Imagine how much you could lower your scores by getting the kind of distance you know youre capable of.

Adding distance to your drives changes the way you attack a golf course. And those extra yards give you a competitive edge. Thats why most of the top players in the world are so focused on finding the right equipment to increase distance.

Its no secret that most of us want to hit it longer. Golf club manufacturers know this and try to produce drivers that push the distance envelope. The problem? Most drivers sold at retail outlets are built to specs that simply dont work for most players swings.

What can you do to find the right driver?

The answer lies in knowing what the most important club fitting parameters are and using them to match the right equipment to your swing speed.

There are four club fitting keys I can think of that you need to focus on for maximum distance and consistency: loft, shaft flex, club length, and ball spin.

1. Loft

Selecting the right loft may be the most important fitting parameter when youre looking to increase distance. Whats the biggest mistake most us of make? Going with too low a loft.

Today, drivers play true to loft. Thats a big change from just a few years ago when everyone was hitting 8* Great Big Berthas. Realize that those days are over. Today the unofficial standard loft may be about 10.5*.

If your swing speed is below 100 mph youll do much better with higher lofts. Swing speeds that are 90 mph and less do well with lofts of at least 12*.

Slower swing speeds dont generate the spin rate needed to maximize distance. Higher lofts give you more hang time and more distance with the same effort.

Higher swing speeds? They do better with moderate or lower lofts. Look for lofts of 10.5* or less. Swing speeds in excess of 105 mph naturally generate more spin, and that translates into higher trajectories.

2. Shaft Flex

Its a fact: about 8 out of 10 players select a flex thats too stiff for their swing. How does this affect distance? All shafts have to bend in order to get the ball airborne. Players with lower swing speeds need more flex to launch the ball on the right trajectory.

Try to find the most flexible shaft you can handle with accuracy. More flexible shafts offer a couple of advantages:

>> You increase distance with less effort because of the shafts extra kick.

>> Youll get better feel with less harshness.

Better feel means more confidence, and that translates into better ball striking. Shafts that are too stiff produce weak shots that are pushed offline.

Remember this:

Not everyone fits this profile. If your swing speed is over 105 mph or if you have a quick backswing-to-downswing transition, then youll probably have trouble unless you use fairly stiff shafts.

High swing speeds have trouble with control when shafts get too flexible.

3. Club length

A lot of us dont pay much attention to club length.

You probably think all clubs are built to standard lengths. The fact is, there are no standards when it comes to club length. Club length can change from brand to brand, or even from model to model within brand.

Most drivers sold today are built to a length of 45.5, and many drivers reach 46. Thats because longer lengths usually produce longer drives. You'll hit occasional bombs at these lengths but your consistency suffers.

How come? Your percentage of on-center hits decreases pretty quickly once you go longer than 45. Miss the sweet spot by just a small amount and you can easily lose 17 yards on a drive.

My guess is, if you go with a driver length of 44.5 your average drive will be longer, and more of those drives will stay in the fairway. That's the reason most tour pros stay below driver lengths of 45.

If youre struggling with your driver have a clubmaker shorten the length to about 44.5. Youll be surprised at the results.

4. Ball spin

What are the hottest selling golf balls? Just about any ball advertised as a distance ball. Theyre all pretty similar; they dont spin much, feel hard at impact, and are usually pretty inexpensive.

Distance balls do work, but ironically, not all that well for most average players. The reason? Distance balls spin less. Slower swing speeds dont generate the spin needed to make these balls effective.

Players with fast swing speeds can take advantage of a distance balls lower spin rate. Slower swing speeds do better with more spin. Look for two piece balls that are softer and spin more; youll find they work a lot better in several ways:

>> They stay airborne longer, maximizing carry.

>> They spin more and that helps you hold greens better.

>> They feel softer when hitting chips and short pitch shots.

Im not sure about you, but I dont like the high pitched click and hard feel of typical distance balls when Im putting.

Look for softer two piece balls with spin and youll get the advantages of a players ball at a reasonable price.

Summing things up

Good swing fundamentals are a must for hitting consistently long drives. But with drivers and golf balls that dont fit your swing speed, youll never reach your distance potential.

Use these four fitting keys and you should be able to develop a short list of drivers you can field test at the next demo day!