STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE YOUR GOLF POWER

Let’s face it, nearly every golfer wants to add distance to their tee shots, and there is a whole host of marketers who want to sell you the latest driver, the newest training aid, or the newest exercise to help you gain that extra 20 yards you so desire. Here are the best ways to gain extra distance off the tee.

1. Improve your golf swing! I developed my golf fitness website because I noticed the need to debunk some of the information being put out there by so-called golf fitness gurus and even the golf profession overall. You can NOT gain distance off the tee just by lifting weights or doing any “golf-specific” exercises if you have a significantly flawed swing! Sure, you may increase your swing speed, but that will only make the ball curve further off-line!

For instance, if you have the classic over-the-top golf swing that results in a slice, right there you are limiting your ability to hit the ball further. And, learning a new stretch or exercise will NOT solve this problem!

A slice will not go as far as a hook. Learn how to hook the ball by correcting this major swing flaw, and I guarantee you will add yards right away. That is just one example, but the point is to look at ways to improve your golf swing first. Striking the ball more solidly will result in immediate gains in distance!

2. Ok, let’s say you do actually have a decent golf swing, but you want to add some yards. What should you do now? Join a gym with the goal of being able to bench press 300 pounds? No, absolutely not. The best way to increase your distance off the tee, if you have a decent swing already, is to improve your flexibility, especially with your shoulders and your trunk. This will allow you to make a fuller shoulder turn. A fuller shoulder turn will help you to widen the arc of your swing, a key component to hitting it long.

This is especially true with older players. As we watch our golf heroes age, they tend to lose flexibility and their swings get shorter and shorter. Arnold Palmer is a clear example of this. If he had focused a bit more on his fitness and flexibility at a younger age, he could have a longer swing than he has now. We can’t eliminate all of the issues that come with aging, but we can sure hold them off as long as we can.

With that in mind, get yourself on a stretching program. You can learn a few key stretching exercises that you can do from home in 15 to 20 minutes. Stretching should be done every other day. The hamstrings, back and shoulders are what require the most attention.

3. If you’ve significantly improved your flexibility, now you can consider ways to increase the power of your golf swing through strength training. Although I believe in developing a balanced, strength training program which will exercise all of the major body parts, you should evaluate your body and identify the weaknesses first.

First and foremost, the most important muscle group for generating power is your legs. The legs are the foundation for the golf swing, and if they are weak, you will not be able to maximize your power. Now, this does not mean you need to be able to squat 500 pounds! I suggest you learn some classic martial arts stances that are meant to increase strength while improving balance. These can be done in the comfort of your own home with no equipment necessary.

After the legs, probably the next most important muscle group is the upper back and shoulders. I have probably benefited significantly from having strong shoulders as a result of my 10 years as a competitive swimmer when I was a kid. Over the years, I have continued to be sure to maintain strength in these areas. Simple pull ups and a set of dumbbells are all you need to work on these areas. Want to increase their strength and work on some cardio at the same time, a rowing machine might be a good investment.

Finally, work on your core strength as well as your arms. Keep this in mind though, you do not need huge arms to add greater distance, and increasing your core strength will not do much either. However, conditioning these areas is important mainly to help avoid injury.

4. Alright, you’ve got a pretty good golf swing, you’ve increased your flexibility, and improved on the strength of your body. What else is there!? Well, this where some more advanced golf swing techniques come into play.

You can have a picture perfect golf swing, but there is a swing sequence that will allow you to increase your golf swing speed significantly at impact. This technique is what some refer to as “cracking the whip” or “lagging the hands.” If you watch any of the big power hitters on tour, they all have one thing in common….they start the downswing with their lower body BEFORE their backswing is completed. This causes the arms to lag the lower body, causing that whiplash effect that dramatically increases swing speed right at impact.

Many amateur golfers are so concerned with being in the right position at the top of the backswing that they wait too long to get the downswing started with the lower body, and they lose all the stored up power that results from the coiling of the back swing. If you can get this timing down, you will see a dramatic increase in your driving distance.

One other minor flaw in the golf swing of many amateurs is the lack of wrist action in their golf swings. Most are concerned with hitting the ball straight so they try very hard to limit the action in their hands. This actually defeats that purpose and can result in a greater slice, if that is their typical ball flight. What they really need to do is let the natural rotation of the forearms occur at the bottom of the golf swing when impact occurs.

Keep this example in mind. Remember Kirk Gibson’s home run to win the game for the Dodgers in their World Series against the A’s? He had no power in his legs due to bad knees. Yet, just by using his hands, he was able to generate enough bat speed to hit that ball out of the park. Wade Boggs, renowned for being a line drive hitter, was said to be able to hit balls out of the park at will during batting practice since he had such great hands.

Among golfers, Chi Chi Rodriguez is an example of a player with a wristy golf swing that allowed him to hit the ball pretty far for a guy who weighed under 150 pounds.

Learn to incorporate the hands properly in the golf swing, and you will be able to generate substantial power.


Conclusion

The bottom line is that there are a variety of ways to improve the power of your golf swing through golf strength training and fitness. However, you must first improve your golf swing in order to generate more power. If you are able to develop a sound golf swing, the possibilities become endless.

Scott Cole