This power leakage can cost you thousands of yards off the tee

Almost every recreational golfer would benefit from more speed in their golf swing. When you can hit the ball further, the game becomes much easier.

When following this distance, most golfers will think about what they MUST do to generate more speed. But sometimes, the secret to more distance is simple eliminating the moves that you it should not to be doing that are costing you meters.

In the video below posted by the Titleist Performance Institute, you can see a common mistake golfers make on their downswing that costs them swing speed.

Do not “flush” the speed

If you’ve tried to add some speed to your swing, you’ve probably heard that you need to use the ground. This is called “ground reaction force” and is a big driver of speed in motion.

However, when many recreational players try to push into the ground during the downswing, they are doing so in a way that actually drains energy.

The typical recreational player will squat on the downswing, but they never push up as the club approaches the ball. This, as the coach says in the video above, is “No. 1 power loss” in the golf swing.

If you are going to land, then you should extend your first leg as the clubhead approaches impact. This will ensure you generate more speed and keep you from draining energy during the downswing.

Zephyr Melton

Editor of Golf.com

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the GOLF team, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists with all lessons and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.