How do you increase your club head speed with a driver?

Club head speed is primarily determined by four factors, which we will discuss in more detail below.

Factor 1: Flexibility

Anyone who has watched longdrive professionals will have noticed that they can move completely differently than you. Even if you don’t have any ambitions as a longdriver, it has to be said that a certain flexibility is very important. This is mainly due to the fact that we can produce more speed the longer the track is. I’m sure everyone remembers this from the distance jumping: when doing the long jump, you don’t jump from a standing position, but choose a sufficiently long run-up. It is similar with the golf swing. The longer the distance the club head has to cover, the more speed can be generated.

To increase flexibility, we recommend resources such as the Titleist Performance Institute.

Factor 2: Power

There is one thing you should learn realize: Power transfer in the golf swing works from the bottom up. The more power you can generate through ground contact, the better. All players with high club head speed can do so. They manage to use their legs effectively and thus optimise hip rotation. When you see players whose left foot leaves the ground, it is just a sign that the power transfer is too high to keep the foot on the ground. Powerful players like Kyle Berkshire jump backwards with their left leg by what feels like half a metre. That is exactly where the energy moves in the swing.

So the most efficient way to build strength is in these areas, which is why squats and deadlifts are two of the most important exercises. Not only for stability in the golf swing, but also for maximum club head speed.

You should therefore start with deadlifts and/or squats for maximum strength (that is weights with 1-3 repititions only. Ideally with a trainer who will teach you exactly the correct sequence of movements. Otherwise you risk injury. And these two exercises are not for everyone. Have a check-up beforehand to see if you are allowed to lift or squat heavy weights. Regardless, these are the two most efficient exercises and, so to speak, the foundation for a powerful golf swing.

Factor 3: Optimisation of the movement sequence

Now we come to a point that is unfortunately the most difficult to train. Because not all of us are blessed with a Rory McIlroy swing. Most golfers started late in the sport and work correspondingly stiff to make changes. Still, it is critical for maximum club head speeds. This is because you can only really generate the maximum amount of energy by sequencing your movements optimally.

However, this is a point best discussed with your coach. A good coach can tell you what is wrong and in which area of the golf swing you are standing in your own way to achieve high club head speeds.

Factor 4: Neuromuscular speed training

This is the real focus of SwingSpeed.eu: how do I teach my nervous system and muscles to move faster? With the help of TheStack and the accompanying app, it is possible to train this area particularly efficiently and individually.

You have to imagine like this: our nervous system and our muscles don’t know how fast they can move – until you show them. That’s why with TheStack we train with different weights and challenge our body. It learns to accelerate certain movements.

You can read more about how speed training with TheStack works here.

Which factor is the most important?

This question is difficult to answer and depends very much on the individual player. Not every player is the same and has the same prerequisites. On the contrary. Some players have very good coordination but are not particularly strong. These players benefit most from the right strength training.

Conversely, there are very strong players whose coordination is far from ideal and whose nervous system is not trained for fast movements. These players benefit most from speed training with TheStack.

Overall, training with TheStack is most efficient because it can train both the coordination, i.e. the optimisation of the movement sequences, and the neuromuscular system. Ideally, it is implemented in combination with strength training, such as deadlifts.