Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you become a smarter, better golfer.
Hitting the long ball isn’t just for show these days. If you want to compete among the game’s best, you’ve got to be able to generate some serious speed — and players are only getting faster.
Just 10 years ago, the average ball speed on the PGA Tour was 167.67 mph. This season, the average ball speed is all the way up to 174.5 mph, while the median from a decade ago ranks outside the top 150. It’s never been more important to generate speed.
But players aren’t just getting stronger — they’re also the beneficiaries of modern equipment and modern technology. One such piece of modern equipment is force plates, which monitor how golfers use the ground during their swings.
Recently, the folks at the Titleist Performance Institute published a video with Dr. Greg Rose explaining their findings on how the longest players in the world use the ground to generate speed. Check it out below.
How bombers use the ground
Swinging the club fast requires you to turn with tons of force. And one of the key ways to generate this force is by creating torque with your body.
So, how does one create this torque? It all starts with using your feet in the correct way.
“Imagine if you’re trying to open up a bottle cap,” Rose says. “You don’t just try to [turn] one side and then [turn] the other side. You do both at the same time and it creates more torque.”
The same principle applies when trying to generate swing speed. You want to be using each foot to push into the ground in opposite directions to create maximal torque.
“I’m going to push the ground back with my right foot and forward with my left foot and that creates this counterclockwise torque,” Rose says. “One of the secrets here is using both of your feet in the golf swing.”
Once you engage both your feet in the swing and push with both at the same time in opposite directions, you’ll create much more torque than before. And with that torque comes more clubhead speed and longer bombs off the tee. Give it a shot.
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A leader on the market in golf swing speed training. The Stack Speed trainer is a weighted swing trainer paired with an iOS app designed to increase your swing speed through guided training sessions.
TheStack Hardware
5 milled Stack weights enable 30 weight combinations between 0g and 300g
Dual-purpose weight case / phone stand
Highly engineered training club – Adult (41.5″) or Junior (38.5″) version (see Fitting Juniors)
Stack training requires a speed device that can measure swings without ball impact. We recommend bundling with Stack Radar (Bluetooth connectivity). View all compatible devices here.
TheStack App Training
Rated 4.9 with 5,000+ Reviews on App Store
Includes 1-Year Membership to TheStack App, accessible on iOS
Adaptive speed training formulated by Dr. Sasho MacKenzie
Guided workout timer for reps, sets, and rest intervals
Custom speed metrics to track your gains
Bluetooth Connectivity to integration devices. Hands-free data entry using voice entry technology for non-integrated devices
Membership includes Bundled access to Stack Putting ($59 value) and the Learning Library
Train and track up to twenty local (i.e. family) users under one login. App works with Family Sharing so the entire family can train easily on separate devices
Connect to any other Stacker using Share Codes
Are you a Coach? Learn about our Coaches License
Access TheStack App from the App Store when your order arrives. Requires iOS 15.0 or newer.
See our FAQ pages for questions about membership access.
* Speed radar not included, view all compatible devices here
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