How to Get More Distance in Golf: Tips from a PT
Have you ever met a golfer who feels like they hit the ball too far? Neither have I. Everyone who has played the game wouldn't mind adding a few yards to their drive.
The key to maximizing your distance in golf is to identify the fundamental factor limiting your swing speed. Then apply the proper training to address that bottleneck.
Of course, there's a bit more nuance to this, so let's dive into some of the most common factors limiting swing speed.
Clubs, Golf Balls, and… Cars?
Whenever I'm with a client during a golf physical therapy session, the question of how to improve their swing and gain distance inevitably comes up. So, to help our understanding, let's consider another type of drive… How about a car trying to break the land speed record?
You would need:
- A lot of horsepower
- Good acceleration
- Components able to handle high speeds
- Open space to get up to speed!
Believe it or not, those same traits apply to maximizing the speed of your golf swing! Besides having a decent swing (we recommend your local golf coach for that), there are four pillars of training that affect how fast you can swing your club — and therefore how far you can hit the golf ball.
These four pillars of training not only apply to professionals but can also benefit recreational golfers looking to improve their distance and enjoy more powerful swings on the course.”
Each builds on the previous and the combination of all four allows you to push the limits of your clubhead speed and maximize your distance in golf. Let's take them down one by one:
1) Maximize by Mobility: Don't Run Out of Runway
Red highlights the “runway” to generate maximum clubhead speed. Limited mobility will shorten the backswing, limit clubhead speed, and therefore ball distance.
If you are trying to break the land speed record, you want as much space as possible, like the wide open of the Utah salt flats or a long open road with plenty of time to get up to speed. The golf drive is no different. If you have limited mobility in your spine, shoulders, or legs, you won't have a full swing.
It would be like trying to get up to speed on a short runway. The more mobility you have, the longer your runway to build up speed. To fully increase your maximum distance in golf, you must make sure you have full mobility.
How can flexibility and stretching help improve your golf distance?
Many golfers have stiff hips or tight muscles that limit their mobility and reduce their runway to build up speed. Hitting the gym 5 days a week won't make you hit farther if mobility is holding you back.
Flexibility and stretching are often overlooked but are critical to improving golf performance, especially when it comes to generating power and adding distance. PGA Tour players know the importance of having a full range of motion to create a smooth, powerful swing.
By working on flexibility, particularly in key areas like the hips, shoulders, and spine, golfers can unlock a greater range of motion, which translates to a longer backswing and a fuller follow-through.
This increased flexibility allows you to generate power more effectively, setting up each swing to add distance without additional strain. Regular stretching routines can make a significant difference, helping you move fluidly and consistently to maximize each shot’s potential.
2) Maximize by Strength: Use Your Horsepower
The strength of the car engine is crucial in breaking the land speed record. The more horsepower the engine has, the better! The same goes for the strength of your muscles in your golf swing.
Having strong muscles in your legs, core, and upper body will provide you with the stability and power to maximize your distance in golf. This randomized study in the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy demonstrated that traditional strength training was just as effective as golf-specific training for improving both driver and 7 iron distance in amateur golfers.
The study found that strength training improved golfers' muscular strength and endurance, resulting in increased driving distance and accuracy. This study highlights the importance of off-the-golf-course strength training for golfers. The stronger you are, the farther the ball goes.
Classic strength-building exercises tend to be the most effective here — think squats, deadlifts, bench press or push-ups, lat pull-downs or pull-ups, and weighted lunges.
It’s also important to choose a shaft weight that complements your strength level, as heavier shafts can sometimes benefit more powerful swings, while lighter shafts may enhance swing speed for those building strength.
3) Maximize Distance by Power: Accelerate From 0 to 60
Medicine Ball Rotational Wall Slam: This exercise helps to increase power through the whole kinetic chain, starting in your feet and building through the core and finally arms, all of which are essential for a fast and powerful golf swing.
People often ask about the difference between strength and power. Strength is how much weight you can lift or push—think of the sheer horsepower an 18-wheeler has. Power, on the other hand, is how quickly you can apply that strength (power = force ✖ velocity), which directly impacts ball speed, ball flight, and helps increase distance on the course.
Imagine a Tesla: it doesn’t have the horsepower of an 18-wheeler, but it accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds. This is the essence of power—the blend of strength and speed. Exercises involving explosive movements, such as medicine ball slams or tosses, are ideal for building power.
Plyometrics are a golfer's secret weapon
Plyometric exercises are powerful tools for golfers looking to enhance their swing mechanics and increase clubhead speeds. These explosive movements, like box jumps or jump squats, train your muscles to generate force quickly, which is essential for creating power in your golf swing.
By incorporating plyometrics, you’re conditioning your body to fire up faster and in a coordinated sequence—just what’s needed to maximize clubhead speed. Aside from medicine ball slams like I mentioned earlier, you can also try:
- Box Jumps – Enhances explosive leg power, improving stability and balance for the swing.
- Jump Squats – Builds lower body strength and speed, crucial for a strong swing foundation.
- Lateral Bounds – Focuses on side-to-side power, ideal for enhancing hip rotation in the swing.
- Depth Jumps – Improves reaction speed and leg power, helping with faster transitions in the swing.
- Rotational Medicine Ball Throws – Strengthens core rotation, translating directly to faster clubhead speed.
4) Maximize Distance by Top Speed: Firing on All Cylinders
So you have a large open space, plenty of horsepower, and a car with great acceleration. But does your car have the components to handle moving at very high speeds? Things like good bearings, tires, fast fuel injection, and streamlined aerodynamics?
Training for speed in your golf swing is about getting your body accustomed to moving at maximum speed. Specifically, a nervous system prepared to fire rapidly and in well-coordinated succession.
One example of speed training involves what some call “overspeed training.” An over-speed training tool consists of different weighted clubs that you swing in a specific sequence to improve your swing speed.
Imagine a golf club without a head on it that instead has a small weight designed to be slightly lighter or heavier than your driver, allowing you to train your body to swing faster over time.
Baseball players use this all of the time when they swing two baseball bats at once or add weights to their bats to warm up before hitting. After swinging with two bats at once, one bat will feel really light and fast.
Low resistance, high-velocity specific training has been demonstrated in multiple studies to improve reaction times and speed in many different sports, including baseball, track, and golf.
Additionally, speed training tends to be more helpful in the older population as reaction times naturally decrease. Speed training is a critical component for any program trying to maximize your distance in golf.
Need Help? Having a Good Pit Crew is Game-Changing!
Client going through an assessment and training at the Agile Golf Program
Having a team of professionals with you will help the car reach its full potential and keep it running in tip-top shape. Here at Agile, we run this golf program that focuses on performance.
We have specialized golf physical therapists who will evaluate and address each of the factors above (and more) to improve your golf swing speed and drive distance.
At your first session, we measure your average drive distance and clubhead speed before we start working with you. Then we address any limitations and develop a personalized training program to improve your golf game.
At the end of the program, we remeasure your drive distance and clubhead speed and compare. We believe that the proof is in the pudding!
Need any repairs or tune-ups? As physical therapists, we are fully prepared to diagnose and treat any injuries to get you into tip-top shape. If necessary, we can also set you up with a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon.
Come to Agile and let us be your mechanic, and we will help you maximize your distance and break your own speed record on the golf course.
Summing up:
Incorporating these physical training elements—mobility, strength, power, and speed—into your routine can make a significant impact on your golf game, helping you gain distance and improve swing mechanics.
While each factor plays a unique role, together they work to unlock your full potential on the course. Remember, improving your golf performance isn’t only about technique; it’s about preparing your body to handle the demands of each swing with power and control.
At Agile Physical Therapy, our team specializes in helping golfers identify and address these critical areas. With the right training plan, you’ll not only be able to increase your clubhead speed but also play more consistently and stay injury-free.
About the Author Ryan Benoit:
Ryan grew up in the Santa Cruz Mountains and graduated from the University of California, Davis with a degree in exercise biology. He moved to Missouri to complete his doctorate of physical therapy at Southwest Baptist University. In his free time, Ryan enjoys jiu-jitsu, golf, surfing, and hiking with his wife and dog. He is an avid audiobook and podcast listener and loves to learn about science, business, and culture. Ryan is also passionate about learning and growing. That is why he loves being part of Agile's orthopedic residency and fellowship to give back to the profession while staying up to date on the latest research to provide the best possible care for his patients.