Adding clubhead speed is something all golfers should strive for. The faster you swing, the farther the ball goes. And the farther the ball goes, the shorter the club you have into greens. That means you should have a better chance to hit the ball closer and shoot lower scores.
It’s simple calculus, but adding speed is rarely so easy. It takes lots of hard work and dedication to add even a few miles per hour, and progress is rarely linear. Sometimes when you hit one of those plateaus, it can feel like you’ve reached your swing speed ceiling.
But thanks to a new feature from Sportsbox AI, that doesn’t have to be a guessing game. The app recently launched its Speed Assessment feature, which measures three key factors that correlate with clubhead speed and can calculate your maximum potential clubhead speed.
“In order to generate clubhead speed, you need three things: roation, verticals and release,” says GOLF Top 100 Teacher Dana Dahlquist. “This assessment will identify which of these are weaknesses and exactly what you need to improve, and by how much, in order to reach your potential speed.”
Speed Assessment in action
I’m not the longest golfer, so I’m always looking to add a little clubhead speed to my arsenal. So when Sportsbox AI launched the Speed Assessment feature, I was keen to check it out. All I had to do was upload a slow-motion swing to the app for analysis.
Below are my results.
The best thing about the Speed Assessment feature is that it identifies your power leaks (i.e. where you’re losing power) in the swing. This is helpful when speed training because it lets you know the exact components in the swing you need to work on to gain power.
For the swing I uploaded, my clubhead speed was 102 mph, with a potential of 106 mph. This wasn’t terrible, but once I went through the analysis, I understood exactly where I was losing power.
As you can see from the data above, I’m leaving a ton of speed on the table when it comes to rotational speed and release. Additionally, my X-factor max, pelvis lift into impact, and pelvis slide in transition need work. This might seem like a lot of data to parse through, but with the help of a coach — which you can consult with the app — it becomes much more digestible.
After speaking with a coach, I’ve come to understand that my power leaks stem from two main issues: 1) I don’t “bump” my hips toward the target enough in transition, which keeps me from creating a coil-like effect with my body; and 2) I don’t push up off the ground enough with my lead side. Combining these two factors, I’m leaving 4 mph of potential clubhead speed on the table.
This might not sound like a lot, but every mile per hour of clubhead speed equates to 2 yards of carry distance with a driver. So by adding 4 mph with the driver, I’ll gain 8 yards of carry — and have nearly a full club less into some greens.
