When the average golfer watches the professionals on television, a remark they often make is how easy the pros appear to be swinging—and yet they are hitting the ball so far.

Some golfers can make driving the ball more than 300 yards look like child’s play. An average golfer wishes they could make hitting the ball appear so easy.

What we are seeking is effortless power. We want to get more from less. The most difficult part of achieving this sensation is the effortless part—it is 90 percent of the puzzle.

Effortlessness requires supple, tension-free muscles. Muscles that are rigid or tense move much more slowly than relaxed muscle.

Once you can make effortless swings, the power part can be learned quickly. It won’t come automatically, but I am willing to bet your body will feel better after the range or a round of golf.

Try writing your signature before a round of golf. Then after the round, write it again. The worse your signature looks, shaky and less legible, the more dramatic improvement you will get from the following tips.

Here are four steps to arrive at effortlessness in your own swing:

• Before gripping the club, shake the tension out of the forearms and wrists. Relax the jaw and facial muscles—these share the same nerve root with the neck and shoulders. If the face is tense, the neck and shoulders are probably tense, too.

• Start thinking of the grip of the club as a “touch pad.” The word “grip” already insinuates squeezing and tension, like a handshake. Merely touch the grip with the fingers.

• Hit to an open spot on the range, not to a measured target. We are not concerned with distance at first—the most difficult part of learning effortless power is the effortless part. Hitting into a net in the yard is another good option.

• Swing smoothly and in balance. Start with a two-foot balance. Move to a back-foot balance on the backswing and a front-foot balance on the follow through. Swing the club head like a pendulum.

A sand wedge is a great choice for this drill. It is the heaviest club head in your bag and thus will be the easiest to feel the weight traveling around a circle. A sand wedge also hits the shortest distance, so you will not get the temptation to try to over swing.

Practice being effortless on 10 swings each day. The ball may not fly as intended at first—this is normal. Allow some time for the body to figure out the new message the brain is sending.

Pretty soon you will be hitting the ball just as far and with more control and less effort.

When the first person says, “Boy, you sure make it look easy,” pat yourself on the back, for you have arrived at effortlessness, something that most golfers never learn.

In my next column, two weeks from now, I’ll discuss turbocharging your effortless swing for more speed and distance—the other 10 percent of the effortless power equation.

Steve Pratt is a golf instructor at Lindero Country Club in Agoura Hills. Visit his website at www.hititlonger.com.