Creating Club Head Speed

Creating speed with your golf club is not a strength issue--it is an angle issue. The first thing I make beginning golfers become aware of is the whoosh of the club. I will have them swing the club back and forth horizontally listening for the whoosh (club head) and will gradually ask them to increase the sound of the whoosh (increasing their club head speed) . I rarely have to tell them how to do it because when it is done horizontally it is athletic and natural. The things that happen horizontally are the things that you want to translate into your golf swing. You will notice horizontally that your hands are just holding the club and your arms are relaxed. You will notice that creating lag and a deep angle on the downswing is natural and easy. You will notice that your hands rotate over one another where the golf ball would be if it were a four foot tee. A release is not something you force to happen. A release happens in response to good angles and good action on the down swing.

One of my favorite sayings is: If golf were played with 4 foot tees than I would not have a job because everyone would instinctively know how to swing a golf club. The action of the golf swing is exactly the same as the horizontal swing but it is a little more difficult to do on the golf plane which is more vertical due to the ball being on the ground.

I only said a little more difficult--not a lot more difficult. The main reason people don't create much club head speed in a golf swing is because they are thinking about anything but creating speed. Thoughts like 'keep your head still' or 'left arm straight' or some extraneous swing thought like pause at the top tend to take one away from creating club head speed.

Once you get over the concept that you can control the club and that you can guide the ball than you can start to just let the ball get in the way of good motion.

The problem with most golfers is not that they cannot do it. It is mostly that they are not trying to do it and are wrapped up in some swing thought that is control based and they are not getting any whoosh. Motion is inhibited. Trust me--control is an illusion. To hit it straight the club has to swing in a circle and the club head is only square for an instant.

It is easy to lose sight of the Forrest through the trees. There is so much golf talk and swing analysis out there today with your golf buddies and golf magazines and the Internet but I believe anyone can create good motion and good action by just becoming aware of it and sticking with it long enough to develop the skill.


Here is the drill to let what you already know how to do athletically get into your golf swing.

Stand at a teed up ball with your driver. Lift the club up horizontal to the ground and swing it back and forth creating your natural action and motion. Increase your whoosh each swing. Without thought or more than 3 seconds elapsing set the club down and hit it with the goal of translating the horizontal feel into the golf swing.

It is important to remember that their are things that are really important in the golf swing and things that are less important. This is just a guess but creating motion might be one of those things that is really important and deserves your athletic attention.