Research proves that a smaller ratio between the time it takes you to complete your backswing and your downswing is what creates extra speed and power. But you can’t simply make a faster swing. The trick is to add force on the way back so you can use it on the way down.
Check out below for a step-by-step guide for training yourself to produce a faster backswing.
How to make a faster backswing
Starting your swing is not an action-less event. Like an NFL linebacker bracing to move prior to the snap, you need to start the force creation process even before the club swings back. If you watch elite players or those on the long-drive circuit in slow motion, you’ll see them settle into address [1], then subtly lean into their front leg and foot [2]. Creating this front-side pressure better allows them to push onto their trail side as they physically take the club back [3]. The pressure creation continues to the point where you feel the resultant force moving straight up through your sternum [4].
Even in these photos you can appreciate the dynamism of a power-producing backswing. Your whole nervous system is working. Keep in mind that this pushing down on both feet is not a “swaying” move, and every big hitter does it.
It’s like riding a bike: You don’t get the bike moving by simply pedaling — you apply downward force like mad with both feet.
A drill for instant force creation
Focusing on moving the clubhead first as you start your takeaway is a big no-no when it comes to adding speed and power. The handle goes first — a dynamic pulling motion that begins with the left-right ground forces mentioned above.
A good way to feel and ingrain the needed motions is to make practice swings with the Drag-N-Fly, ($199; tourtempo.com), or by simply wrapping a golf towel around the clubhead on the most flexible shaft you own.
As you can see, I’ve started my takeaway by pulling on the handle to the point where the towel snaps straight (which wouldn’t happen if you simply lifted the club or immediately hinged your wrists). The goal is to keep the towel straight for as long as possible until you reach the top, where gravity eventually causes it to hang straight down.
Think of the clubhead as being heavy or how you’d swing a sledgehammer. It’s the same thing in golf: resistance at the start with the handle moving before the head.
The dos and don’ts
When a golfer with an average backswing time (1.5 seconds) starts to speed up, it will feel wild, like going from driving a truck to a Ferrari. At first you’ll be all over the road, but eventually you’ll get the hang of it.
Keep in mind that as you practice the moves on the previous pages and the dos and don’ts you see here, swinging slow may give you the illusion of control, but nearly all athletic endeavors require the athlete to give up control. The club is simply moving too fast for you to control it consciously. That’s actually a relief, since a faster/higher-force backswing requires less thinking! Players who think their way through the swing typically end up swinging slower, but, by getting the club moving faster, they become more athletic, and their conscious mind will have less control (a good thing).
Copy what you see here and you’ll feel your backswing force and speed creation skyrocket. A longer, faster and better you awaits.
Setup and takeaway
Addressing the ball by pre-shifting your weight over to your trail leg is simply a cheat. You’d be better served by setting up with more weight on your front side so that you can dynamically shift back and begin generating needed force. As you start back, avoid any type of early hinge. The handle moves first, not the clubhead.
Arm structure
Getting the handle to travel farther is a huge force creation and speed key. Unduly bending your arms (far left) or hinging your wrists limits your swing radius and saps power. Try a stronger grip pressure and have the feeling that the grip is moving more than the clubhead.
Posture
We’ve all been told to “stay in posture” during the backswing. Doing so is an absolute speed killer. Staying in posture basically means you’re not moving dynamically, which means you’re not creating needed force.
Elite golfers and power hitters push off the ground so hard in their backswing that they lose their posture. Perfect, as long as you maintain the spine angle (tilt toward the ground) established at address.
John Novosel Jr. is the co-founder of Tour Tempo and is based out of Lawrence, Kan.
Jon Tattersall is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher and is the co-founder of Fusion ATL in Atlanta, Ga.
