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
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
More Power Golf Swing Tips
This is a follow up to a recent post discussing the keys to generating more power in your golf swing. In the first installment, I discussed the importance of a good set up with balance. In this post, the focus is on the shoulder turn.
What I have noticed in most average players is the lack of a good shoulder turn. This may be the result of a physical issue, but in most cases, it is due to a swing flaw, such as a reverse pivot. Most golfers that learn the game as adults have difficulty developing a big shoulder turn since they are primarily focused on trying to either just make contact with the ball, or keep it in play. Junior golfers and those that learn the game at an early age rarely have this problem.
However, generating a powerful golf swing requires that full shoulder turn, since when you combine that with a smaller hip turn, you generate significant torque. When this torque is unwound, significant clubhead speed is generated.
If flexibility is your issue in trying to generate a full shoulder turn, I suggest you learn some basic stretching exercises that will help to loosen up your upper body. My ebook, "How to Improve Your Golf Swing Power" provides a number of such exercises along with strength training routines you can perform at home with no equipment.
If you have a swing flaw such as a reverse pivot, you are losing significant power in that regard. Seek a qualified golf instructor to help you deal with that issue.
Scott Cole
www.powergolftraining.net
What I have noticed in most average players is the lack of a good shoulder turn. This may be the result of a physical issue, but in most cases, it is due to a swing flaw, such as a reverse pivot. Most golfers that learn the game as adults have difficulty developing a big shoulder turn since they are primarily focused on trying to either just make contact with the ball, or keep it in play. Junior golfers and those that learn the game at an early age rarely have this problem.
However, generating a powerful golf swing requires that full shoulder turn, since when you combine that with a smaller hip turn, you generate significant torque. When this torque is unwound, significant clubhead speed is generated.
If flexibility is your issue in trying to generate a full shoulder turn, I suggest you learn some basic stretching exercises that will help to loosen up your upper body. My ebook, "How to Improve Your Golf Swing Power" provides a number of such exercises along with strength training routines you can perform at home with no equipment.
If you have a swing flaw such as a reverse pivot, you are losing significant power in that regard. Seek a qualified golf instructor to help you deal with that issue.
Scott Cole
www.powergolftraining.net
Monday, January 26, 2009
Perez wins Hope as Stricker falters
You really got to hate watching a golfer have a meltdown like Steve Stricker did on Sunday. A sure case of a pro getting out of his comfort level with a chance to win a tournament. He's won a few times before, but is clearly not comfortable when he has a chance.
Perez didn't have his A game, but he came through with a clutch shot on 18 when he had the chance to win. I am surprised it took him this long, since he had some good success on the Nationwide Tour. This may be the shot in the arm his career needs.
I continue to be amazed by the fact that most players still have not learned how to go for the jugular on Sunday afternoon the way Tiger does. Padraig Harrington and Anthony Kim seem to be the only other players capable of running away with, or taking a tournament when it is within reach. Yeah, Mickelson can when Tiger is not lurking, and Kenny Perry can when playing in a relatively weak field (The Memorial notwithstanding). Most of the time though, the leader after Saturday falters on Sunday. When will these other players adopt Tiger's attitude of trying to expand the lead?
Just a thought!
Scott Cole
www.powergolftraining.net
Perez didn't have his A game, but he came through with a clutch shot on 18 when he had the chance to win. I am surprised it took him this long, since he had some good success on the Nationwide Tour. This may be the shot in the arm his career needs.
I continue to be amazed by the fact that most players still have not learned how to go for the jugular on Sunday afternoon the way Tiger does. Padraig Harrington and Anthony Kim seem to be the only other players capable of running away with, or taking a tournament when it is within reach. Yeah, Mickelson can when Tiger is not lurking, and Kenny Perry can when playing in a relatively weak field (The Memorial notwithstanding). Most of the time though, the leader after Saturday falters on Sunday. When will these other players adopt Tiger's attitude of trying to expand the lead?
Just a thought!
Scott Cole
www.powergolftraining.net
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Power Golf Training Fitness Tip
I did a little bit of research, as usual, in recent weeks, and came to the realization that there is one muscle group that most golfers do not work on much, but it is definitely a key to achieving distance potential. This group is the lats, the muscles of the upper and middle back. Women in particular tend to have much smaller lat muscles than men.
The reason this muscle group is important is that it is very involved in the winding and unwinding of the golf swing. The stronger these muscles are, the more torque you can put into the golf swing.
The best way to work out these muscles without much in the way of equipment, is the pull up. Unfortunately, pull-ups can be quite difficult, and most people, especially people who are a bit over weight, find it difficult to perform just one repetition. However, by simply using a chair to support some of your weight, you can still do pull-ups and increase your strength.
We do this by setting one foot on the chair. This takes away some of the body weight, which makes it a little easier to do a pull up. Doing our best not to push up with that foot, we pull ourselves up until our chin as even or slightly above the bar. If you lower yourself back down slowly, you will continue to work the muscles.
You can try a variety of grips on the pull up bar. First, try an overlapping grip with the hands shoulder width apart. A more difficult version would be to place the hands outside of shoulder width apart. Or you can also try a very narrow grip, with the hands just a few inches apart. You can also do a chin up, which is done by grabbing the bar so that palms face toward you.
Since the pull up hits the back and arms, and the shoulders to an extent, it is a great exercise for the golfer seeking to add some distance without spending hours in the gym.
Scott Cole
www.powergolftraining.net
The reason this muscle group is important is that it is very involved in the winding and unwinding of the golf swing. The stronger these muscles are, the more torque you can put into the golf swing.
The best way to work out these muscles without much in the way of equipment, is the pull up. Unfortunately, pull-ups can be quite difficult, and most people, especially people who are a bit over weight, find it difficult to perform just one repetition. However, by simply using a chair to support some of your weight, you can still do pull-ups and increase your strength.
We do this by setting one foot on the chair. This takes away some of the body weight, which makes it a little easier to do a pull up. Doing our best not to push up with that foot, we pull ourselves up until our chin as even or slightly above the bar. If you lower yourself back down slowly, you will continue to work the muscles.
You can try a variety of grips on the pull up bar. First, try an overlapping grip with the hands shoulder width apart. A more difficult version would be to place the hands outside of shoulder width apart. Or you can also try a very narrow grip, with the hands just a few inches apart. You can also do a chin up, which is done by grabbing the bar so that palms face toward you.
Since the pull up hits the back and arms, and the shoulders to an extent, it is a great exercise for the golfer seeking to add some distance without spending hours in the gym.
Scott Cole
www.powergolftraining.net
Monday, January 19, 2009
Keys to Hitting it Long!
Over the next few weeks I will be discussing the key components to increasing your distance off the tee. In the first few segments I will discuss the basic swing keys that must be present in your swing to maximize distance. These tips will be followed later by fitness tips, since many golfers may have limitations that make it difficult to maximize distance through golf tips alone.
First and foremost is the set up. I can not emphasize this enough. If you have a poor set up, you are immediately losing yardage potential. You've probably read plenty about the importance of a good set up in other places. Here is how I describe the proper set up for hitting a drive to my students...
1. First, place your feet about shoulders width apart, or slightly wider.
2. Now, if your club is in your hand, lean it on your leg. Let your hands hang down by your sides. Now, bend your legs slightly, and turn them in toward each other very slightly. Your weight should be evenly distributed, or 55-45 favoring the right side.
3. Focus your balance on the point between the two big pads on the bottom of your feet.
4. With your back straight, bend at the waist just a few inches, and keep your chin up a bit, and let your arms hang.
5. Now pick up your club, and retrace the steps described above if you did not have the club leaning on your leg. Once in that position, grip the club as you normally would, and let the arms drop down from that natural position described above, and let the clubhead extend to the ground. Move the clubhead so that it rests in line with your left heel, or up to one inch to the left of your heel.
This stance now should have you in a position where the arms are extended and relaxed. The shoulders will naturally be tilted slightly with the lead shoulder above the rear shoulder, since the lead hand is held higher on the grip. There will also be a few inches between the grip of your club and your body, which allows you room for proper extension on the take away. In fact, for the driver, there should be more than one fist length of space between the top end of the club and your body at the set up, and probably at least 1.5 fist lengths. This space will be narrower for shorter clubs.
Finally, your feet, knees, hips and shoulders should all be parallel to the target line. Now you are in the right position to make a powerful golf swing. Although most amateur golfers do not set up properly to the ball, this is the easiest part of the golf swing to get right!
Scott Cole
www.powergolftraining.net
First and foremost is the set up. I can not emphasize this enough. If you have a poor set up, you are immediately losing yardage potential. You've probably read plenty about the importance of a good set up in other places. Here is how I describe the proper set up for hitting a drive to my students...
1. First, place your feet about shoulders width apart, or slightly wider.
2. Now, if your club is in your hand, lean it on your leg. Let your hands hang down by your sides. Now, bend your legs slightly, and turn them in toward each other very slightly. Your weight should be evenly distributed, or 55-45 favoring the right side.
3. Focus your balance on the point between the two big pads on the bottom of your feet.
4. With your back straight, bend at the waist just a few inches, and keep your chin up a bit, and let your arms hang.
5. Now pick up your club, and retrace the steps described above if you did not have the club leaning on your leg. Once in that position, grip the club as you normally would, and let the arms drop down from that natural position described above, and let the clubhead extend to the ground. Move the clubhead so that it rests in line with your left heel, or up to one inch to the left of your heel.
This stance now should have you in a position where the arms are extended and relaxed. The shoulders will naturally be tilted slightly with the lead shoulder above the rear shoulder, since the lead hand is held higher on the grip. There will also be a few inches between the grip of your club and your body, which allows you room for proper extension on the take away. In fact, for the driver, there should be more than one fist length of space between the top end of the club and your body at the set up, and probably at least 1.5 fist lengths. This space will be narrower for shorter clubs.
Finally, your feet, knees, hips and shoulders should all be parallel to the target line. Now you are in the right position to make a powerful golf swing. Although most amateur golfers do not set up properly to the ball, this is the easiest part of the golf swing to get right!
Scott Cole
www.powergolftraining.net
Saturday, January 17, 2009
To Improve Your Golf Game, Learn Some Kung Fu!
I’ve been a golfer for over 30 years, and a student of Pai Lum Kung Fu for the past eight years, achieving the rank of 1st Degree Blackbelt. Although these are obviously radically different activities, to excel in either one, you must develop similar characteristics. Both golf and Kung Fu are total body activities that also engage the mind.
First we will focus on flexibility. The more flexible you are, the more potential your golf swing will have, as you will be able to generate a longer golf swing with a wider arc, one of the major keys to increased power. Obviously, flexibility is very important to the martial artist. Again, the greater the flexibility in your technique, the greater the range of motion you may have, and thus, the greater potential for power. Also, greater flexibility helps prevent injury.
Next is strength. In both golf and the martial arts, you do NOT need to be super strong to have significant power. Huge muscles typically are not important to either activity. However, a decent amount of strength is clearly important. Traditional martial artists tend to work out the body in more traditional ways, without the use of heavy weights. This results in a lean and hard body, rather than a big and bulky body. A less bulky body allows the martial artist to maintain greater flexibility. This is also important to the golfer. We don’t often see 250 pound linebackers who have a good golf game, but it is not uncommon to see a quarterback play golf well, not to mention a hockey player.
It is also important for the golfer and martial artist to be strong mentally. When in a fight, the martial artist must maintain his cool and composure at all times. By doing so, he will make few mistakes that his opponent may capitalize upon.
I am reminded of the early days of the UFC when Royce Gracie dominated that sport. He was often matched against opponents much larger than he (he usually weighed in at about 170 pounds). Typically, he would wait until his opponent would charge in and try to kick him to the head or body. This type of technique often results in less balance for a martial artist and Gracie would capitalize on this by moving in quickly to take his opponent down, then work into a position where he could choke out his opponent, or put him in a joint lock, forcing a tap out or a broken limb.
There is no other sport that requires you to be more mentally tough than in golf. That is why Tiger Woods is the best. He is simply much stronger mentally than any of his competitors, and that is why he often wins even when he is off his game.
In Kung Fu, we generate power by maintaining proper balance and being rooted to the ground. In the movies, you will see fighters leaving the ground and performing those fancy, jumping, spinning kicks. But, once you leave the ground, you lose power. If you watch any of the old Bruce Lee movies, you did not often see him leaving the ground when he finished off a kick or a punch. Occasionally, but not often.
In golf, the best players will keep their balance. This is the most important factor to having a powerful golf swing and consistent ball striking ability. That is why even when they swing hard, they maintain good balance.
Finally, both activities require you to remain relaxed to perform at the best of your ability. If there is any excess tension, you lose power, flexibility and touch. That is why breathing and relaxation techniques play a crucial role in the mastery of both.
So, if you have the opportunity, go learn a little Kung Fu! I guarantee it will help your golf game!
Scott Cole
www.powergolftraining.net
First we will focus on flexibility. The more flexible you are, the more potential your golf swing will have, as you will be able to generate a longer golf swing with a wider arc, one of the major keys to increased power. Obviously, flexibility is very important to the martial artist. Again, the greater the flexibility in your technique, the greater the range of motion you may have, and thus, the greater potential for power. Also, greater flexibility helps prevent injury.
Next is strength. In both golf and the martial arts, you do NOT need to be super strong to have significant power. Huge muscles typically are not important to either activity. However, a decent amount of strength is clearly important. Traditional martial artists tend to work out the body in more traditional ways, without the use of heavy weights. This results in a lean and hard body, rather than a big and bulky body. A less bulky body allows the martial artist to maintain greater flexibility. This is also important to the golfer. We don’t often see 250 pound linebackers who have a good golf game, but it is not uncommon to see a quarterback play golf well, not to mention a hockey player.
It is also important for the golfer and martial artist to be strong mentally. When in a fight, the martial artist must maintain his cool and composure at all times. By doing so, he will make few mistakes that his opponent may capitalize upon.
I am reminded of the early days of the UFC when Royce Gracie dominated that sport. He was often matched against opponents much larger than he (he usually weighed in at about 170 pounds). Typically, he would wait until his opponent would charge in and try to kick him to the head or body. This type of technique often results in less balance for a martial artist and Gracie would capitalize on this by moving in quickly to take his opponent down, then work into a position where he could choke out his opponent, or put him in a joint lock, forcing a tap out or a broken limb.
There is no other sport that requires you to be more mentally tough than in golf. That is why Tiger Woods is the best. He is simply much stronger mentally than any of his competitors, and that is why he often wins even when he is off his game.
In Kung Fu, we generate power by maintaining proper balance and being rooted to the ground. In the movies, you will see fighters leaving the ground and performing those fancy, jumping, spinning kicks. But, once you leave the ground, you lose power. If you watch any of the old Bruce Lee movies, you did not often see him leaving the ground when he finished off a kick or a punch. Occasionally, but not often.
In golf, the best players will keep their balance. This is the most important factor to having a powerful golf swing and consistent ball striking ability. That is why even when they swing hard, they maintain good balance.
Finally, both activities require you to remain relaxed to perform at the best of your ability. If there is any excess tension, you lose power, flexibility and touch. That is why breathing and relaxation techniques play a crucial role in the mastery of both.
So, if you have the opportunity, go learn a little Kung Fu! I guarantee it will help your golf game!
Scott Cole
www.powergolftraining.net
Monday, January 12, 2009
Ogilvy Back On Form as PGA Season Begins
Geoff Ogilvy showed the world he is back on top of his game and ready to be among the challengers when Tiger Woods returns to the tour in a couple months. Ogilvy has a solid all around game as demonstrated by his U.S. Open victory a couple years ago. He also has a classic, effortless golf swing, and can be described as sneaky long. For the tall golfer, Ogilvy has a great swing to emulate. He has great balance and flexibility, which translates into a nice full back swing and strong follow through. However, he always seems to swing within himself and under control. This week, these characteristics translated into 75% of fairways hit and 86% greens in regulation. He was tied for third in putting this week, and that is how you win a golf tournament!
Scott Cole
www.powergolftraining.net
Scott Cole
www.powergolftraining.net
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