To gain the most distance in golf, I need to hit the ball as hard as possible. I need to swing out of my shoes and let the big dog eat! There is not way around it, hitting the ball hard is the only way to gain any distance moving forward. Unfortunately, that is not the whole story. Hitting the ball as hard as we can to gain distance is a myth. The challenges of overswinging to hit the ball hard cause more problems with our game than anything else. One of the main issues I had with my swing in the early years is trying to hit the ball too hard thinking it was the best path to success. Well, after many years of failing, I decide to take another approach that set me on the track to success!
Continue readingswing speed
Swing Speed And Ball Direction In Golf
Most amateurs equate swing speed with ball distance. This thought process is correct (to a degree), however it is not the only affect swing speed has on your game. Swing speed can be defined as how fast the golf club is traveling when it strikes the ball. There are several ways to generate swing speed that amateurs can investigate, yet that is not the topic of today’s post. I can tell you that the process of increasing our swing speed can be challenging because of the change in mechanics we employ thinking that we are helping our game. When in fact, we are causing more challenges at impact, thus causing our ball to every which way. There is a simple explanation for our direction woes that was not that simple to figure out.
Continue readingBuilding Power In Your Golf Swing
Every golfer I know wants to hit the ball farther. I have never encountered any player saying they wished they did hit the ball so far; everyone wants more distance. Over the 2021 season, I made some fundamental changes with my driver that increased my distance while keeping my accuracy. The changes I made are only the beginning, however I wish I had notice Annika Sorenstam’s tip earlier to help speed up my learning curve.
I changed several things with respect to my driver set up, however adopting the ‘less is more’ philosophy was by far the toughest change I made to my driver and fairway woods. With my new set up, I found that if I tried to swing fast at the ball, I would pull it left……consistently. Of course there is sweet spot between tempo and club head speed that we all seek and not trying to grip it and rip it is the first step. As I ran through my morning news feeds, I found this video that would have helped earlier in the season.
I tried placing my thumb over my grip to see how it felt. I took a few practice swings (no ball contact yet because my DIY driving net will not be set up until the new year) Sorenstam’s tip definitely forced me to grip the club looser. This, inturn, forced me to swing the club with less tension in my arms, wrists and hands. Hence, the natural ‘less is more’ golf drill.
Before I get too excited, I will need to hit balls to see if this drill will produce the results I am looking for in my golf swing. Moving forward, I will have to wait for a bit, but it is knowledge I can store and recall when the time is right. As you know from previous years of reading The Grateful Golfer, my off-season is the time I try to expand my knowledge and prepare my tools for my next golf season. Annika Sorenstam’s thumb over drill is a perfect example of my process that helps me keep me focused on ways to improve my overall golf game. As my golf journey continues, I am grateful for the time and access to knowledge that helps reduce my learning curve.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Three “T” For Creating An Effortless Golf Swing
I set a goal this year to increase my distance off the tee by at least 10 yards. I believe, although I am getting older, that this distance goal is a reasonable milestone that I can achieve without having to redesign my entire golf swing. I think I have a fundamentally strong swing and as such I am looking to tweak minor aspects of my game. Fortunately, I was introduced to the three “T” to help develop power and possibly achieve one of my 2021 goals.
Continue readingFinding That Extra Gear in Golf
In many sports, athletes are told to dig deep and find that little extra something in the last minutes of a game. They are asked to exceed their normal playing abilities and shift gears to the next level. As an athlete who played many sports of the years, I can honestly say that it is possible to find that little extra something for a short period of time. Expect, I have never been able to find it on the golf course!
Continue reading
The Grateful Golfer 