Hi Michael:

If you are really looking to get into golfing, I would recommend a few lessons from a PGA Teaching Pro. Good fundamentals from the start. especially grip, stance, and alignment, will make a world of difference. Proper fundamentals will also help you increase distance with not only your driver, but all the clubs in your bag.

Don't worry about it too much. With good swing mechanics and practice your driving distance and accuracy will improve.

One of the biggest mistakes new golfers make is focusing on distance and just swinging harder. You'll tend to actually generate more spin by doing that and lose yardage. I know plenty of golfers driving 200-250 that are scratch. What you see on TV is not as easy as it looks.

Jim Furyk has a smooth swing tempo (be it out of the ordinary) but his swing path at impact is the same as all tour players. His driving distance averaged around 280 but consistent.

If you can develop a preshot routine that focuses on driving the club towards your target and even working with a local pro to develop good swing mechanics, you can start to see an increase in ball speed with less effort.

Golf is a game you really have to work at but enjoy it! it's a great sport to watch and learn from others. Just be selective on who you learn from ;)