End of the Week Tip: Create Speed for Distance

One thing all great long hitters have in common is excessive club head speeds.  Here are a few keys that you can follow to try and elevate your club head speed and increase your distance:

·       Understand the importance of kinematic sequence.  I know that sounds technical, but if you’ve ever tried to throw an object as far as you can, you’ve likely used kinematic sequence and didn’t know it.  Kinematic sequence is simply the order your body moves.  For a golf swing, to reach maximum club head speed your downswing should begin with the lower body, then upper body, and finally the club.  This creates a whip like effect in the club head which will increase your club head speed.

·       Wrist hinge. I’ve seen too many players on the lesson tee come in worrying about how or if their wrists are hinging.  Truth is the weight of the club will do the heavy lifting/hinging for you.  In other words, allow your wrists to hinge on the backswing, and think nothing of them on the downswing.  The torque you’re creating by moving your body in the correct sequence will be translated to the wrists as long as they are passive and somewhat tension free.    

·       Many golfers that try to swing faster actually make the club head swing slower!  Consider purchasing a basic (inexpensive) swing speed radar that simply measures your club head speed.  Another great form of feedback is the sound the club makes through impact.  The louder the whoosh, the more club head speed you have created.

Bonus: Want more on creating speed for distance? Click here to check out a great article by Mike Bender that he did for Golf Digest.