New Speed Trainer - Speed Stik

[CarlSpackler]

Hank Haney has been pushing a new speed trainer called The Speed Stick. It's a new twist on a device where something slides down the shaft and makes a noise when it collides with the weight at the end of the shaft where the club head would be. The weight is held in place up the shaft with an adjustable magnet. The stronger the magnetic setting, the higher your swing speed needs to be to get it to release. Also, the higher you swing speed, the louder the crack sound it makes when it collides. You point it to the sky reset for your next swing. 

I'm posting here for discussion and debate. How useful is a device like this?

[billchao]

35 minutes ago, CarlSpackler said:

I'm posting here for discussion and debate. How useful is a device like this?

I can't speak to the effectiveness of the device itself, but other members have done other swing speed programs and they basically said you lose the gain in swing speed once you stop doing the program iirc.

 @cedrictheo @SavvySwede 

[CarlSpackler]

8 minutes ago, billchao said:

I can't speak to the effectiveness of the device itself, but other members have done other swing speed programs and they basically said you lose the gain in swing speed once you stop doing the program iirc.

 @cedrictheo @SavvySwede 

I would say that is a general truth when it comes to practice. I haven't played the drums in over 2 months, so I'm going to be a bit rusty and might when I pick up some sticks again. Those unfortunate souls that have this thing called winter, you have to shake off the rust every spring unless you set up or have an indoor hitting area. 

[billchao]

28 minutes ago, CarlSpackler said:

I would say that is a general truth when it comes to practice. I haven't played the drums in over 2 months, so I'm going to be a bit rusty and might when I pick up some sticks again. Those unfortunate souls that have this thing called winter, you have to shake off the rust every spring unless you set up or have an indoor hitting area. 

I agree with the gist of what you're saying, but I think with the speed training there is next to no gain unless you keep doing the program. Other things you train and practice you retain some of the improvement you made.

If you lift weights and get strong enough to benchpress 250, then quit for a month, you're probably not going to be able to benchpress 250 when you start back up but you will still be stronger than before you started training.

With the swing speed training as I understand it (I never did it myself), if you start at 105, train all summer to get to 110-115, you go back to 105 in a short amount of time when you stop the program.

It would probably be fine if you could stick with it in perpetuity, but you'd have to be pretty dedicated to stick with a workout program like that, and even then one can make the argument that you can see more gains spending that time working on improving your swing rather than training yourself to swing your current swing faster (I'm using "you' in the general sense, not you in particular, Shane).

[Hacker James]

There are a number of similar devices. Prices range from $49 to over $100. One even bears the same name but spells "Stick". I thought of taking an old fairway wood shaft, drilling holes in 2 (or 3) golf balls, Slide them over the shaft with the bottom one glued in place. Not sure how effective that would be as you would have to "wait" or "pose" at the top to allow the ball to slide all the way to the grip. OTOH, arguably this might not be a bad idea, but might be detrimental. One way to eliminate that would be to have the diameter of the hole in the "top" ball just large enough to permit sliding, but small enough to be held in place near the top by friction due to taper of the shaft. Your tempo could then overcome the friction and allow the ball to slide and "crack" into the ball at the end.  I dunno..probably not worth the effort....

[newtogolf]

I do training with the Orange Whip and Speed Stick and I've increased my swing speed about 5 mph with all my clubs.  I'm not sure why you would want to stop training when you're seeing results.  

[Valleygolfer]

1 hour ago, billchao said:

I agree with the gist of what you're saying, but I think with the speed training there is next to no gain unless you keep doing the program. Other things you train and practice you retain some of the improvement you made.

If you lift weights and get strong enough to benchpress 250, then quit for a month, you're probably not going to be able to benchpress 250 when you start back up but you will still be stronger than before you started training.

With the swing speed training as I understand it (I never did it myself), if you start at 105, train all summer to get to 110-115, you go back to 105 in a short amount of time when you stop the program.

It would probably be fine if you could stick with it in perpetuity, but you'd have to be pretty dedicated to stick with a workout program like that, and even then one can make the argument that you can see more gains spending that time working on improving your swing rather than training yourself to swing your current swing faster (I'm using "you' in the general sense, not you in particular, Shane).

All you have to do is use it a few minutes a day, if it works.... "7 minute swings"....."BAM!!!"

[CarlSpackler]

Are there any thoughts on timing of the crack and benefits of it?

BTW-This isn't something I'm actively considering. My email has been getting bombarded from Haney trying to sell this device and thought I would bring it here to be discussed before everyone runs out to buy it. Always good to have information to read upfront. 

[No Mulligans]

I think you can achieve the same goal as the Speed Stik of releasing the club at the right time with the driver you already have but held upside down.  See about 1:35 of this video:

 

I did overspeed training and went from a slow 75 mph to 93 mph all in a few weeks of three days a week 10 minute sessions.  I now do the training maybe three times a month and have dropped to about 90 mph.  (These speeds are per my speed radar, not sure if it is accurate but is valid for measuring the change in swing speed.  When I did a demo with a Trackman I was getting about 5 mph faster than my radar had indicated),

Before all this, when I struck the ball well it went 200 - 210 yards.  Now it's 240 - 250 yards.  For me it worked (I didn't use this product though).  My point, I've only had to do very little maintenance work to maintain most of the gains I achieved.

All I do is periodically tag the speed training on to the end of a weight training workout.  Basically it's just like adding an additional exercise to the mix.

[boogielicious]

23 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

I would say that is a general truth when it comes to practice. I haven't played the drums in over 2 months, so I'm going to be a bit rusty and might when I pick up some sticks again. Those unfortunate souls that have this thing called winter, you have to shake off the rust every spring unless you set up or have an indoor hitting area. 

Been gone what, 3 months, and you already have forgotten the delights of three feet of snow? 

[CarlSpackler]

25 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

Been gone what, 3 months, and you already have forgotten the delights of three feet of snow? 

It took less than a week. 

[Buckeyebowman]

I have no doubt that this gizmo will help you increase your clubhead speed. But to what end? If you're in a hunched over posture, or an overly upright posture, and making an incorrect swing, what good does swinging faster do you? You will hit the ball farther in the wrong direction!

Get the correct posture and plane, and things seem to iron themselves out if you have a half decent swing!

[CarlSpackler]

15 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

I have no doubt that this gizmo will help you increase your clubhead speed. But to what end? If you're in a hunched over posture, or an overly upright posture, and making an incorrect swing, what good does swinging faster do you? You will hit the ball farther in the wrong direction!

Get the correct posture and plane, and things seem to iron themselves out if you have a half decent swing!

I swing at a certain speed because I feel that is the safe speed to hit the ball and keep it in play. The other components of your swing, keys 1-5, are going to determine contact. The question is, can you swing faster and still keep the ball in play. If you don't have at least keys 1-3 down, a faster swing is going to throw off the timing of your compensations and make the ball go who knows where. If you have a solid foundation with minimal compensations, faster should translate directly to greater distance. Probably over simplified some since trying to swing faster might disrupt key 1 for instance.

[newtogolf]

4 minutes ago, CarlSpackler said:

I swing at a certain speed because I feel that is the safe speed to hit the ball and keep it in play. The other components of your swing, keys 1-5, are going to determine contact. The question is, can you swing faster and still keep the ball in play. If you don't have at least keys 1-3 down, a faster swing is going to throw off the timing of your compensations and make the ball go who knows where. If you have a solid foundation with minimal compensations, faster should translate directly to greater distance. Probably over simplified some since trying to swing faster might disrupt key 1 for instance.

Like any training aid, the Speed Stik isn't perfect.  You can misuse it and get the audible feedback that would signify a good swing but it's not really easy to do.  When you use it, you have to maintain proper golf swing form otherwise it's a waste of your time.  

The point is to use proper form to make it click and continue to increase the difficulty setting (which requires greater swing speed) to make the audible click at the proper time.  I would say it's taught me to swing more efficiently and smoother than it has increased my strength or flexibility.  

I found that before using Orange Whip and Speed Stik I had a tendency to swing to the ball and that I was most likely decelerating prior to impact in anticipation of striking the ball.  By using Speed Stik I'm now swinging thru the ball and not decelerating prior to impact.  It's been a great training aid for me, has added at least 5mph to my swing and at least 20 yards distance to my drives.  It has also improved the number of fairways I hit due to improving my follow thru.  I had a tendency to short arm my drives which put a lot of side spin on them and they would power fade off the fairway which has almost been eliminated except for some mental lapses.  

[Hacker James]

I've no doubt the device would help some. I have noticed that as of late, Hank Haney's mantra seems to emphasize swinging harder/faster. He has been advocating this for some time now, even before he started promoting Speed Stik.  It just sounds too much like "Flavor of the Month". I really can not compare it with Orange Whip as I have not tried either. I do like the idea of audible feedback however. I tried to make one by drilling through some golf balls and placing on fairway wood shaft. Worked great for a couple of swings, then as I got more agressive the two balls on the end went flying off into the next county. Guess I should have used two part epoxy.

[No Mulligans]

43 minutes ago, CarlSpackler said:

I swing at a certain speed because I feel that is the safe speed to hit the ball and keep it in play. The other components of your swing, keys 1-5, are going to determine contact. The question is, can you swing faster and still keep the ball in play. If you don't have at least keys 1-3 down, a faster swing is going to throw off the timing of your compensations and make the ball go who knows where. If you have a solid foundation with minimal compensations, faster should translate directly to greater distance. Probably over simplified some since trying to swing faster might disrupt key 1 for instance.

One thing I keep reminding myself is fast not hard.  That swing thought increases my speed and I don't seem to have an issue with decreased accuracy.  I'm guessing my faster swings are actually a little more accurate and consistent.  It's counter-intuitive but that's the way it works for me.  My guess is when trying to swing faster I actually get into a better plane.  Keep in mind that I'm about to turn 59 and have had some health issues, my swing is not that fast.

[newtogolf]

6 minutes ago, No Mulligans said:

One thing I keep reminding myself is fast not hard.  That swing thought increases my speed and I don't seem to have an issue with decreased accuracy.  I'm guessing my faster swings are actually a little more accurate and consistent.  It's counter-intuitive but that's the way it works for me.  My guess is when trying to swing faster I actually get into a better plane.  Keep in mind that I'm about to turn 59 and have had some health issues, my swing is not that fast.

That is key and the SpeedStik or any products like it (I'm not trying to push this product in particular) reward a fast swing, not a hard one.  I learned a hard swing is a slow swing for me, the more relaxed and free moving I am, the faster my swing speed is.  

[Hacker James]

Seve Ballesteros (and others) used to say "Swing Easy, Hit Hard".