Hitting the ball longer has long been a goal of mine. However, it was only recently that I decided to get serious about it.
After years of procrastination, I started pursuing speed in earnest last summer. And to my dismay, that pursuit required something I had long avoided: the gym.
As someone who isn’t exactly the gym type, it was a tough pill to swallow. But after consulting with speed experts from around the gameone thing became clear – if I wanted more speed, I needed more power.
The small beginning
At first I kept it simple. Two nights a week in the gym, learning what to do and how to do it. The work was not glamorous, but it laid an important foundation.
Slowly, my swing speed started to creep up on the radar. The progress was encouraging – but I also knew I could be more efficient. That’s when I connected with PGA Tour coach David Sundberg.
Working with a tour coach
Sundberg works with many Tour players, including Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. If anyone knows how to build golf-specific strength, it’s him.
“Whether you’re a tournament player or a recreational golfer, the principles are the same,” Sundberg told me. “Move well, be strong and the speed will come.”
By the time I started Sundberg’s core strength routine (that you can read more about it here), I would hit a bit of a plateau. But once I started training with more structure and purpose, my speed jumped almost immediately.
From the beginning, his approach was methodical. Before adding more speed-specific work, he wanted to see where my strength levels stood.
“I’d like to see where we are in terms of strength development and what your strength-to-bodyweight ratios look like,” he said. “We want a good amount of strength relative to bodyweight before we go full speed-strength training.”
In other words: earn the right to train for speed.
After seeing those early gains, I asked Sundberg to build me a 90-day offseason plan. Now, about halfway through, the results are still coming in.
Off-season earnings
Many golfers dread the off-season. I’ve always liked it – it usually happens when I make changes on the go. This year, however, the focus shifted. Instead of just dealing with the mechanics, I committed to three (sometimes four) days a week in the gym, with the remaining days reserved for simulator work.
The basic strength plan I followed at the end of last year helped build a foundation. This offseason program has kicked things up a notch. This winter I’ve been in more pain than ever before – the good “functionally sore” kind – and my swing speed continues to increase.
As the program progresses, the emphasis will gradually shift.
“We’re going to start cutting back on the heavier lifting and moving more into speed-strength work,” Sundberg said. “Lighter loads, more explosive aim – but only when the base of force is where we want it.”
The biggest surprise so far, however, hasn’t just been raw speed. It’s consistency. It may not seem difficult, but maintaining solid mechanics during a four-hour round—and even a long simulator session—is demanding. Once fatigue sets in, posture slips, sequencing becomes sluggish, and bad swings ensue.
Although we train primarily for maximal strength, Sundberg explained that endurance benefits are a natural byproduct.
“Even when you’re training for maximal strength, there’s a downstream effect on endurance and overall capacity,” he said. “You are able to do more for longer before you tire.”
This has been one of the most obvious changes I’ve noticed. I can hit more balls without messing up my mechanics. I don’t feel my posture collapse late in the sessions. And when fatigue doesn’t creep in, practice actually remains productive.
“It happens gradually, so you might not notice it at the moment,” Sundberg said. “But if you keep the stance and move the mechanics deeper into the round, that’s a big win.”
And if that translates into holding form on holes 15 through 18, then the real points start to drop. Another reason the gym is becoming a permanent part of my routine.
See below for a recap of the offseason workouts I’ve been doing.
Off-season training program
Weekly structure
- Monday: Lower body
- Wednesday: Upper body
- Friday: Full body
- weekend: Recovery / active mobility
Day 1 – Lower Body (55–65 minutes)
Warming up
- Semi-kneeling hip flexor stretch with stretch – 30 seconds/side
- 90/90 Hip Rotations – 8/side
- Open Book T-Spine Roll – 6/side
- Glute Bridge with Abduction Band – 12 reps
- Side plank – 25–30 sec/side
- Front plank – 30–40 sec
- Wall slide – 10 reps
Plyometrics (Level 2)
- Pogo Jumps – 3×12–15
- Lateral Hops (one leg) – 2×10/side
- Box Jumps (12–18”) – 3×5 (come down after each rep)
Strength
Standing split rear kick
- Week 1: 3×10, 10, max (20 pound dumbbell)
- Week 2: 3×6, 6, max (25 pound dumbbells)
- Week 3: 3×8, 8, max (25 pound dumbbell)
- Week 4: 2×8 (15-pound dumbbells)
The Romanian One Leg Deadlift
- Week 1: 3×10, 10, 12 (16 lb)
- Week 2: 3×6, 6, 8–10 (20 lb)
- Week 3: 3×8, 8, 8–10 (20 lb)
- Week 4: 2×8 (16 lb)
Core circuit
- Mini-Band Lateral Walk – 3×12 steps
- Half Kneeling Press + Hold – 3×8/Side
- Dead Bug with Band Pulldown – 3×8/side
- Single leg balance – 3×6/leg
Day 2 – Upper Body (50-60 minutes)
Warming up
- Wall slide – 10
- Serratus Wall Slides – 10
- External rotations of the belt – 12
- Back Cat-Cow Roll T – 6/Side
Upper body plyometrics
- Plyo Pushups (hands on bench) – 3×5
- Belt Pull-Aparts – 3×8 (between plyo pushup sets)
Rest 45 seconds after each sequence
Strength
Rest 90–120 seconds between sets
DB incline bench press
- Week 1: 3×10, 10, max (20 pound dumbbell)
- Week 2: 3×6, 6, max (25 pound dumbbells)
- Week 3: 3×8, 8, max (25 pound dumbbell)
- Week 4: 2×6 (15-pound dumbbells)
2-Row DB with propensity for arms
- Week 1: 3×10, 10, max (20 pound dumbbell)
- Week 2: 3×6, 6, max (25 pound dumbbells)
- Week 3: 3×8, 8, max (25 pound dumbbell)
- Week 4: 2×6 (15-pound dumbbells)
Accessory work
- Y’s on Bench – 2×12 (plate or dumbbell)
- Face Pulls – 2×12–15
Rest 60 seconds
Core circuit
- Bear crawl – 3×20–30 sec
- Side plank – 3×25–35 sec/side
- Counter-Rolling Press Out – 3×6/Side
Day 3 – Full Body (55–60 minutes)
Warming up
- Wall slide – 10
- Serratus Wall Slides – 10
- 90/90 Hip Rotations – 8/side
- Back Cat-Cow Roll T – 6/Side
- Semi-kneeling hip flexor stretch – 30 seconds/side
- Banded Glute Bridge – 12
- Side plank – 25–30 sec/side
- Front plank – 30–40 sec
- Band withdrawal – 10
Plyometrics
- Pogo Jumps – 3×15 sec
- Vertical Jump (land gently, come back immediately) – 3×4
- Side bond to attach – 3×4/side
