Editorial Team

One common phrase heard around driving ranges and golf courses is "keep your left arm straight." This advice can help right-handed golfers create power in their swings.

Most players consider using longer shafts in their clubs at some time or another, believing that longer shafts equal more distance, although that isn't necessarily true.

Seve Ballesteros used a cut-down 3-iron to hit balls when he was 7 years old. Andres Romero, a winner on the PGA Tour, picked up a club his father carved from a mulberry tree when he was 6.

Starting as early as the 15th century, golfers carved their own clubs.

When the best players in the world have trouble calculating yardages at altitude, you know it's not easy. The ball flies farther at high altitudes: The air is less dense, so there is less friction to slow the orb's forward motion. At the U.S.

Flags, the objects on top of the sticks used to mark each hole on a golf course, were first mentioned in 1875, although golf historians believe they were used before that date.

Controlling the backspin on your shots is extremely difficult.

Every golfer wants to hit the ball farther, and the quest for maximum length has led many 21st century golfers to opt for drivers with shafts that are 1 to 3 inches longer than the standard recommended length.