Speed = Distance

Students often come to see us looking for more distance. Who isn’t, right? From an instructor’s perspective, the real question is, “How can the student generate more club head speed”? The answer comes in three parts. First the student must be evaluated on their set-up. Secondly, the student must use large muscles and ground forces. Lastly, the student must work on flexibility.

The process starts with looking at the golfer’s set-up. Can I get the student taller, or is he or she standing too much over the golf ball? If the student can get his or her hands more away from the golf ball, then they should be able to deliver the club head to the golf ball with more speed.

If the student now has a set-up built for speed, let’s make sure that they are using the right muscles. Are they simply taking the club away with the arms, and not moving the hips? To generate club head speed, the golfer must use their core muscles, and legs. This may actually shorten the swing, stop over-swinging and give the golfer more yards with every club in their bag.

Finally, the golfer must work on their own body. Stretching, and working the core muscles allows for a larger shoulder turn, and building up their legs and abs simply allow the player to get stronger. This will assist the golfer hit it further and reduce the risk of injury.