How to use an alignment stick to increase your swing speed

Among elite golfers, swing speeds have never been faster. Distance off the tee has always been a weapon, but in the current age of golf, it’s absolutely paramount if you want to be among the game’s best.

How you can add some of that sweet sweet clubhead speed, though? There are a number of ways to go about it, but one easy method is by properly using ground reaction forces.

PGA Professional Bill Schmedes III has a great drill to help you use the ground more efficiently, and it involves the use of an alignment stick.

Put the alignment stick on the ground and line up for a shot with you feet on top of the rod. Get into a golf posture and begin your takeaway. As you do this, straighten your trail leg and feel yourself put pressure on the inside heel of that side.

“This is what we see from the best players in the world,” Schmedes says.

As you transition into the downswing, you should shift that pressure from the inside heel of your trail leg to the toes on your lead side. Now you’ll extend your lead leg and push off the ground as you let the clubhead swing through impact.

“If we can go about using the ground more efficiently, you can not only get better at golf, but you can create more speed,” Schmedes says. “That’s going to be tremendous for your game.”