| |
| |
|
Golf Information |
|
|
|
How to Develop More Power in Your Golf Swing
How can you develop more power in your golf swing? This is probably a question that all of us want an answer to. Most of us go to great lengths to do whatever it takes to get that "power" into our drives off the tee. I think we probably all have some ideas of where 300-yard drives come from, but I want to give you the answers without any "fluff." Golf swing power is the result of three specific factors. Two out of the three are much more important, but the third does have a bearing on the outcome of how far you hit that ball. The first and probably most evident of the three is your swing mechanics. I bet you are not surprised by this one. The second one is probably the least recognized of the three, but for many is the "key" to longer drives and the category that is given the least amount of attention. Number two is what we term golf strength. This is defined as how well your body is conditioned (i.e. fitness) to swing a golf club with maximum power. Probably the least understood of the three, and maybe the most needed by golfers in general. We will talk more about this later. Let us move on to number three in regards to power for your drives. Number three is your equipment. Yes, equipment does make a difference in how far you drive the ball. The equipment manufacturers have let this fact be known, and I bet we all have gone to the pro shop probably more than twice to pick up a new driver that claims to give us another 20 yards on every drive. That extra 20 yards might not be down the middle of the fairway, but it will give you an extra 20 yards? could be left, could be right, or could be in the center of the fairway. That all depends on points one and two of this article. Equipment and technological advances have definitely lengthened the distance of our drives. But without better swing mechanics and your body in better golf shape, new technology will not help your game. A bad swing will produce a bad result, regardless of what type of "new" driver you may have just purchased. Swing Mechanics I think all of us are aware of how important the mechanics of a swing are when it comes to driving the ball down the fairway. It is essential, if you are over the top with your swing or come inside too much, you'll see that dreaded slice or snap hook. The drives will be short, too low, too high, left, right, or a combination of these if you are putting bad swings on the ball. It is essential for a golfer to work on the mechanics of their swing, week in and week out, to improve their game. If it weren't important why would all these tour players have swing coaches that work with them on a consistent basis? The golf swing is such a finite, mechanically complex movement, that requires constant work to keep it highly efficient and in check. One of the most common mistakes I see amateurs make is probably a lack of instruction. I see amateurs over and over at the driving ranges, week in and week out, pounding balls without any improvement. This, I feel, is a result of one of two things: 1) a lack of instruction or 2) low levels of golf strength. A lack of instruction leads to the development and ingraining of improper swing mechanics. This only results in slices, hooks, topping the ball, and hitting it fat on the course. And we all know that those types of swings lead to frustration and bad rounds of golf. I would suggest to most anyone to find a good instructor and take lessons on a consistent basis. This can only help your game in the long run. Now moving on the second point of how to achieve powerful drives and that is golf strength. Golf Strength (Golf Fitness) Golf strength is a term we use to describe the golf fitness level of an individual pertaining to swinging a club. This is much different than how much you can bench press or squat, which I like to refer to as "weight room strength." Understand that these two terms, golf strength and weight room strength, are very different. If you do not quite understand the difference, ask yourself one question: How many bodybuilders do you see teeing it up on Tour? The answer to that question is quite obvious, none! It comes down to this idea: the mechanics of a golf swing require specific levels of flexibility, balance, stability, strength, endurance, and power to perform it efficiently. If your body does not have the required capacities of the aforementioned list, then the result will be? Anyone want to guess? Well, let me give you the answer: a less than optimal and less efficient swing than possible. Essentially, your body supports your swing much like a foundation supports the house you build upon it. I am sure that all of you would choose to build a house on a stone foundation rather than a sand foundation, wouldn't you? I will say that many of you make a different choice when it comes to your golf swing. I quite often see amateurs developing their swing on a "foundation of sand," not a good thing to do in my book. Regardless of how much time you work on your swing mechanics, if your body does not have the "golf strength" to support your swing, you are limiting your potential. I have seen it numerous times, people practicing at the range who struggle, not because of trying to get better, but because their bodies are limiting what they can do with their swing. Quite often I see people with limited flexibility, poor balance capabilities, and low levels of strength and power. The bottom line is that your mechanics will not get better until you fix the body that swings the club! Up to this point we have discussed the two most important ideas when it comes to power on the golf course. A review of the topics tells us that they are optimal swing mechanics and the proper levels of "golf strength" in the body. One without the other is going to leave you short when it comes to your potential in the game. Again, I probably see point number two, golf strength, being addressed less often than swing mechanics when you get right down to it. The pros are all aware of the importance of golf strength, why not you? Equipment We have come to the final point, and that is equipment. I think the majority of golfers are aware of the technological advances that have occurred in golf equipment over the last 20 years. I mean, think about the '80's when we were still playing with woods that actually had wood club heads! Imagine that for a moment, and now we are using drivers with space age faces that shoot the ball off of them at warp speed. In addition, we have to mention the advances in terms of golf balls. How manufacturers design golf balls today makes a difference in how far they travel. What a lot of people do not realize is that the USGA has set standards on how "hot" driver faces can be and how "fast" balls can come off the face of drivers. Most clubs are reaching this limit, and anything past these USGA rules becomes illegal to play. So what does that tell us? 1) Club manufacturers have done a great, and I mean great, job in the advancement of technology, and 2) to increase the distance on your drives you are now going to have to turn to points one and two of this article. So what does improving your power really come down to? It comes down to three simple ideas. Number one is improving your golf swing mechanics. Improved mechanics will improve your driving distance. Number two is improving your golf strength. By improving your body as it pertains to the golf swing you will improve your distance off the tee. Finally, equipment does make a difference, if you hit the ball correctly. Best of luck with your game, and if you need additional information stop by our web site www.bioforcegolf.com Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on the website http://www.bioforcegolf.com. Check out his manual and DVD, Your Body & Your Swing, on BioForceGolf.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Golfing Greats - Arnold Palmer Arnold Palmer, General of Arnie's Army, was speaking of golf, but he could have been describing his own life when he said, "Success in golf depends less on strength of body than upon strength of mind and character." His sense of fairness, kindness toward everyone, and dry sense of humor have made him one of the most popular golfers to ever play the game. Golf Course History - You Could Play On The Worlds Oldest Golf Course The oldest golf course in the world.. Three Secrets of A Consistent Golf Stroke What you are about to read.. Essential Information on Choosing the Best Golf Clubs to Suit Your Game Most golfers, whether a beginner or a pro, struggle when trying to decide which golf club to buy. The buying process becomes easier when the consumer has a good understanding of the types of golf clubs available and their specific use. Resort Golf Can Vastly Improve Your Game There is more to a golf vacation than spending your day on the golf course and driving range. The golf course may be the main attraction for various golf resorts around the country, however many also offer fitness centers, spas, and healthy cuisine. How to Unleash Your True Golf Potential - Part 2 In (Part 1) of this article I discussed how muscle imbalance can often keep a golfer from achieving his or her true playing potential. Even though these imbalances are quite common they often go untreated due to the fact that the golfer is focusing on the symptom and not the cause. Using A Golf Fitness Video Will Save Time And Improve Your Game Using a golf fitness video is a great alternative to going to a gym. Just think of the time you're saving not worrying about what you where or how you look; or driving 20 to 30 minutes to your local gym; and then showering, changing and getting back home. Golf Vacation Schools - Choose the Perfect Golf School Vacation for Your Game Golf Schools, like golfers, come in all shapes and sizes. Don't make the mistake of attending any golf vacation school. The Most Useful Driver Golf Swing Tip A very important driver golf swing tip to constantly bear in mind whenever you are playing this wonderful game of golf, is that a huge percentage of the results and your score, depends on your earlier preparation and conditioning of the body.These days, what you are able to do while already on the course and in a game is pitiful little and performance and results lean rather heavily on the work you have put in prior to entering the course for your game. My Golf Buddies Belly Laugh Watching My Stiff and Choppy Golf Swing - How Can I Fix It? We would all like to have a fluid, beautiful swing like Adam Scott, power off the tee like Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, and the ability to repeat that swing round after round, day after day.But what is holding back most amateurs from that silky smooth and powerful swing?Most likely, it's your hamstrings and your low back. What You Should Know About Plyometrics And How It Will Help You Get Longer Drives One of the main problems for golfers is power. Yep, good old power. Basics Of Golf Swing Instruction - Go With Exercises Golf swing instruction starts with an understanding of the different segments of the golf swing. Understanding the golf swing segments will give anybody a firm foundation to learn all the tricks of the trade from others and thus be able to understand any golf swing instruction aimed at helping them improve their game. How To Create Better Shoulder Stability For Golf Shoulder stability is essential to packing a powerful golf swing. Without stability, flexibility and strength in your shoulders your swing is not going to be as efficient or effective as it could be. Periodization Training For Golf The idea of periodization has been around a very long time for athletes at all levels. The concept is simple. Understanding The Rotary Nature Of A Golf Swing A careful and close study of the golf swing will reveal that it is mainly a rotary golf swing movement.This is the reason why the most effective golf swing exercises are rotary in nature. Are You Having Trouble Sustaining Energy On The Back Nine? Loss of stamina and endurance toward the end of an eighteen-hole round of golf happens to many golfers and can often be attributed to poor nutrition. To keep up the pace and go the distance, there is no substitute for good nutrition. How A Golf Workout Routine Can Crush Your Competitors A golf workout routine can be as simple as using a pair of hand weights (dumbbells), and doing 5-6 golf-specific exercises in less than 15 minutes. Now I know you have 15 minutes to dramatically improve your game and crush your playing partners and competitors. History of Golf- How it all Started Since before the time Mary Queen of Scots was disciplined for playing golf two Sundays after the murder of her husband Lord Dernley in 1567. Golf is known to have been played at St. A Golfing Tip For Better Control Of Your Body A good golfing tip to help you improve your control will have a tremendous impact towards improving your golf game.Playing good golf consistently requires good control over both the mind and the body. Improve Your Golf Game Using the Unlimited Power of Your Imagination Today, it seems, that many people are all too familiar with what they can't do. We need to spend more time and thought on what we CAN do.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2007 |
