Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you become a smarter, better golfer.
Ah, clubhead speed. It’s something that we talk about quite a lot in this column — and something that every golfer wishes they had more of.
Not only does speed help wow your playing partners, it also makes the game easier. With more speed comes greater distance and shorter clubs into greens. And with shorter clubs into greens comes more birdies. It’s a simple formula, but not always an easy one to put into practice.
When we talk about adding speed it’s usually in the context of conditioning, whether it be speed training or in the gym. However, there is a way to add more speed simply by making our swings more efficient — and it comes in the form of proper swing sequencing.
Boost your speed with alignment sticks
You’ve probably heard the term sequencing thrown around before, but if you don’t know the exact meaning, here’s a refresher. Sequencing is essentially the order in which each component of your body moves during the swing, and it’s essential for hitting the ball solidly.
If you’ve ever seen a smooth-swinger like Fred Couples or Ernie Els look like they aren’t even trying while producing massive hits, that is proper sequencing in action. When you can get everything moving in the correct sequence, you can create tons of graceful power.
The tricky thing with sequencing is that each component has to move at a different speed. The distance your hips travel is different than that of your shoulders, and your shoulders different than your arms. This means they all have to work at different rates to unleash all their power at the moment of impact.
As GOLF Top 100 Teacher Jonathan Yarwood explains in the video above, you want your hips to unload faster than your arms during the downswing. With a little work, though, you can easily correct the issue.
“A lot of people, their hips work too slowly or they work out of sync,” Yarwood says. “This alignment stick is a really goo thing if you use it properly.”
Take one alignment stick and thread it through your belt loop across your hips, and then take another and stake it into the ground a few steps in front of your lead hip and a couple steps behind you. Make a few practice swings and make note of when the two alignment sticks make contact.
“I can now feel when I’m unwinding my hips,” Yarwood says.
For the proper sequencing, you want your hips to be about 45 degrees open at impact. At the same moment, you want your ribcage only about 30 degrees open. This means you need your hips to be unwinding a little bit faster than your upper body during the downswing.
Make some swings and note when you hear the click between the two alignment sticks. The goal should be for them to make contact before you make contact with the ball.
