BY JASON KRANTZ

In my experience there is one common goal for most golfers looking to improve their game: They want a more powerful golf swing. The reasons I have found for this are:

1. The golfer wants to be able to swing easier (which will help them maintain good, solid technique and make good contact with the ball) but still wants to hit the ball the same distance they currently do with their scoring clubs.
2. They want to be able to hit their long clubs, especially their driver, further. Much further.

If this sounds like something you desire then there are two ways to achieve your goal of having a move powerful golf swing and longer drives:

• Increase the amount of force your body is able to produce through both technical and physical improvements.
• Decrease the amount of time it takes for you to develop and deliver maximum force to the golf ball.

Obviously, if you could increase the amount of force and decrease the time required to produce maximum force then your power levels would go through the roof. In order to have this happen, you must focus on doing high quality power training.

Golf Power Training Program Focal Points

Establish a Baseline Level of Conditioning. No matter the sport or event, once you get tired, power levels will decline and technical proficiency will start to drop off. This is especially true for the golf swing since it is a very technical movement. You can play better golf deeper into your round by making sure that you have a baseline level of conditioning. This will allow you to prevent fatigue late in your round and finish off strong.

Focus on Speed of Movement. Another very important part of enhancing golf performance and increasing golf specific power levels is training with loads that will let you move at or near the speeds that you normally move in a golf swing. It has been proven time and time again that individuals looking to enhance power levels should train with loads and speeds as close as possible to those of the actual sport.

Bouncing off my first point, you should not try to exercise at or near golf swing speeds when you are first starting off because doing so when you are not properly conditioned will almost certainly result in injury.

Once you get your body accustomed to basic training movements then you can begin focusing on golf-specific movements at speeds close to your actual golf swing.

Exercise Over a Complete Range of Motion

Many “golf specific” flexibility training programs are not very effective at enhancing the dynamic flexibility needed for the golf swing because they stretch the muscles individually and in static positions. In reality, your muscles work as a unit in the golf swing and stretch/contract together from dynamic positions.

A few dynamic stretches in which you gradually increase the range and duration of the multi-joint motions found in the golf swing will serve you much better than a single extended session of many single-jointed static stretches. We want to stretch various muscles together since they operate together in the golf swing.

It should also be noted that heavy resistance training used over a full range of motion constitutes a very efficient and effective means of active stretching/flexibility training.

Perform Shorter, More Intense Workouts

If enhanced golf power is your goal then short, intense workouts should be your primary focus. If you are training with a higher level of intensity then after about 45-60 minutes you will see your power levels drop off.

By performing shorter workouts it is much easier to maintain the level of focus that is needed to execute a workout with a high level of intensity. You will also get better overall results (weight loss and overall body structure) by performing these types of workouts.

Warm Up Before Your Workout/Round

Warming up should be a staple for anyone serious about playing better golf. In addition to helping you avoid injury it will also help you play better golf and swing at full capacity.

I know that when I do not warm up I can’t comfortably top a 110 MPH swing speed. Once I get warmed up I can easily top 130 MPH and can usually get to around a 140 MPH swing speed. By taking the time to warm up you ensure that you are capable of having a great workout or round on the course.

By focusing on these basic power training principles during your off-season training you will see significant improvements in your swing speed, club head speed, ball speed, distance, power, flexibility, balance, stability and overall scores.

As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) by the NSCA, Jason Krantz’s focus is on significantly improving the power levels and injury resistance of all golfers. He specializes in power enhancement and all related components of improved golf performance. For more off-season golf power training tips, read his off-season golf fitness training guide.

BY MIKE GELHAUS

Whack! The feeling of a great drive, the sweet feel as the ball jumps off the clubface and rockets down the middle of the fairway — it’s one of the best things about playing golf, and one of the reasons that we keep coming back for more punishment. If only it would happen more often! Ah, to see the green envy in your opponents’ eyes when your ball blasts by theirs.

Unfortunately, the average male golfer’s swing speed is around 85 mph. With a USGA conforming driver, this equates to drives of about 225 yards, an embarrassing 83 yards shorter than Tiger Woods’ average drive, and even 45 yards shorter than Cory Pavin, who is the shortest driver on the PGA Tour. So most of us go to the course with an inferiority complex already deeply ingrained from watching Tour broadcasts which constantly and blatantly rub our faces into the fact that the pros outdrive us by a country mile. No wonder most amateurs can’t relax over the ball and tend to overswing. How could the average guy hope to hit the ball that far?

Well, the good news is — it’s possible for you to hit long drives! To hit like the pros, all you have to do is swing as fast as they do, while at the same time maintaining your balance. If it sounds like it is easier said than done, just think about this: As mentioned before, Corey Pavin, the shortest hitter on the PGA Tour, averages just under 270 yards per drive. He is 5′ 9″ tall and weighs 155 pounds. Now, the average male is 5′ 9″ tall and weighs 190 pounds. If Corey Pavin can average 270, then you can hit it just as long or longer!

Let’s set a goal of outdriving Corey Pavin, so we can tell ourselves honestly that we can drive the ball as far as someone on the Tour. To figure out how to do this, let’s start with the average swing speed of 85 mph and average distance of 225 yards. Now, physics tells us that we get approximately 3 extra yards per additional mile per hour of swing speed. So, if we want to go from 225 to 270 to beat Corey Pavin, that means we need 45 extra yards, which equates to adding 15 mph to the swing speed.

How can you use golf training aids to add that extra 15 mph? Since low swing speed is usually the result of a combination of factors including untrained muscles, poor technique, and lack of physical fitness, a multi-pronged approach is required to get to the goal fast! To accelerate your progress, you can use golf training aids to train and strengthen your golf-specific muscles, to correct poor technique, and to improve your overall fitness. A variety of training aids exist to help with this. Here’s a 3-step plan for increasing your swing speed as fast as possible:

1. Make sure that your grip, swing path, and swing plane are correct. It will do no good to increase your swing speed if technical flaws in your swing prevent you from hitting the ball straight. I suggest using a single training aid for both grip and swing plane (many exist with this combination) and another training aid for swing path. For example, a hinged club with a molded grip is perfect for grip and swing path, while a foam obstacle training aid will work well for keeping your swing path on track. Practice with these training aids for at least 2 weeks before moving on to step 2.

2. Get some type of weighted club. Weighted clubs are perfect for training the golf specific muscles to have the strength and explosive power that you need to produce higher swing speeds. In addition, training with a weighted club can increase your core stability and balance if done properly. Be very careful not to overswing with a weighted club since you can injure yourself! Stretch out and warm up thoroughly before you even start swinging the heavy club. I suggest using this training aid at least 3 days a week, but not more than 5. It’s important to let your muscles rest a bit each week.

3. Get a golf fitness book to augment your regular training program. Overall physical fitness is just as critical to your golf game as golf-specific training. Work out 3 times a week and don’t forget your cardio to reduce fatigue at the end of your round!

If you take these three steps I think you will see a great improvement in your driving distance within 2 months, if not sooner. Good luck and I hope to see you on the par fives in two!

Mike Gelhaus, once a racquetball professional and published author for Racquetball Magazine, has turned his attention back to his first love, the game of golf. He recently achieved a handicap of 3 only weeks before having to go in for back surgery. Hoping for a quick recovery and a possible professional career, Mike Gelhaus is going to help you improve your game through the use of golf training aids. To seriously knock strokes off your score by uncovering the golf training aids which will work best for you, check out his site, The Best Golf Training Aids.

BY MIKE PEDERSEN

If you want to rapidly improve your golf, stretch your golfing muscles on a consistent basis!

What’s the difference between a “golf stretch” and an everyday stretch? The answer to this question may be your missing link to a great game and years of enjoyment instead of frustration and weak attempts at quitting the game. I know… you’ve considered it! I’ve been there many times. But the bottom line… we keep coming back!

So to end the years of frustration and quickly transform your game, you need to do golf stretches daily. Yes, that’s right…daily!

It will only take you a few minutes to get them done, but the improvement in your game will be quick and dramatic. The return on this investment (of time) is well worth it.

Now which golf stretches to do to get the quickest return?

That’s a personal issue. Everyone has different limitations. Some are backswing related, others are follow through or even maintaining golf posture.

Here are a couple of golf stretches that will help you prevent back pain and increase your backswing range of motion for longer drives.

The Lying Leg Crossover:

1. Lie on back with legs extended.
2. Raise one leg and bend at knee to 90 degrees in knee and hip.
3. Cross that leg over extended leg, while opposite shoulder stays on ground.
4. Go until slight pull in butt and lower back.
5. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat once more.
6. Switch legs and do opposite side.

This simple golf stretch will not only make your back feel better, but it will improve your ability to make a bigger turn, with less hip movement, creating torque and energy.

The Backswing Stretch:

1. Extend left arm out in front of you (if you are a right handed golfer).
2. Take right hand and put under left wrist.
3. Pull with right hand against left wrist and make as big a turn on back swing as possible.
4. Hold for at least 15 seconds, repeat once more and do the opposite arm for your follow through side.

This simple golf stretch will loosen up the muscles in the back of your shoulders and your upper back (lats) for more freedom on both your backswing and follow through.

Do these two golf stretches daily and watch your game improve quickly.

NOTE: These are only 2 golf stretches isolating certain areas of the body. To get the full benefit for your golf game, you need to do golf stretches for each muscle group.

Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites.

BY PAUL BUNTRAGE

How can you improve the power of your golf swing? This is a question that all of us want an answer to. Most golfers go to great lengths to get that extra yard off the tee. But how many people actually know that golf swing power is the result of these three specific factors?

The first and probably most evident of the three is ‘swing mechanics’. Everybody is aware of how important the mechanics of a swing are when it comes to driving the ball. If you are over the top with your swing or come inside too much, you’ll see that dreaded slice or snap hook. Your drives will inevitably be too short, too low, too high, left, right, or a combination of these if you are putting bad swings on the ball.

To improve your game, it is essential for a golfer to work on the mechanics of the swing at every possible opportunity. The golf swing is a highly complex, mechanical movement that requires constant work to keep it highly efficient and in check. Professionals realize its importance and have swing coaches that work with them on a consistent basis.

Amateurs throughout the world pack driving ranges, week in and week out, pounding balls without any improvement. This, I feel, is a result of one of two things: a lack of instruction, or low levels of golf strength. A lack of instruction leads to the development and ingraining of improper swing mechanics. This only results in slices, hooks, topping the ball, and hitting it fat on the course. And we all know that those types of swings lead to frustration and bad rounds of golf. I would suggest to almost anyone: Find a good instructor and take lessons on a consistent basis. This can only help your game in the long run. But if private lessons sound too expensive for ‘just a pass-time’ then consider video tutorials and at the very least. Swing mechanics are a fundamental in improving your power.

The second of the three factors is what we term golf strength. It is probably the least recognized of the three, but for many is the ‘key’ to longer drives; yet the category is given the least amount of attention, especially by amateurs. Golf strength is defined as how well your body is conditioned to swing a golf club with maximum power (i.e., it is a measure of fitness). Although probably the least understood of the three, golf strength may be the most needed by golfers in general.

Strength, in terms of golf, is not about how much you can bench press or how much your biceps bulge! Golf strength and weight room strength are very different. If you do not quite understand the difference, ask yourself one question: How many bodybuilders do you see on Tour?

It comes down to this idea: The mechanics of a golf swing require specific levels of flexibility, balance, stability, strength, endurance, and power to perform it efficiently. If your body does not have these required capacities, then the result will be obvious — a less than optimal swing.

Essentially, your body supports your swing. I am sure that all of us would choose to build a house on a stone foundation rather than sand, wouldn’t we? Yet I will say that many amateurs make a different choice when it comes to their golf swing.

Regardless of how much time you work on your swing mechanics, if your body does not have the ‘golf strength’ to support the swing, you are limiting your potential. I have seen it numerous times, people practicing at the range who struggle, not because of trying to get better, but because their bodies are limiting what they can do with their swing. Quite often I see people with limited flexibility, poor balance capabilities, and low levels of strength and power. The bottom line is that your mechanics will not get better until you fix the body that swings the club!

Up to this point we have discussed the two most important ideas when it comes to power on the golf course — optimal swing mechanics and the proper levels of ‘golf strength.’ One without the other is going to leave you short when it comes to potential in your game.

The third most important factor to improve the power of your golf swing is: equipment. Yes, equipment. It does make a real difference to how far you drive the ball. The equipment manufacturers have let this fact be known to everyone, and I bet we all have gone to the pro shop probably more than twice to pick up a new driver that claims to give us that elusive 20 yards. It should be remembered however that, that extra distance might not be down the middle of the fairway; it will give you an extra 20 yards alright… but it could be left, could be right, or it could be down the center of the fairway. That all depends on points one and two of this article. Equipment and technological advances have definitely lengthened the distance of our drives. But without better swing mechanics and your body in better golf shape, new technology will not help your game. A bad swing will produce a bad result, regardless of what type of ‘new’ driver you may have just purchased.

I think the majority of golfers are aware of the advances that have occurred in golf equipment over the last 20 years. I mean, in the glorious 80s, we were still playing with woods that actually had wooden club heads! Imagine that for a moment. Now we are using drivers with space age faces that shoot the ball off at warp speed. In addition, we have to mention the advances in golf balls. How manufacturers design golf balls today makes a difference in how far they travel. What a lot of people do not realize is that the USGA has set standards on how ‘hot’ driver faces can be and how ‘fast’ balls can come off the face of drivers. Most clubs are reaching this limit, and anything past these USGA rules becomes illegal to play (in the professional and USGA-sanctioned games only of course!).

There’s no doubt that custom made golf clubs can make a significant improvement to your swing power. But before you go off and spend a fortune, remember the saying: “A bad workman always blames his tools.” In other words, first improve the fundamentals of your swing mechanics and golfing fitness before you make any purchase.

Best of luck with your game.

Paul Buntrage is a Birmingham, England dentist and golf fanatic.

BY DR. RICHARD MYERS

The grip is your only connection with the club, so it follows that a good golf grip is an essential component of a good swing and good golf game.

Placing your hands properly on the golf club helps you better control the position of the club’s face at impact. During the swing your body turns to create power. Since the body is rotating, the golf club must rotate at the same rate. In other words, the body and the club must turn together as a team.

A fundamentally sound golf grip helps you create both power and feel. The action of your wrists is a source of power so gripping the club too much in the palm of your hand reduces wrist action.

Since our fingers are the most sensitive parts of our hands, placing the club more in the fingers rather than in the palm increases the amount of wrist hinge, which results in longer tee shots and more feel.

Regardless of the type of golf grip you choose, a sound golf grip involves light grip pressure. Gripping the club too tight can cause thin, weak shots that slice. A lighter grip also enhances wrist hinge. This light pressure also increases the amount of clubface rotation, improving your chances of squaring the club at impact.

The Vardon overlap, sometimes called the overlapping grip, is the most common golf grip. Most golf instructors use this grip popularized by Harry Vardon around the turn of the 20th century. To correctly use this grip, take the little finger on your trailing hand and place it between the index and middle finger on your lead hand (for right-handed golfers, the lead hand is the left). The lead hand thumb should fit right along the lifeline of the trailing hand.

The next most common golf grip is called the interlock or interlocking. Several top players, including Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, use this grip. This grip locks the hands together. You might, however, find that the handle migrates to your palms which reduces wrist action and, therefore, power. People with small hands, weak forearms and wrists, and beginners often prefer this grip. To use the interlock grip, take the little finger on your trailing hand and intertwine it with the index finger on your lead hand. The lead hand thumb should fit in the lifeline of the trailing hand.

The ten finger grip (sometimes called the baseball grip) is the least preferred golf grip among instructors but it does have its advantages. It can be good for beginners and people who experience joint pain, have arthritis or small, weak hands. To position your hands properly using a ten finger grip, start with a perfect lead hand grip. Place the little finger of the trailing hand close against the index finger of the lead hand. Cover the lead hand thumb with the lifeline of the trailing hand.

Richard Myers is a keen golfer and his websites Think and Reach Par and Golf for Leftys contains many free tips and great golfing advice plus training videos and DVDs to help you improve your swing and lower your score using some very simple exercises.

BY MIKE PEDERSEN

One of the most common mental errors golfers make when driving the ball is to try and hit it as hard as possible. This article will deal with golf driving tips to help you correct this problem that is hampering many golfers and greatly hindering them from making any progress.

Our minds already have certain set beliefs. One of them is that the more force we use on an object the further it will travel. What makes this particular event more difficult to get rid of in our golf is that it is also true from a scientific point of view. Only that there are a number of special variables that make it untrue in golf.

The first of these variables is the design of the golf club. Each club is cleverly designed to send the golf ball over a certain distance. A valuable golf driving tip here is to trust the club to do the job it was designed to do.

Secondly and even more important there is the variable of your body. Trying to hit the ball as hard as possible will usually result in a tense and inefficient physical swing. And in most cases the results are the direct opposite of what you desire.

One of the chief reasons for this is that many golfers are not physically prepared and their muscles are flabby, tense and weak. The poor results are therefore inevitable.

A really valuable golf driving tip is to condition your muscles by getting involved in a golf conditioning program. Fitter and stronger muscles will prepare you better for your golf drive and will enable you to be more relaxed as you hit the ball and you will therefore gain much more distance as a result.

Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites.

BY DEAN IGGO

You know you’ve done it. You need to hit your shot just a little farther, so you swing as hard as you can at the ball only to see it go shorter than normal. Swinging harder does not necessarily equate to more distance, but do you know why? It all has to do with the physics of the golf swing, not necessarily your strength.

Clubs are Science

Take a look at your golf clubs. You already knew this, but each one is a little different so that it can perform a unique job. The first step in your swing is to pick the right club for the job because it is designed to do a lot of the work for you. The physics of the golf swing actually starts with the science of the clubs.

Position Not Strength

It has been proven scientifically that hitting the ball a long way has as much to do with your follow through and the position of the club as it does your strength. Though the speed of your swing does play a small role, the truth is that it all comes down to the physics of the golf swing, not the strength of the player.

Even in Your Body, It’s Physics

Your body will produce power in the golf swing when your muscles are not only conditioned but relaxed. The power comes from loose muscles gliding through the swing in a controlled manner. To put it another way, it is about the physics of the golf swing even within your own body.

It is tempting to swing as hard as you can because we are taught basic physics from the time we are young that say hit it harder to make it go farther. That is true, but because of the uniqueness of the golf swing, the technique and physics go hand in hand to generate the power, not brute strength. So, next time you need a little extra on that shot, relax and let the physics work for you.

Dean Iggo is the webmaster of improve-your-golf-swing.com providing golf swing tips, tricks and training aids.

BY MICHAEL RUSSELL

No matter what anyone says, everybody wants to hit the golf ball a mile. When we see Tiger Woods and John Daly on TV hitting the ball 350 yards, we are envious. We desire to do the same thing when we get together with our Saturday foursome. It’s only natural to want to drive the golf ball as far as possible.

While you may never be able to hit your drives as long as Phil Mickelson, you can still learn how to hit the ball farther off the tee. You can also lower your golf handicap and develop a much better technique.

These 7 keys will help you increase your driving distance:

• Give yourself a wider stance for increased stability
• If you’re right-handed, point your left toe more inline to the target
• Waggle the club head back and forth over the ball
• Stay calm and don’t hurry your backswing
• Take the club back as far as possible on your backswing
• Swing harder and put more of your right hand into hitting the ball
• Take full advantage of the elements, especially the wind

Good technique promotes good shots. Of course, that’s easier said than done. You should always practice your technique as often as possible on the golf practice range. Whether you’re driving, putting, chipping, or hitting pitch shots, practice your technique. Remember, good technique begins with your addressing the ball.

When you’ve decided on your target and determined your ball’s path, get set up in an address that is designed to give you maximum power. Be sure to widen your stance, which gives you more stability and provides a solid base to allow a more powerful golf swing. You want approximately 60% of your body weight on your left side. This will give you a more powerful coil.

Greg Norman will do a couple of other things to generate more power when he swings. He will point his left toe toward the target slightly and he waggles the club above the golf ball, which gives him a smooth one-piece takeaway. It also gives him more rhythm in his swing.

When you’re at the top of your backswing, be sure to turn your shoulders a full 90 degrees. Your back should actually be facing the target. Look at John Daly when he drives the golf ball. He has a massive shoulder turn. Many players ask him all the time how he does it. He says it’s due to having a sound technique and a wide swing arc. He always has a rhythm to his golf swing and is never out of sync.

After you reach the top of your backswing, you’re ready to begin the downswing. Do not rush your downswing. If you do, you’ll have an increased chance of swinging straight down on the ball and eliminating any power you had going. You will also most likely chilli dip and mishit the golf ball. Look at Fred Couples and his downswing. It’s nearly flawless.

Make sure to keep your left arm straight during your transition. When you keep your arm straight it enables the club head to remain square and hit the ball properly. Don’t have a herky-jerky swing. Keep your golf swing smooth. Picture yourself hitting through the ball, not just to it. Hit hard with your right hand.

Be sure to take advantage of the playing elements to help give you more distance. Especially using the wind to your advantage. When you have the wind at your back, tee the golf ball higher than normal. This gives you a higher ball flight with more carry in the air. That means greater distance.

When you’re playing into the wind you want the opposite. Tee the ball down a little more than usual.

Once you’ve practiced these golf techniques, you will begin to see dramatic improvements in distance and control. Who knows, you may even start driving the ball like John Daly.

Michael Russell writes for the Your Golf Guide website.

By ANDREW McNAUGHT

One of the most common faults you will see with beginner and amateur golfers is that they will try to hit the ball by swinging their arms at it, usually too quickly. This comes from a desire to hit the ball as far as possible without concentrating on how to generate power correctly. Your body weighs much more than your hands and arms, and so, to impart maximum force on the golf ball, we must involve the body in our swings.

Think about your own swing: Are your hands and arms driving the swing or are they being led along by the ‘turn’ of the torso? We need to engender the latter and for this there are many useful drills, one of which we will have a look at now. Hold an iron at either end and position it behind your back so it rests square across your shoulder blades. Now take up your normal posture as if you are addressing the ball. You are now in a position where your hands and arms are locked by the golf club resting behind your back. Now you can try turning your upper body to develop a feel for how it should drive the swing. Don’t make any forced actions with your lower body though as this will turn naturally due to your flexibility.

Now that you have a feel for a correct rotation and coil in the back swing we have to consider the downswing as well. Similar to the backswing, swinging down with your hands and arms will result in a weak, inaccurate shot. With the downswing, the lower body makes the first action and moves into the ball, followed by the upper body and lastly the hands and arms. Think about the action of a tennis player hitting a forearm shot. He doesn’t just swing his arms at the ball; it is a full body action with the body leading the attack of the shot.

Watch any beginner playing golf and you will most likely see a lifting and lower of their spine angle. This is a common problem with beginners but if you watch your angle in the mirror while trying this drill you will notice it stays much more consistent. This means more distance, more accuracy and more shots off your handicap.

Andrew McNaught is a successful webmaster and keen golfer. His website Golf World Online helps golfers with swing drills and other tips to improve their games.

BY JACK MOOREHOUSE

Weekend golfers often equate “muscle power” with length off the tee. I see it all the time in my golf lessons. The player swings his or her driver as hard as he or she can, hoping to hit a monster drive. They never do. In fact, swinging the driver harder, as I tell these players, shortens your drives because it tightens your muscles, decreasing their ability to produce power.

The secret to more distance off the tee is generating more clubhead speed. Mechanically, you generate more clubhead speed one of three ways, as I point out in my golf tips:

• By widening your swing arc
• By lengthening your swing arc
• By adding speed in the hitting area

Widening your swing arc increases the distance the clubhead travels, giving it more time and room in which to build up speed. The same thing happens by lengthening your swing arc. This makes the swing arc longer, and again, gives the club more time and room to accumulate speed. Adding speed in the hitting area increases the clubhead’s momentum through the impact area, generating more power.

Below are three drills I use in my golf lessons to teach how to generate more clubhead speed. The key with the drills is learning the feeling of what it is like swinging the clubhead faster, then incorporating that feeling in your swing. Practice the drills faithfully. You will see results fairly quickly.

Widening Your Arc: Right Hand Drill

If your swing arc is narrow, the club has less time and room to build up speed. If your left arm (for right-handers) bends too much during your back swing or is scrunched against your body during your backswing, as I often explain in my golf tips, your swing radius diminishes. This, in turn, narrows your swing arc. To generate more distance, you must keep your arms extended, which isn’t easy if you have too much tension at address. Watch golfers with a low golf handicaps. They are always loose at address.

Ideally, you should feel your left arm extending on the backswing and downswing, with the sensation that you’re swinging the club’s butt away from your body. To achieve this feeling, practice hitting balls with your left hand holding the club and your right hand gripping your left wrist. Stretch the left arm out as you swing back. Use the right hand and arm to move the club farther from your body. The muscles at the top of your left arm should feel stretched as you complete your backswing. Swing slowly to keep club-ball contact solid.

Lengthening Your Arc: Right Foot Drill

Here’s another golf tip: The farther away from the ball the clubhead travels on the backswing, the more potential it has to generate speed on the downswing. Short swing arcs result from a lack of body turn on the backswing. A full turn pushes the club back farther, so it has farther to go — and more time and room to generate speed — coming down. To set the stage for a steeper turn, try the right foot drill. I use it frequently in my golf lessons.

At address, draw your right foot back about 10 inches (like taking a small step backwards, away from the ball, so as to set your stance as closed) and turn the toe of your left foot out at a 45-degree angle to your target. Keep your shoulders and body pointed toward the target. Define the target line by laying two clubs on the ground, pointing toward the target. Now hit some balls. You’ll feel the sensation of your hips and shoulders turning more fully. Remember that feeling. Go back to your normal set-up but incorporate that feeling in your swing.

Adding Speed Through Impact: The Listening Drill

Next time you play a golfer with a low golf handicap, listen closely when he drives his ball. You’ll hear a loud “whoosh.” That’s the sound of clubhead traveling through impact at an enormous speed. That’s the sound of a good ball striker.

This drill teaches you what it feels like to swing a club with incredible speed as it passes in front of your body. You need a driver length shaft, with a grip on it and no clubhead attached. Swing the shaft back and through as in a normal practice swing, listening closely for the “whoosh” as it tears through impact on the downswing. Try to make the whoosh loudest from a point even with your right leg to about midway into the follow-through. If you don’t have a spare shaft, simply turn your driver upside down and grip it on the neck just above the clubhead and the grip of the club will be where the clubhead would normally be.

As you swing, be aware of what body parts move the fastest during the drill. This sensation varies from player to player, then incorporate it in your swing. If it feels like your hands give you the greatest increase in speed, for example, concentrate on using them more actively when you go back to your normal swing.

These three drills generate more clubhead speed. Practice them from 25 to 50 times a session. Make them a daily golf instruction routine. Doing so will improve your mechanics and ingrain the feeling of adding clubhead speed. Once you’ve ingrained this feeling in your mind, take it with you to the practice range and hit some balls. Keep at it. You should find yourself producing more distance off the tee without swinging harder and, probably, cutting strokes off your golf handicap.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book How to Break 80 and Shoot Like the Pros. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicaps immediately.