Distance Improvement Suggestions

[HomerJSimpson]

As a results of my illness and having to change my diet to control my diabetes I have managed to lose around at stone (down to 12.2 from 13.4). Whilst this has been good for the waistline I have found that I have also lost significant distances especially with my driver (down to an average of 210 from 230)

As a lot of the power is generated from the torso and the coil my weight loss has robbed me of some of this power. I have got myself some light dumbbells to do some work on my wrists and forearms to see if that has any impact but I'd be grateful if my friends on here have any other tips or suggestions

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Most of my power seems to come from the resistance in my legs.
If you can resist bringing the knees together too much on the back swing, when you start the down swing push through and seperate your knees this gave me an extra 10-15 yards.

I don't know if that made much sense?

What I'm trying to say is try working on leg strength - squats leg press - that kind of thing.

 

[OldWindy]

Perhaps this is one for htl?

 

[Page]

focus on core stabilty coupled with flexibility exercises in order to improve your back swing and recoil. golf specific pilates exercises are the way forward.

you could look to take it a step further and visit the gym in order to improve forearm, upper arm and shoulder strength. as an added benefit, given that muscle weighs approximately twice as much as fat, you may find that although you appear slimmer you still carry enough muscular bulk to get behind the ball.

 

[TWM]

I have been using a heavy training club, 1.4kg which was helping me hit a bit harder before I became ill and unable to play. My playing partners thought I was improving.

 

[barb]

Hi Homer
I have recently started at the gym and I know some exercises are better for women than men and vice versa but my gym instructor made me up a program that he felt was very golf specific, I had lots of cardio to build up my stamina and some resistance work but the 1 exercise that has definity helped me has been trunk rotations (with minimal weight to start with) to strengthen my back and since I have been doing these I find I can coil better and get abit more power behind my downswing and have increased my distance with all of my clubs , I agree with an earlier reply that core stability is very important also.
Hope this helps
Barb

 

[viscount17]

the forum diet has lost me about 1st 6 but no distance, actually I've gained it. I put this down to increased flexibility (or decreased rolling resistance). starting back on the swimming to try to build in a bit of stamina, might do some light weights as well.

 

[Nico]

Homer,its a combination of core and leg strength.

We hit it with the whole body,your pro will help with coordination but the more stable the core the better platform you will have.

 

[RGuk]

Homer, if I think of some of the most impressive hitters of the ball I've ever played with regularly, there is seemingly a lot more to generating power than body size/weight etc. It certainly seems that quite "full figured" chaps who were athletic teenagers hit it far but so do some really slight guys. I bet if we were to video your swing, we would spot where the power is going. I asked my pro about improving my distance and he was pretty unequivocal that we could do it without me risking the flexibility of my hands/wrists that would be associated with weight training/muscle strength.
My theory (for what it's worth) is that when we/you play and practice a lot, it's actually safer to not murder the ball and allow the club to come through impact ready-prepared....i.e. not risking the inconsistency associated with a late hit. Difficult to explain, but mid-distance hitters who are pretty accurate (you and I) tend to suffer from losing a lot of club-head speed in the section of the downswing 9 o'clock to impact. What we need to do is to maintain the lag/improve the "L"s that are visible at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock. I know you'll understand what I mean.

I have a few drills to improve lag and make the release far more efficient...just a shame I can't get out and try them. Basically, the more you play concentrating on tempo and accuracy, the less the body builds up the technique for the late hit, in fact, in order to keep straight you'll be losing the lag earlier and earlier and letting the club get on path and plane way too early.....it's a catch 22.

 

[theeaglehunter]

TBH I think what Dave is saying is correct. But if you are after a strength building drill to help the golf swing try getting a medicine ball and make a normal golf swing with it trying to keep the arms in the same position they would be if you were swinging a club. I've read that Vijay Singh uses this as a key strength maintenance drill, so whether or not it actually improves your strength I am unsure. Might be worth a go though. When I start back at the gym in the summer I will certainly be doing it.

 

[TonyN]

I asked my pro to help me get a bit more distance out of my clubs and he told me my weight transfere was to lateral and 'slidey'

I now concentrate on a full turn and break the wrists later and whip the ball away with the right hand.

I wouldnt know what to suggest really but i dont think the weight would be too much of an issue. I wonder if you could speed your swing up slightly (has the speed dropped?) Do the shafts still work for you?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Just got back from a late night equipment check with my pro. My club head speed was 87 (I was averaging 91 on the launch monitor when I tested for my driver). That has more to do with looking for a more solid base and not collapsing my knees during the swing so it may be more deliberate than the norm.

He has checked my shafts, my grip and my posture and is happy with all of them. We worked a little on keeping the lower half quiet to coil rather than slide the weight across and the strike is pretty solid and the swing feels nice and compact.

He doesn't have a problem with me using the dumbbells for things like wrist curls etc to add some strength in that area and is happy that a little work on the upper arm will help. He also suggested toning the legs up a bit so got on HID's bike and did 5k in about 10 minutes. Didn't want to go flat out straight away and want to build up slowly.

I talked to the pro about Dave's comments on late hitting and he (and I) understand exactly what he means but he wants me to focus at the moment on the drills we have for keeping the swing tight.

Going to look at my diet again (still seems carbohydrate loaded although that is what the dietician wanted). Not looking to bulk up at all just looking to add muscle mass

 

[RGuk]

eagle.....I've only ever heard good reports about training with weighted clubs and the like. I also like the speed stick, but worry that random swinging away from the ball might improve speed but mess up all the rest.
We all know the old "upside down driver-whoosh" routine and any repetition where you are excessing the correct muscles and learning new feels has got to be good. The other thing about an early hit (if there is such a phrase to be the opposite of a late hit) is the added loft causing double jeopardy!! Pros/Amatuers who use the expression "scooping" are probably doing fair players an injustice (like who deliberately scoops at the ball?) if the wrist set/lag is wasted a foot before the ball, it's going to cost dear.

In reply to Homer's comment about his pro wanting to stick with what he's got a.t.m. I totally agree. Making changes to the downswing is much harder than the backswing.....if the backswing has flaws, better to fix these first.

 

[RGuk]

I asked my pro to help me get a bit more distance out of my clubs and he told me my weight transfer was to lateral and 'slidey'

He's right.....(I've seen your swing!).....

You are coming on very well and obviously scoring well too. If we should meet up again, I'll show you my favourite drills for beating the "slideys". The old favourite was the straw (or tee or MacDonald's stirrer) drill. Stick a straw in your mouth aimed at the ball and when you swing keep it aimed at the ball stubbornly refusing to move anything other than around your body....no sway at all....I still do this on the course towards the end of games when I get lazy and sway like an idiot.

I have a couple of dynamic drills (those where you HAVE to do it right to hit the ball) I've tried, from a Canadian PGA guy......a few of these before each strike and WOW.....

Small swings with you feet together (Faldo's "Chaplin" routine) is also a great reminder, if you sway excessively, you fall over!!