My Swing Speed Journey

[mrio]

Yesterday was the first time in six months that I didn’t reach 130 mph with the green stick. I ended up 9 mph below my personal best from three months ago, even though I gave it everything I had. A few notes:

• I don’t feel fast physically, but I’m still making gains in the gym. It’s strange—despite feeling sluggish, my strength is holding up and I’m still adding weight to my lifts.
• I’ve gained 2 kg… but I honestly can’t see where. I don’t feel any fatter or see any real change in the mirror.
• My cruise speed is still solid. I can hit 114 mph with the driver using a stock swing at the range, and my course distances are almost the same as three months ago. The issue is, I just can’t seem to tap into any extra speed right now, no matter how hard I try.

That’s all for now. Hoping for a surprise speed jump like the one I got last year—will keep the updates coming!

 

[Golf is fun]

Yesterday was the first time in six months that I didn’t reach 130 mph with the green stick. I ended up 9 mph below my personal best from three months ago, even though I gave it everything I had. A few notes:

• I don’t feel fast physically, but I’m still making gains in the gym. It’s strange—despite feeling sluggish, my strength is holding up and I’m still adding weight to my lifts.
• I’ve gained 2 kg… but I honestly can’t see where. I don’t feel any fatter or see any real change in the mirror.
• My cruise speed is still solid. I can hit 114 mph with the driver using a stock swing at the range, and my course distances are almost the same as three months ago. The issue is, I just can’t seem to tap into any extra speed right now, no matter how hard I try.

That’s all for now. Hoping for a surprise speed jump like the one I got last year—will keep the updates coming!

You've probably gained some muscle, if your lifts are going up, the gain is gradual so we often don't notice it, but if you haven't seen someone for a few months and they see you, the difference will be more obvious.

It's pretty common to plateau, and sometimes even regress a little in any endeavour involving strength, power or speed. Outside of the beginner stage progress is never linear, but as long as the overall trend is upwards, it's all good.

 

[VVega]

Outside speed practice, how does anyone measure their progress? Do you measure your drives on the course? Do you see that you are now hitting it further on particular holes?

With fairways starting to run it’s the time to take a measure — post your numbers!

 

[VVega]

gained 2 kg

I thought it’s normal to vary +-2kg on daily basis. Just water retention/ sleep quality variance would do that.

 

[HPIMG]

Outside speed practice, how does anyone measure their progress? Do you measure your drives on the course? Do you see that you are now hitting it further on particular holes?

With fairways starting to run it’s the time to take a measure — post your numbers!

I’ve not done any speed training in a while but I’m getting an extra 20/30 yards off the tee. Plan is to start speed training again end of March and keep it up till end of season.

 

[mrio]

Outside speed practice, how does anyone measure their progress? Do you measure your drives on the course? Do you see that you are now hitting it further on particular holes?

With fairways starting to run it’s the time to take a measure — post your numbers!

I don't currently measure distances while playing, but before starting gym and speed training, a very good drive for me was around 270 yards. Now, when planning tee shot strategy on a new course, I consider distances between 260 and 300 yards, with a carry of 250–270. So far, it feels like those numbers hold up during actual play.

 

[VVega]

Padraig talks about speed training.

 

[Golf is fun]

Outside speed practice, how does anyone measure their progress? Do you measure your drives on the course? Do you see that you are now hitting it further on particular holes?

With fairways starting to run it’s the time to take a measure — post your numbers!

For me the main measure of progress is through the speed training and what I can do there, in the same way, I measure gym work by how much I can lift or how many reps I can do. This may or may not translate immediately on the course, as I may be unable to use the speed I have gained due to some other limitation, like technique, but at least I know the potential is there.

On the course I track using shot scope, but I don't really look at any individual shot as there are so many variables, over the course of the season, I would hope to see my club distances go up.
The most immediate feedback I have on whether I'm progressing or not is club choices, on a certain hole 2 years ago I was hitting a 6 iron in, last year it was a 7, and this year it's right between an 8 and a 9.

 

[VVega]

For me the main measure of progress is through the speed training and what I can do there, in the same way, I measure gym work by how much I can lift or how many reps I can do. This may or may not translate immediately on the course, as I may be unable to use the speed I have gained due to some other limitation, like technique, but at least I know the potential is there.

On the course I track using shot scope, but I don't really look at any individual shot as there are so many variables, over the course of the season, I would hope to see my club distances go up.
The most immediate feedback I have on whether I'm progressing or not is club choices, on a certain hole 2 years ago I was hitting a 6 iron in, last year it was a 7, and this year it's right between an 8 and a 9.

Interesting, as ultimately for me, the result of speed training is the push of max distances off the tee - kind of an equivalent of 1 rep max in competition conditions.

As a proxy, I look at how many drives I get over 300 yds. So far it’s been 13 this year, compared 11 last year so hopefully I’m trending up

 

[Golf is fun]

Interesting, as ultimately for me, the result of speed training is the push of max distances off the tee - kind of an equivalent of 1 rep max in competition conditions.

As a proxy, I look at how many drives I get over 300 yds. So far it’s been 13 this year, compared 11 last year so hopefully I’m trending up

It's just one piece of the puzzle. Even in competition weightlifting there were times I where what limited me in competition was mobility, technique, the mind, or even something else. I still wanted my strenght going up in training, even though it wasn't the weak link in the chain, I just also had other things to work on and improve. I apply the same to golf. Random exaggerated numbers, but even if I can only use 10% of the speed I gain, I still want to gain speed. Obviously in the real world I'd expect this percentage to be higher.

The ideal measurement is ball speed, then you know you can swing the club faster and transfer that speed to the ball, on course I could hit a "slow" drive downhill on a dry fairway and have it go further than a fast one into the wind on a wet fairway. This is not very realistic if you're not on tour! Seeing averages go up on the course should account for the freak events though.

 

[mrio]

I’ve started bringing my PRGR radar to practice rounds to track my driver swing speed more consistently. The last time I used it on course, I had to swing really hard just to hit 110 mph. Yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised to see some effortless-feeling swings reaching 114 mph. These swings felt like what used to be my sub-110 mph effort, so it seems like my baseline speed has increased!

I’m still struggling to break past 115 mph, I think that now my baseline is close to my max, but I’m really happy with the progress.

 

[Springveldt]

Haven't done much speed work in the last few weeks as the season has started but I've noticed the work I put in a few months ago has worked. I've definitely gained a club in length and my drives are longer. I'm going to try and do at least 1 session per week as maintenance.

On Saturday in the comp Shot Scope had my average at 256 yards off the tee (we only have 2 par 3's so hit a lot of drives per round) which was my best average ever, my performance average was 284 yards which is unheard of for me. Yes the course is drying out and running firm but I was pretty close to my playing partners all round when I'm usually 20 yards behind them. I'm now hitting the same club as one of them on both par 3's while I've always hit an extra club compared to him. Yes, my irons are stronger lofted than his so he's still hitting less club but I'm now hitting an 8 when he is rather than me hitting 7 when he's hitting 8.

Pity my irons and putting were complete gash but I guess we can't have it all.

 

[VVega]

Was watching some recent content with Alex Fitzpatrick and he shared the following:

Went to the gym and saw Rory working out, going hard. Commented on this… Rory’s reply: there is only one way to get to 200…

That’s ball speed he’s talking about.

 

[Golf is fun]

I've been working on a swing change, which is going well, but as it's a different movement I can't swing as fast doing it yet. This shows when using speed sticks, as I can be as much as 10 mph down from my fastest swings where I just go all out with no regard for technique, but on the course and range, my speed and distances are not really any different. Part of this I think is because I am getting a better release of the club, and the way this moves the clubface generates some additional speed with a real driver, but not with a speed stick, and partly because without a ball you can generate peak speed anywhere in the arc where the radar captures it, but with a ball you need peak speed at or very close to impact.

It doesn't matter in the big scheme of things as the speed sticks are just a tool, and the distance on the course is the end goal, but I find it interesting, especially as right my speed stick swings are now very similar to my actual driver swings, which I don't think is very common. My hope is the new technique beds in, and the speed goes back up and then I'm really bombing it.

 

[VVega]

I've been working on a swing change, which is going well, but as it's a different movement I can't swing as fast doing it yet. This shows when using speed sticks, as I can be as much as 10 mph down from my fastest swings where I just go all out with no regard for technique, but on the course and range, my speed and distances are not really any different. Part of this I think is because I am getting a better release of the club, and the way this moves the clubface generates some additional speed with a real driver, but not with a speed stick, and partly because without a ball you can generate peak speed anywhere in the arc where the radar captures it, but with a ball you need peak speed at or very close to impact.

It doesn't matter in the big scheme of things as the speed sticks are just a tool, and the distance on the course is the end goal, but I find it interesting, especially as right my speed stick swings are now very similar to my actual driver swings, which I don't think is very common. My hope is the new technique beds in, and the speed goes back up and then I'm really bombing it.

Out of interest, in your protocol do you do more overspeed (lighter than the driver sticks) or “resisted speed” (the heavier than the driver stick) training?

ChatGPT says it’s optimal to do 80/20, not sure if it’s what the “official” protocols by various vendors target or what everyone on here follows.

 

[Golf is fun]

Out of interest, in your protocol do you do more overspeed (lighter than the driver sticks) or “resisted speed” (the heavier than the driver stick) training?

ChatGPT says it’s optimal to do 80/20, not sure if it’s what the “official” protocols by various vendors target or what everyone on here follows.

I do more with the lighter sticks, roughly at a ratio or about 3/4:1 so actually not far off that 80/20. Mostly because that's what I've been told to do, what's the theory behind it?

 

[VVega]

what's the theory behind it

From ChatGpt:

Both methods have value, but overspeed training is typically more directly effective for increasing golf swing speedbecause:

1. Neural Adaptation: Overspeed training helps reprogram your brain to move faster than your current limit, improving motor pattern speed.
2. Swing-Specific Carryover: Tools like SuperSpeed Golf sticks use lighter clubs to trigger faster swing patterns without altering mechanics.

Resisted training (e.g., heavy clubs or weighted swings) builds strength, but:

• If overused, it can negatively affect swing mechanics, timing, or rhythm.
• Research and practical experience tend to show diminishing returns for pure speed when using heavy implements too often.

Best Practice​

• Combine overspeed (light and moderate load) with occasional resisted (slightly heavier than normal club) work, maintaining swing quality.
• Focus 70-80% on overspeed and 20-30% on light resistance.

 

[Golf is fun]

From ChatGpt:

I wondered if it would be around building strength. That makes sense to me, because I build strength not by swinging a heavy club, but by moving heavy barbells and dumbbells in the gym, I then use that base strength to build power by moving moderately heavy stuff like lighter barbells or medicine balls fast, and then I try to teach my neuromuscular system to be able to use that power in my golf swing through swinging a light object like a speed stick or golf club as fast as I can.

 

[mrio]

Out of interest, in your protocol do you do more overspeed (lighter than the driver sticks) or “resisted speed” (the heavier than the driver stick) training?

ChatGPT says it’s optimal to do 80/20, not sure if it’s what the “official” protocols by various vendors target or what everyone on here follows.

Do not use ChatGPT for things like that, it could say its optimal to do 80/20, 20/80 or burpees with mortal jumps if you make the adequate question.

ChatGPT is not a source of knowledge, but rather model that generate human-like text based on patterns. It doesn't possess factual knowledge or understanding in the way a human does; it doesn't "know" anything, but rather produces text that mimics human language.

This make it unreliable for research topics where there is no consensus. Its generative nature means it can also fabricate information.

BTW, except the first paragraph, all that was ChatGPT XD

 

[Orikoru]

Outside speed practice, how does anyone measure their progress? Do you measure your drives on the course? Do you see that you are now hitting it further on particular holes?

With fairways starting to run it’s the time to take a measure — post your numbers!

I hit a 283 yarder the other week and I haven't even done any speed training. Course was dry as a bone!