In golf, there is a virtually limitless list of things you can do to improve your game. Most of them tend to involve skill and getting plenty of practice, and because of that, areas of a player’s game that involve physical ability are often overlooked.
One physical attribute that can make a big difference in the modern game is increasing golf swing speed. Simply adding a few basic exercises into your fitness routine or your pre-round warm-ups can help you avoid injuries and build up muscle strength, giving you extra miles per hour at the club head and extra yards off the tee. This blog takes a look at some of the easiest and most beneficial exercises to try.
Why is it so helpful to increase your swing speed in golf?
Quite simply, the faster you can swing the club, the harder you’ll hit the ball and the further it will travel. Of course, this has to be balanced with maintaining accuracy: there’s no point hitting the ball over 250 yards plus if it’s going to go straight out of bounds.
At professional level, longer courses have led to some players prioritising their swing speed, most notably Bryson DeChambeau. But for amateur players, finding an extra 10mph without compromising accuracy too much can make a big difference in turning bogeys into pars and pars into birdies.
Which golf swing exercises increase speed?
There are lots of exercises you can try to increase your power at the club head. Some require specialist gym equipment, some can be done just with your golf club, and a few don’t require any kit at all. You’ll naturally feel more comfortable with some than others, but here are four of our favourites:
Lunges
These lunges help you build up the muscles in your torso, enabling you to put more power in your swing. Start by taking your driver and holding it across your chest, and lunging forward onto one leg. Then, quickly rotate your body in the direction of your forward leg (so if you’ve lunged onto your right leg, then rotate right). Repeat by alternating your forward leg, and try to do 20 reps (ten on each leg).
Squats
Similar to the lunge, keep your driver horizontal to your chest. Then, with your feet spread out a shoulder-width apart, quickly drop into a squat and simultaneously rotate your upper body towards your leading leg. As you rise up, do so as quickly as you can and rotate your body to mimic your rotation in your real-life golf swing, all the way through to the end of your ‘swing’. Do ten reps on each leg.
Sit-ups
This might sound like an overly simplistic exercise to help with golf swing speed, but if they’re done slowly enough, they can make a real difference. In this case, you want to start upright and lower yourself to the floor as slowly as you can. The reason for this is that you have to rely solely on your core to raise and lower your body, instead of getting help from momentum. This helps strengthen the core muscles you use in your swing.
‘The Superman’
While muscular strength plays a huge part in helping increase golf swing speed, it can also come with an increased risk of injuring your lower back, and this is where ‘The Superman’ comes in. Lie flat on your stomach and reach your arms out in front of you. Then lift both arms and both legs off the floor simultaneously then drop back down, holding your limbs in mid-air for a few seconds to build some strength and resilience. Then lower them to the floor, rest for a few seconds and repeat. As with the other exercises, we recommend two sets of ten reps.
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