How to add extra swing speed

[priceunderpar]

I was playing a pretty good round recently, 3 over through 15 before coming to a short 298 yard par 4. With only 230 to carry the trouble I decided to get as close to the green as possible. I hit a solid drive that didn't clear the drink, triple bogied the hole and limped in to shoot 81. Since this incident I've been determined to hit the ball further. I have been working with a swing speed radar to try to get my swing speed up, but I'm toping out at around 103-104mph.

Here's a description of my swing.
-I start my swing with my upper body allowing my shoulder turn to pull my hips. Lower body pretty stable.
-I set my wrists at about waist high and continue turning (shoulder turn measured at 95*) the club is about parallel.
-I start my downswing with a small bump weight shift and turn my belt buckle back to center which pulls my hands down to about shoulder high, wrists still set.
-From here I continue to turn my hips as fast as possible though impact while keeping my head behind the ball.

Anything I'm doing to slow my swing or not doing that could add some mphs? For example-I try to keep my arms and hands passive, should I be trying to hit or add speed with them?

 

[Kevin Shields]

Id start the swing more with your feet and less with you upper body, for one.

 

[Brian Manzella]

Adding Speed.

Getting in the best possible physical condition has got to help.

Get clubfit on a TrackMan with a fitter that know what they are doing.


But here are my technique top 10 for adding speed....


Brian Manzella's Top 10 Ways to Hit The Ball Farther

1. Allow your right elbow to get as far from your right ear as possible.

2. Get the weight OFF of your left foot early in the backswing.

3. Stronger left hand grip, near matching right hand.

4. Right foot pulled back for a so-called "Closed Stance."

5. Dive into your left leg at pivot start down. You will get lower.

6. While you do #5, have the shaft and your hands get as close to your body as possible.

7. Learn to time the PUSH with your right arm when the shaft is parallel to the ground, using #8 to help you do this.

8. Spring out of the ground from the dive.

9. Try to get your left shoulder as far from the ball as you can at impact.

10. Keep the butt of the club LOW as you can, and as close to your waist as you can through the ball.

Basically, this:
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[priceunderpar]

Kevin,

I am trying to create resistance and coil with my shoulder turn by allowing my shoulder turn to pull my hips. I feel more wound up and powerful when I do it. Is this the wrong technique if I am trying to add distance?

Brian,

I am about 6' 185 and work out with weights and run several times per week. I'm pretty strong in the gym, but it hasn't translated to the course, so I figure there's something lacking in my swing. Can you give me a swing thought or explain how to add # 7 right arm push without flipping?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[LiftOff]

1. Allow your right elbow to get as far from your right ear as possible.

At the finish??

Thanks, Cliff

 

[tongzilla]

Brian's top 10 assumes:

1. You don't flip
2. You hit it reasonably straight.

 

[tobell]

Great list:

I especially like how dynamic your 9/10 make impact!

 

[tobell]

Brian's speed List

Great list:

I especially like how dynamic your 9/10 make impact!

 

[Brian Manzella]

Yeah Baby!

At the finish??

No, at the top.

Brian's top 10 assumes:

1. You don't flip
2. You hit it reasonably straight.

It assumes even more than that.

Great list:

I especially like how dynamic your 9/10 make impact!

If you can do it, it WILL go farther.

 

[burners]

Question

When do you tell the student to swing HARDER?

Young JD was not one to laze through it--have never seen him off balance either.

 

[thefuture37]

why was my post deleted? is on course strategy not something that is discussed here? if this guy is 6' 185lbs and strong, and can't carry driver 230, his swing is seriously flawed way beyond trying to add things to try to hit the ball further.

 

[Brian Manzella]

why was my post deleted? is on course strategy not something that is discussed here? if this guy is 6' 185lbs and strong, and can't carry driver 230, his swing is seriously flawed way beyond trying to add things to try to hit the ball further.

Your post was deleted because it was, to me, very off topic.

 

[Robbohank]

Brian,

Is #1 simply a way to ensure width or is there another reason? Seems like the tendency could be to get "high" with the elbow. (Not that Jack didn't do ok with it).

 

[Kevin Shields]

Kevin,

I am trying to create resistance and coil with my shoulder turn by allowing my shoulder turn to pull my hips. I feel more wound up and powerful when I do it. Is this the wrong technique if I am trying to add distance?

Brian,

I am about 6' 185 and work out with weights and run several times per week. I'm pretty strong in the gym, but it hasn't translated to the course, so I figure there's something lacking in my swing. Can you give me a swing thought or explain how to add # 7 right arm push without flipping?

Thanks,

Jeff

If its the "X factor" you're trying to go after, it doesnt exist in the backswing. Any resistance or stretch between the upper and lower halves manifests itself in the transition. Allow the stomping on your left foot to bend the shaft in your transition, creating the stretch in the torso that you might like in your backswing. That powerful wound up feel you're experiencing might just be tension. Especially since muscles dont spring back. You're putting yourself in a position where its difficult not to start down with the upper body a little even if you say you bump. Just my thought and good luck!

 

[thefuture37]

Your post was deleted because it was, to me, very off topic.

Ok so a player comes to you and says "I'm having trouble with a 230 yard carry on a very short par 4, how can I carry it?" and you are saying that the first thing you are going to do is give him a list of things that will boost his swing speed? If your goal is to help players lower their scores, this makes ZERO sense. That player can lower there score IMMEDIATELY just by checking their ego at the tee box and laying up. Furthermore, a man that is tall and strong like this guy that can't carry a driver 230 yards has got to have bad contact, so advice on how to swing faster would just compromise his contact even more.

 

[Tom Bartlett]

Since this incident I've been determined to hit the ball further. I have been working with a swing speed radar to try to get my swing speed up, but I'm toping out at around 103-104mph.

Anything I'm doing to slow my swing or not doing that could add some mphs? For example-I try to keep my arms and hands passive, should I be trying to hit or add speed with them?

He knows he can play the hole differently. But, he doesn't want to, he wants to know how to hit it farther.

 

[priceunderpar]

TheFuture,

The design of the hole encourages you to go for the green. The layup area short of the water is thick rough and is sloped toward the water. The fairway left is skinny and requires a 180 yard carry. Bunkers long & left, with the pond right. Clearing the water eliminates all the trouble.I know how to manage my game (I was 3 over through 15). I don't know where my power leak is.

I saw A-Rod playing in a celebrity golf event a few years ago. In an interview he said he could hit his driver maybe 270 yards. He's 6'3 225and mashes baseballs for a living. He's tall, strong, and athletic, but skinny Charles Howell III would eat his lunch in a long drive contest.

 

[puttmad]

....

If its the "X factor" you're trying to go after, it doesnt exist in the backswing. Any resistance or stretch between the upper and lower halves manifests itself in the transition. Allow the stomping on your left foot to bend the shaft in your transition, creating the stretch in the torso that you might like in your backswing. That powerful wound up feel you're experiencing might just be tension. Especially since muscles dont spring back. You're putting yourself in a position where its difficult not to start down with the upper body a little even if you say you bump. Just my thought and good luck!

BTW Kevin, I eventually got around to anwswering your question on this thread.....
http://www.brianmanzella.com/forum/golfing-discussions/11330-blog-another-day-research-3.html

I think it will be relevant to this thread also...

 

[thefuture37]

TheFuture,

The design of the hole encourages you to go for the green. The layup area short of the water is thick rough and is sloped toward the water. The fairway left is skinny and requires a 180 yard carry. Bunkers long & left, with the pond right. Clearing the water eliminates all the trouble.I know how to manage my game (I was 3 over through 15). I don't know where my power leak is.

fair enough

I saw A-Rod playing in a celebrity golf event a few years ago. In an interview he said he could hit his driver maybe 270 yards. He's 6'3 225and mashes baseballs for a living. He's tall, strong, and athletic, but skinny Charles Howell III would eat his lunch in a long drive contest.

Exactly. Rodriguez doesn't hit it far because his swing isn't that good. What I am saying is that you don't need the list of ten things to make you swing faster nearly as much as you just need to fix your swing in general. You should be hitting it further.

 

[TPG]

clubface contact

Next time you are at the driving range, put some contact tape on your driver and make sure your hitting it in the upper-middle part of the face...