Chris Gotterup is one of the longest hitters in the game.
Gotterup is immensely talented and is arguably the most natural swinger of the golf club at the very highest level of the sport.
The 26-year-old American was ranked 7th in driving distance on the PGA Tour in 2026, 14th in average ball speed and 10th in average clubhead speed.
The incredible thing about Chris Gotterup is that he actually has more power in the tank.
He averaged 124.35 mph clubhead speed in 2026, but that is his cruising speed. He is able to get that up to around 133 mph if he needs to.
And Gotterup goes completely against the grain with his key to flying the ball more than 310 yards through the air with his driver.
Gotterup spoke to Golf Digest back in 2022 about his key to bombing his driver off the tee.
And the five-time PGA Tour winner responded when it was put to him that amateur golfers need to grip the club softly in order to hit longer drives.
"That's nonsense, " he said.
" It's important to have loose arms but a firm grip. How can you swing the club hard if the club is practically falling out of your hands? I'm not saying to grip the club so tight that your veins are popping out. Grip it firmly enough so that it's not loose. You can't do that if you're holding the club gently.
" Grip it like you mean it, swing it hard and don't worry about where the ball goes."
This is a really interesting take from Gotterup.
We are told time and time again to keep our grip pressure as light as possible, but judging by Gotterup's comments, that should not be the case.
The game has evolved over the past 5-10 years and it has changed beyond all recognition. Distance is now king, whereas accuracy off the tee is nowhere near as important as it once was.
So, if you want to swing hard and hit bombs like Chris Gotterup, perhaps you should try keeping your arms and body as relaxed as possible, while maintaining a firm grip.
