Almost every recreational golfer would benefit from more speed in their golf swing. When you can hit the ball further, the game becomes a heck of a lot easier.
When chasing this distance, most golfers will think about what they should be doing to generate more speed. But sometimes, the secret to more distance is simply eliminating moves that you shouldn’t be doing that are costing you yards.
In the video below posted by Titleist Performance Institute, you can see a common mistake golfers make during their downswing that costs them swing speed.
❌ “Flushing” speed
— TPI (@MyTPI) October 14, 2024
Most elite golfers we evaluate push aggressively, extending their lead knee & lifting their pelvis vertically.
Golfers w “passive” legs not only flush speed, but can be more likely to have Early Extension/Slide.
🎥: @stevemooregolf
pic.twitter.com/WP0obGFjWY
Don’t ‘flush’ speed
If you’ve tried to add any speed to your swing, you’ve likely heard that you need to use the ground. This is called “ground reaction force” and it’s a huge driver of speed in the swing.
However, when lots of recreational players try to push into the ground during the downswing, they’re doing so in a way that actually leaks power.
The typical recreational player will squat during the downswing, but they never push back up as the club approaches the ball. This, as the coach in the video above says, is the “No. 1 loss of power” in the golf swing.
If you’re going to squat into the ground, you have to then extend you lead leg as the clubhead approaches impact. This will guarantee you generate more speed and keep you from leaking power during the downswing.
