Welcome to Play Smart. GOLF.com’s regular game improvement column will help you become a smarter, better golfer..
I like to hit the ball hard. When I go to the simulator, I always make time at the end of the session to swing as hard as I can. Nothing makes me happier than fishing just Your new personal best will be displayed on the screen.
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But while chasing speed is a fun conquest, it can also be frustrating. There are days when I feel sluggish and slow, and that’s reflected in my swing speed. To make matters worse, there are weeks where I feel like my swing speed has permanently maxed out and plateaued.
I was the same way at the end of last year. Then I couldn’t increase my swing speed for several weeks and felt at a loss. So I turned to swing speed guru Bernie Najjar. Not only is he a GOLF Top 100 Teacher, he has taught some of the longest hitters in golf, including Kyle Berkshire.
Last winter at the Top 100 Teachers Summit, I teamed up with Bernie for a speed training boot camp to get as many speed tips and tricks as possible. See it all in the video below, or keep reading for easy tips to instantly increase your swing speed.
Try this for an instant speed boost
Clubhead speed is measured at the moment of impact with the ball, but if you need more power, you should start thinking about increasing speed long before that happens. In fact, speed at impact is directly related to swing initiation speed.
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“What’s important to understand is that energy into the club occurs early in the backswing,” says Barney. “It’s not ‘take it back.'” slow.“”
One of the most popular sayings in golf is that you should bring the club back “low and slow.” However, if you try to hit the ball longer, it becomes a significant load.
To get the most energy into your golf club and create more speed, it’s important to get that energy into the club as quickly as possible.
Consider what Bryson DeChambeau looks like when he swings a driver. His takeaway is faster than many amateur swings, and that’s no coincidence. If you want to get the highest speed possible, you need to start ripping your clubs fast.
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“You have to get them to hit the golf club more early on,” Barney says. “Putting more into the golf club means you actually have to spin it up a little bit.”
If you are having trouble increasing your swing speed, give this a try. You’ll be challenged by the need to feel in control throughout your swing, but you’ll find that you have more speed in the tank than you expected.
Bernie Najjar is a Golf Top 100 teacher and director of instruction at Caves Valley GC in Owing Mills, Maryland. To learn more about his teaching philosophy, check out his book Speed/Power/Finesse: How to Play the Three Games of Golf.
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The post Doing this during your backswing will instantly increase your swing speed appeared first on Golf.

