The truth behind distance.....Do you have to be fit and work out?

[mvmac]

Doesn't take a genius to work out what these boys work on during their strength training. Legs like footballers these days.

I believe this is where you can gain some distance if you wanted to do some power/heavy work to boost your distances.

Check out any pic of Justin Rose 10 years ago Vs now - some serious leg strength gains.

Just want to point out that Rory and Justin Rose still hit it long before they started lifting. I'm sure it does help a little but if the average golfer wants to increase their clubhead speed the first place to look is at the golfer's mechanics. Someone can lift all they want but if their swing sucks it won't matter.

I feel the strength gains help more with injury prevention than increasing swing speed.

[dunlucedreams]

Just want to point out that Rory and Justin Rose still hit it long before they started lifting. I'm sure it does help a little but if the average golfer wants to increase their clubhead speed the first place to look is at the golfer's mechanics. Someone can lift all they want [SIZE=13px]but if their swing sucks it won't matter.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13px]I feel the strength gains help more with injury prevention than increasing swing speed.[/SIZE]

Would you say then that when a player is already mechanically sound that he/she may then work on strength to eek out more distance? I'm not convinced that golfers work out specifically for injury prevention? I would have thought it was a by product of the work they do for other reasons? Ie core strength or glute strength. Just to confirm that by no means would I prioritise working out for 'golf strength' above training for good swing mechanics! :-)

[mvmac]

I think someone should workout because they want to be stronger, more mobile, healthier, if it also results in them picking up speed with their golf swing, then that's a great bonus.

The players hit a lot of balls, play a lot of golf and travel around the world, it can take it's toll on the body. So being stronger in the core, glutes, legs, posterior chain can help make them more injury "proof" against lower back, neck and knee problems. Can also help their endurance/energy level.

[dunlucedreams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunlucedreams


Would you say then that when a player is already mechanically sound that he/she may then work on strength to eek out more distance?

I think someone should workout because they want to be stronger, more mobile, healthier, if it also results in them picking up speed with their golf swing, then that's a great bonus.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunlucedreams


I'm not convinced that golfers work out specifically for injury prevention? I would have thought it was a by product of the work they do for other reasons? Ie core strength or glute strength.

The players hit a lot of balls, play a lot of golf and travel around the world, it can take it's toll on the body. So being stronger in the core, glutes, legs, posterior chain can help make them more injury "proof" against lower back, neck and knee problems. Can also help their endurance/energy level.

I think that there are multiple benefits from a well balanced fitness regime, both golfing and non golfing. :beer: Unless you do a Camillo and the workout and body becomes obsessively more paramount than good golf! :~(

[Lihu]

Maybe, I'm sure that's a large part of it. But the effort I'm referring to occurs towards the bottom of the DS where I really try to increase club head speed with weight forward, hip then body rotation. Feel ain't real so all I can go by are the results. Only on those swings is 240-250+ in total distance possible (measured by GPS). Going by videos of my iron swing, I'm certain my head moves much more when I try to put everything into a driver swing (hence the inconsistency). On my normal swing I average less. . .

If all your speed is from A3 to impact, I don't see where it would stress anything to move faster. You're losing 3 clubs for what seems like no good reason.

[JonMA1]

If all your speed is from A3 to impact, I don't see where it would stress anything to move faster.

You're losing 3 clubs for what seems like no good reason.

I don't know what to tell you except that landing shots O.O.B. is reason enough for me. It's not like swing B gets me 240 in play with the same frequency as 220 with swing A.

As far as why, I would have to take video to see where things go wrong. Sometimes I can feel that my timing or sequence is off, sometimes I simply miss the sweet spot, pop it up, etc. Not that those things don't happen normally, just not as often. The swing involves more body movement and different timing. Perhaps as a result there are issues that arise.. I'm not sure.

I agree with you (I think) in that I need to practice what produces more distance but it isn't something I can accomplish overnight. I still have to use proper judgement while playing a round. While distance is very important, I can't ignore the present reality which is that penalty shots are what kill my scores more so than using an 8 iron instead of a PW to get on the green. Believe me, I'd love for the later to be my biggest concern.

[inthehole]

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Originally Posted by inthehole

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Originally Posted by Lihu

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Originally Posted by inthehole

I think it's not all about being fit, its how much dedication you want to put into developing a controllable golf swing when you swing REALLY hard.   If I swung Hard, I'm talking really hard, there's no doubt that I could hit it 30-40 yards farther than my usual 240 or so.

Easily.    I've done it at long drive holes at scramble events.

Having said that, I know I would not be able to control it, so I never do it during an actual round.     It all comes down to how committed a person is to the game - if they really feel a need to swing near their theoretical potential and are willing to put in the time necessary to develop that swing that they can control at that maximum swing speed, more power to them.    Assuming a person has fairly decent coordination and muscle mass, its dedication and practice that matters most to gain length, being fit helps of course, but isn't required.

Why not just hit driver 270-280 all the time? 4 clubs is a lot to give up.

I just don't have the mechanics to put that swing on the course - timing isn't reliable enough ... just way too much that can go wrong.    My putting is so bad, I just can't afford to not keep the ball on the fairway - as for my game, I've come to realize GIR's are paramount, as my putting is the weakest part of my game.   Plus as it is I have to take ibuprofen prior to a round, no way my back would hold up to that hard of a swing over time.

That makes some sense. Giving up that much distance is such a painful thing to do.

Not really, I guess distance isn't as important to me as most guys.    I don't compete.    I just play golf for exercise and the challenge of seeing how good I can get with the body I have left ... and I enjoy hitting fairways and GIR's more than putting everything I have into a tee shot which would have a fair chance of being (really) bad.

[GangGreen]

I'll let you know in about 2 months (when the season starts up again for me). I started some light weight training this offseason primarily to help my endurance on the golf course. I hit a lot of balls last year between lessons, practice, and rounds and felt totally beat-up by the end-of-summer and the soreness/fatigue definately affected my swing as the season progressed. I'm hopeful that being in better physical shape keeps my swing "intact" during rounds and through-out the season. If I can get an extra 5-10 yards more, all the better, although I tend to think the real gains will come more from continuing lessons and improving my ball striking. Where I think the improved fitness/strength will help is those late season back 9's when the body is screaming "no mas" and the swing starts getting sloppy as a result.

[rkim291968]

I started doing golf specific workout as part of my effort to improve my golf game.   I am not looking for a 40 yard improvement in distance like one of the posters here.   I will be happy with 20 yard improvement.

(Fitted for new clubs and taking lessons, too, just in case working out doesn't do anything to my golf game.)

[Lihu]

I started doing golf specific workout as part of my effort to improve my golf game.   I am not looking for a 40 yard improvement in distance like one of the posters here.   I will be happy with 20 yard improvement.

(Fitted for new clubs and taking lessons, too, just in case working out doesn't do anything to my golf game.)

40 yards Driver/iron seems reasonable.

Getting lessons is a great idea!

[rkim291968]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkim291968

I started doing golf specific workout as part of my effort to improve my golf game.   I am not looking for a 40 yard improvement in distance like one of the posters here.   I will be happy with 20 yard improvement.

(Fitted for new clubs and taking lessons, too, just in case working out doesn't do anything to my golf game.)

40 yards Driver/iron seems reasonable.

Getting lessons is a great idea!

You inspired me to take lessons.  I will send you the bill.

[Lihu]

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Originally Posted by Lihu

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkim291968

I started doing golf specific workout as part of my effort to improve my golf game.   I am not looking for a 40 yard improvement in distance like one of the posters here.   I will be happy with 20 yard improvement.

(Fitted for new clubs and taking lessons, too, just in case working out doesn't do anything to my golf game.)

40 yards Driver/iron seems reasonable.

Getting lessons is a great idea!

You inspired me to take lessons.  I will send you the bills.

50s and 100s will be fine. Thanks.

[bpeezer]

Some people can get 300+ yards with great mechanics and a little work on fitness.  Some get 300+ yards with ok mechanics and a lot of work on fitness.  But I believe the real long drivers, guys that do 400+, definitely have both mechanics and fitness going for them.

[Grinde6]

I have been working like crazy on my fitness this off season.  Started out with the T-25 workouts, finished that twice, then coupled it with the Joey D Golf training.  Felt myself really getting stronger and visibly too.  Since I have completed both of those I have been working out in the gym doing a golf specific workout I found and on days I don't do that I am working my legs and glutes.  I have dropped 15 pounds, but have put on quite a bit of muscle most notably in my legs which is good for golf.  Anyways, from last winter to this winter I have picked up over 6 mph in club head speed and haven't changed my swing much at all.  So I am on the side that believes fitness (mostly in the quads, glutes, hamstrings and core) does improve club head speed.  Its all about the rotation and how much coil you can get (core) and then how to release that coil (core and legs/glutes).

just my .02

[Crim]

I have been working like crazy on my fitness this off season.  Started out with the T-25 workouts, finished that twice, then coupled it with the Joey D Golf training.  Felt myself really getting stronger and visibly too.  Since I have completed both of those I have been working out in the gym doing a golf specific workout I found and on days I don't do that I am working my legs and glutes.  I have dropped 15 pounds, but have put on quite a bit of muscle most notably in my legs which is good for golf.  Anyways, from last winter to this winter I have picked up over 6 mph in club head speed and haven't changed my swing much at all.  So I am on the side that believes fitness (mostly in the quads, glutes, hamstrings and core) does improve club head speed.  Its all about the rotation and how much coil you can get (core) and then how to release that coil (core and legs/glutes).

just my .02

Joey D workout worth the money? I'm looking for some fitness to do at home that's golf related.

[Grinde6]

If your looking for at home, yes. I noticeably saw gains in my body in the 30 days of doing it. I did it twice because, well why not. It's a good program and it kickstarted my workout routine.

[DrvFrShow]

Back in October I hit legs, glutes and core very heavily and picked up 10 yds with my irons. Now I probably lost it.

[nilssoa]

I have been doing a bodyweight training routine from the book convict conditioning for a while and are seeing great results. Mostly in flexibility and body awareness so far. Finally I understand and can feel what it´s like to be on the swingplane, feels like cheating :). Played this seasons first 9 last weekend, hit 6/7 fairways the one I missed was straight but too long.

In the sequel CC2 the author has some pretty interesting theories about streching and how to achieve range of motion. Kindle version of the books is under 10$ each on amazon, money well spent.