In my previous post I discussed three ways to increase club head speed. One of those methods was through swing mechanics. Within this category there are different methods to increase club head speed through mechanical changes. One of these strategies is through swing modifications for maximizing speed and power production. This is evident when watching long drive professionals such as Kyle Berkshire in the video to the left. While they do need to hit the ball in the grid, speed and distance are the primary goals and their swings are designed to achieve this. There are numerous power elements in the swing such as his trigger move to initiate the swing, his fast tempo, the lifting of the lead heel and long backswing, high hands at the top of the backswing and significant ground reaction forces seen with the lead foot coming off the ground in the downswing. These power elements are often done to the extreme among long drive professionals. Elements of this can be seen from longer hitters on the PGA tour as well, often times just to a lesser degree. Examples of this can be seen in PGA tour swings such as Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy, Jake Knapp, Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson and John Daly. There can be a lot of potential speed gains experimenting with adding some of these speed elements into your swing.
Swing efficiency
From a mechanical perspective you can also increase your club head speed through improved swing sequencing and efficiency. What is meant my these terms? Dr. Greg Rose of the Titleist Performance Institute defines as swing efficiency as a swing that is repeatable, you have control of where the ball is going and you can maximize power with the least amount of effort. Swing sequencing plays a role in creating an efficient swing. The kinematic sequence refers to how you transfer speed and energy throughout the golf swing. For example, in the downswing the swing sequence should start from the ground up with the lower body initiating the swing, following by the torso, then the arms and finally the club. This is an area professional golfers are typically excellent at in comparison to amateurs. They are able to effectively load and transfer energy throughout their body and deliver it at the right time to the ball at impact. This is part of the reason golfers such as Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Min Woo Lee and Justin Thomas can produce significant speed despite being smaller in stature. This is an area I see many amateur golfers struggle with. They may possess the physical horsepower to produce more speed, but they can't effectively express that in the golf swing either due to mechanical issues, physical limitations and many cases both. There are often speed leaks in the swing that don't allow them to truly maximize the speed potential they already have.
For example, swaying in the backswing is a swing characteristic that effect proper loading, swing sequencing and speed. In the video below Eddie Fernandes gives an example of how to properly load the trail leg which and create a more loaded backswing. This energy can then be released in the downswing and likely result in more club head speed.
Making improvements in swing efficiency leads to speed gains that often times feel easy or hard to believe, because you are swinging faster with the same level of effort, which is a really good feeling. I was able to experience this when working on my ground reaction force timing. Through a few subtle changes I was able to get my ground reaction forces to peak earlier at the appropriate time in the swing, which resulted in an increase of 4 mph club head speed.
So which is the right approach to increase your club head speed?
This post gave examples of how to improve club head speed through swing mechanics. I think improving club head speed through improved swing efficiency and sequencing is a no brainer with very little risk of adversely affecting your swing or your body. I also think addressing any low hanging fruit in these area would be a good strategy before attacking the other speed training products such as SuperSpeed Golf or the Stack as it will probably make these more effective when you do try them. Sometimes some sequencing issues and movement patterns with improve when training with these products, but this is not a given and sometimes it reinforces them. I would closely monitor this to make sure it's not the case. I also think improving speed through better movement, sequencing and efficiency is also a safe approach for staying healthy and having longevity in the game.
In regards to the other power elements you can add to the swing I think it depends on the level you are playing at and how much speed you want/need to add. I enjoy pursuing as much speed as possible and will experiment with adding those in to see how fast I can get. However, maximizing each of those out for speed can have a negative affect on accuracy and control especially when playing on the course. Working alongside a swing coach to determine which of those elements and to what extent would be beneficial and highly recommended.
Interested in learning more about this topic? I will be hosting "Fast" Eddie Fernandes and Dr. Joe LaCaze for a speed and longevity workshop September 28th and 29th. They will be teaching on how to swing faster through improved swing efficiency. Eddie is a great example of this as he can achieve club head speeds over 50 mph and ball speeds over 220 mph while making it look pretty effortless. He will be coaching participants on the swing elements that allow him to still produce these speeds at age 53 while being injury and pain free throughout his career.
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