You do not have to swing hard to make the ball go far. We all strive to hit the ball the farthest. We change our clubs and balls in search of the one that will give us the most distance. Hitting the golf ball a long way is fun, and perhaps the reason why so many of us become addicted to the game. The problem is that most golfers approach hitting the wrong way.

We try too hard. The golf ball does not care who is hitting it.  It simply reacts to the compression and spin during impact. Many golfers try to kill the ball. They keep their muscles too tight, especially the ones in their hands and arms. The concept of picking up the club and swinging hard simply does not work. This method does not develop any club head speed. 

The formula for distance is simple. Distance equals a combination of club head speed, squareness of impact, and angle of approach through impact. Soft arms and hands will allow this to happen.

Just because we hear the likes of John Daly using the "grip 'em and rip 'em" method, the macho mind thinks we can step up to the tee and grab that driver as tight as possible, and swing away. Wrong.

Ever wonder why some of those drives go 280 yards straight into the wrong fairway? Start blaming the club or the ball. But one, more likely possibility, is that you are holding the club too tight.

I believe it is truly impossible to create club head speed when you swing hard. One of the most common observations one makes when watching a professional golfer swing is how effortlessly they swing the club. Great golfers hold the club lightly and softly. They do not really grip the club. If you feel like your hands and arms are light and ready you will be able to generate the correct club head speed.

Bill Castner, Teaching Professional