Train yourself to gain speed (and hit harder!) by doing this

Welcome to Play Smarta regular GOLF.com game improvement column that will help you become a smarter and better golfer.

Ah, club speed. It’s something we talk about a lot in this column – and something every golfer wants more of.

Not only does speed help to impress your playing partners, it also makes the game easier. With more speed comes greater distance and shorter clubs on the green. And with shorter clubs on the greens come more birdies. It is a simple formula, but not always easy to put into practice.

When we talk about increasing speed, it’s usually in the context of conditioning, whether speed training or in the gym. However, there is a way to add more speed simply by making our swings more efficient – and it comes in the form of proper swing order.

Increase your speed with stretching sticks

You’ve probably heard the term sequence before, but if you don’t know the exact meaning, here’s a refresher. Sequence is essentially the order in which each component of your body moves during the swing and is essential to hitting the ball hard.

If you’ve ever seen a nice swinger like Fred Couples or Ernie Els look like they’re not even trying while producing massive hits, this is the right sequence in action. When you can get everything moving in the right sequence, you can create a lot of cool power.

The tricky thing with sequencing is that each component must move at a different speed. The distance your hips travel is different than your shoulders and your shoulders are different than your arms. This means that everyone has to work at different rates to release all their power at impact.

like GOLF Top 100 Teachers Jonathan Yarwood explains in the video above, you want your hips to unload faster than your arms during the landing. However, with a little work, you can easily correct the problem.

“A lot of people, their hips work too slowly or work out of sync,” says Yarwood. “This stretch stick is a really good thing if you use it right.”

Take a stretch stick and pass it through the belt loop across your hips, and then take another one and place it on the ground a few steps in front of your main hips and a few steps behind you. Take a few practice swings and notice when the two extension sticks come into contact.

“Now I can feel when I’m dropping my hips,” says Yarwood.

For proper alignment, you want your hips to be about 45 degrees open at the kick. At the same time, you want your ribcage to be only about 30 degrees open. This means you need your hips to release a little faster than your upper body during the landing.

Take a few swings and notice when you hear the click between the two extension rods. The goal should be for them to make contact before you make contact with the ball.

“It’s about getting your hips to rotate and pop at the right time,” says Yarwood. “This will create more torque, increase your vertical force with your driver, in your angle of attack. It does a multitude of things.”

Add it all together and you’ll be hitting the ball longer – and harder – in no time.

Zephyr Melton

Editor of Golf.com

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Before 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.