Every golfer wants to hit the ball longer, including me. But, how do you do it?
Speed is the key to distance. The more speed you have, the longer you’ll be able to hit it, assuming you can make consistent, center-face contact.
There are many ways to build your speed, and to find out the most effective methods, I polled a few of my students who have successfully added on a few mphs this past year. Here’s what they said.
1. Intent
Sometimes the intent to swing faster is enough to boost your swing speeds. The reason being, golfers often believe they need to make a smooth, slow swing to be more accurate, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Instead, focus on making a solid setup and good tempo. Then, think about letting the ball get in the way of your swing. This will help you develop a feeling of swinging freely and adding arm swing which can increase your speed enough to increase distance.
2. Proper grip in fingers
You’d be surprised how much a proper, or improper, grip can impact your swing speed and your distance as a result. Holding the club properly in the fingers is imperative to being able to generate speed.
To grip the club correctly, the fingers should encircle the grip so the heel pad rests properly on the top of the grip. This creates a lever to hold the club in place where it does not need tension or additional squeezing to provide security. It also allows you to be relaxed enough to create leverage and clubhead speed.
A great way to check if you’re holding the club properly is to examine the wear pattern in your golf gloves. If you’re wearing a hole into the palm, this is a sign that you are likely squeezing the club too much to avoid it from slipping and need to hold it more in your fingers.
3. Arm swing
Learning how to use your arms properly in the swing is important if you want to create more speed. I have seen golfers with limited mobility be able to hit the ball quite solidly and far by simply using their hands and arms well.
Allowing the arms to swing freely and fast on the downswing helps to increase speed and distance. One of my favorite drills to practice proper arm motion is to make continuous arm swings. To do this, swing back and through without stopping the club. This will help you produce more efficiency through momentum, which translates to an efficient and balanced swing that moves the club faster.
4. Wrists
The hands and wrists can help you create a tremendous amount of speed in your golf swing, especially for players who are not as physically strong. This is part of the reason that your grip is so important, and you need to be sure you’re holding the club in your fingers. To create a more efficient movement with the clubhead, allow your hands and arms to be relaxed enough to allow speed to be able to happen.
5. Train
Working out and following training programs is one of the best ways to increase clubhead speed. Luckily, you don’t need to buy equipment to get started. The swoosh drill is a great way to practice swinging faster without sacrificing control.
To try it out, turn over your driver and make a few swings. You’ll notice that your club makes a ‘swoosh’ noise as you make swings. Try to time the swoosh noise so it happens at the bottom of your swing. As you find the proper timing of your swing, and your swoosh, gradually swing faster. As you swing faster and more efficiently, the swooshing noise should get louder but still happen at the bottom of your swing.
If you really want to train correctly, I also suggest TheStack system. It’s a research-based underload/overload training aid developed by Marty Jertson and Sasho Mackenzie. Use their app for proven programs to train a faster swing and hit the ball farther.
