How do you increase swing speed??

[Weltall]

I hit just as long as my friends but my swing speed is a lot slower... so I'm wondering how I can increase my swing speed..

[oregongolf]

i've started swinging a troy bar after seeing it as a viable alternative to the momentus.

 

i'm already seeing gains and it helped to tighten up my swing.

[justyn]

What he ^^^^^ said, but becareful since you can damage tendons and muscles, start off slow.

[sb0542]

When I started playing I made the mistake of getting a weighted club that was probably too heavy for me. I was 16 and weighed 150lbs but hit the ball up to 275 so I decided to get a 40 oz momentus and the 11.5lb counterbalanced club. Consequently I think I introduced a lot of lateral motion into my swing because I was trying so hard to move the club. I won't say that it didn't help my club head speed and distance, by 17 I was driving it 300+ several times per round but I had very little control on my swing. I was hit or miss day to day and even swing to swing. I dialed back the aggressiveness in my game and began to focus more on my irons and wedges and improved my swing and handicap dramatically while not losing much distance or consistency. In a recent endevour to try to simplify my swing further and better my ballstriking I found that by focusing on my shoulders I could create more speed with less effort and greater impact consistency. I wouldn't say I tried to increase my shoulder turn, but I tried to make sure I turned my shoulders fully and then unwind them faster to my finish position. I have not seen on video what this has truly changed in my swing, but I have taken my emphasis away from unwinding my lower body and timing my upper body to that and it has worked out nicely. I still have to remind myself sometimes that even though I feel I am not creating enough power that I am generating more. There really is no substitute for total body strength and flexibility, and while a weighted club or the like may build your golf specific muscles you run the risk of ruinning your swing. J.A.T.

[larrybud]

I hit just as long as my friends but my swing speed is a lot slower... so I'm wondering how I can increase my swing speed..

 

I'd love for you to explain the physics in this statement... Where exactly does the extra energy come from in obtaining the same ball distance if your swing speed is a lot slower (barring any mishits)?

[ezra76]

Swing harder. ;) Sorry, had to say it.

 

I get more speed when I loosen my grip up, widen my stance a bit, adress the ball off the toe (move back off it), take a slow and very wide backswing, hit the slot and clear so hard my feet come off the ground. I wouldn't use it on the course but I can fly it 10yds. longer at the range like this. lol Providing my vertebraes stay intact. My buddy can outdrive me by a little on the course, he's got better fundamental swing. He can't ramp it up as much I can to all out though. I can hit it longer all out. I think he can just control his 95% swing while I can only handle my 85-90% swing and expect to hit the center of the face most of the time.

[hoganfan924]

Swing harder. ;) Sorry, had to say it.

 

Ezra,

 

It's not as smart a** an answer as it sounds. A lot of players that work on their mechanics get caught up in how their swings look and end up with very little power. Bowlers call it throwing a "beauty ball." It's a bad trap to fall into. One of the 2 "tips" I remember from reading Nicklaus' book when I was 12 years old is that when teaching a kid how to play, encourage him to "whale it," because it's easier to teach a kid that can hit it far how to control it, but much harder to teach a kid with good control but poor distance how to hit it further. Nicklaus was right on with that.

[rok78]

Swing harder. ;) Sorry, had to say it.

 

Ezra,

 

It's not as smart a** an answer as it sounds. A lot of players that work on their mechanics get caught up in how their swings look and end up with very little power. Bowlers call it throwing a "beauty ball." It's a bad trap to fall into. One of the 2 "tips" I remember from reading Nicklaus' book when I was 12 years old is that when teaching a kid how to play, encourage him to "whale it," because it's easier to teach a kid that can hit it far how to control it, but much harder to teach a kid with good control but poor distance how to hit it further. Nicklaus was right on with that.

 

Taking time out to go after a ball is good advice. Thinking of it as "running sprints" with your driver. You run sprints as one way to get faster, you have to swing fast to go faster. Think about ways to train your body for speed, not strength and you'll be on your way.

[willamette]

Swing harder. :russian_roulette: Sorry, had to say it.

 

Ezra,

 

It's not as smart a** an answer as it sounds. A lot of players that work on their mechanics get caught up in how their swings look and end up with very little power. Bowlers call it throwing a "beauty ball." It's a bad trap to fall into. One of the 2 "tips" I remember from reading Nicklaus' book when I was 12 years old is that when teaching a kid how to play, encourage him to "whale it," because it's easier to teach a kid that can hit it far how to control it, but much harder to teach a kid with good control but poor distance how to hit it further. Nicklaus was right on with that.

 

(Taking time out to go after a ball is good advice. Thinking of it as "running sprints" with your driver. You run sprints as one way to get faster, you have to swing fast to go faster. Think about ways to train your body for speed, not strength and you'll be on your way.

 

I agree completely. I've been hitting the ball very consistently lately (broke par for the 2nd time yesterday), but it seems like I have lost about 5 yards on irons and 10 on my driver. I'm above-average long right now anyways (265 with driver on center hits, 165 with 7-iron), but man it was hurting the ego (ego in golf = ;)). Today at the range I could really see my driver coming up short (and I usually don't practice with my driver much)...so I hit about 30 balls with my Big Dog just trying to stay as loose and flexible as possible, keeping the good fundamentals I've been working on, but really letting it rip through impact. Within 15 or so shots I seemed to have my distance back, with no loss in accuracy (actually more accurate if anything). Then I picked up a few irons and sure enough those 5 yards were back. So I would say that learning to hit the ball consistently with a 90% swing, rather than an 80% swing, is one way to pick up distance. It's very possible if you stay loose and (especially at the range) concentrate on fundamentals.

 

Saw playing lessons with the pros yesterday - Paul Casey made a very good comment that, if he were teaching a young golfer, he would spend the first few years teaching him/her to HIT IT LONG, and then work LATER on straightening him/her out. Why? Since 7500+ yards courses are becoming regular these days, and will only continue to be.

[scores]

Start by never taking a cart!!! Always walk and you will increase your leg strength... Hopping in a cart is just crazy!! if you are trying to increase your swing speed.

[willamette]

I hit just as long as my friends but my swing speed is a lot slower... so I'm wondering how I can increase my swing speed..

 

I'd love for you to explain the physics in this statement... Where exactly does the extra energy come from in obtaining the same ball distance if your swing speed is a lot slower (barring any mishits)?

 

Probably the most simple explanation is trajectory....the wrong head loft/shaft combo will screw you. Case in point, I went to test out new drivers at a really nice range with a radar launch and trajectory monitor. With a swing speed within 3 mph on each stroke, the difference in center-hit ball distances with the worst driver v. the best driver (for me, that is) I hit was 15 yards.

[pocketfulladoubles]

I hit just as long as my friends but my swing speed is a lot slower... so I'm wondering how I can increase my swing speed..

 

I'd love for you to explain the physics in this statement... Where exactly does the extra energy come from in obtaining the same ball distance if your swing speed is a lot slower (barring any mishits)?

 

 

 

This has nothing to do with conservation of energy or momentum between the elastic collision of the head and ball. The flight parameters are mostly dependant on spin and launch angle.