets you up to be able to achieve a low score on the hole.

If you want to hit the golf ball as far as possible, your instinct can be to get pumped up and tense in your muscles. Doing this feels like you are getting your muscles ready to work. However, when you make your golf swing, the most vital element in achieving long distance golf shots is being able to rotate your upper body well around your spine. Your golf swing works effectively and efficiently from a rotary, turning action. You need to be able to rotate your upper body 90 degrees to the right of its starting position (for right handed golfers). If you get tense and tighten your muscles up, it becomes more difficult for you to be able to achieve the necessary rotary movement in your upper body and shoulders.

As your muscles tighten and get stiff, they lose their flexibility and therefore you will not be able to rotate your shoulders as far around your spine. Less rotation in your upper body and shoulders means that you will not swing the golf club on as large an arc as you possibly could. The larger the arc of your golf swing, the further you will hit the golf ball. The shorter the golf club head moves around your body, the shorter you will hit the golf ball.

To hit the golf ball as far as you possibly can it is really important that you relax your muscles so that you can achieve the biggest rotation possible in your upper body and shoulders.

To help you achieve a relaxed position to make your golf swing from, once you are set up and ready to play your golf shot, actually tighten the muscles in your hands, arms and shoulders. Tighten them as much as you can. This is a 10 on your tightness scale. Let your muscles relax to at least half, to a 5 on the tightness scale and then swing. With a little practise, you will be able to tighten but then relax so that you always make your swing from a relaxed muscle position and this will help you to achieve maximum shot distance.

If you get your muscles pumped up, tense and tight before you swing your golf club, it may feel that you are going to hit a long way. However, when your muscles get tense, you lose your flexibility and it becomes much more difficult to turn and rotate well. Great rotation is the key to hitting long golf shots, so to achieve this, work on relaxing for a good shoulder turn.

Strength is definitely an important factor when it comes to hitting the golf ball a long way. However, strength is not the only factor. A body builder is extremely strong but their bulk makes it very difficult for them to rotate during their golf swing and strength without rotation will never hit the golf ball far. Rotation is the key for long golf shots, strength should be built around this.

Gripping the golf club tightly can feel like you are going to hit the ball really hard. However, when you tighten your grip and use the muscles in your forearms, they contract and shorten. This will result in you hitting the top of the golf ball and producing a low, short shot. Hold rather than squeeze for maximum shot distance.