How to use an alignment stick to increase your swing speed

teacher teaches

Bill Schmedes III explains how to use the ground to create more 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.”

NEWSLETTER

Zephyr Melton

Golf.com Editor

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.