You will often hear people talk about the power of someone’s golf swing, which is a super important aspect of a player’s setup as far as ball striking is concerned.
But what’s the deal with power in the golf swing, and how do you generate more?
In this article, we take a closer look at the power and explore how it’s generated, why it’s important, and how you can use it to hit the golf ball further this season.
1. What is Golf Power?
When you hear of power in golf, most people are referring to how powerful your golf swing is. As such, it is directly related to how far you can hit the ball, with more powerful players capable of hitting the ball further.
However, you need to be able to combine power with accuracy, as there’s very little point in being able to hit the golf ball 350 yards if you can’t keep it in play!
So, when working on your power, you need to make sure you can hit the ball accurately at the same time.
As is the case with all aspects of your game, you can work on the power that you generate in the golf swing, but it takes time and effort if you want to improve your game as a result.
So, read on to find out everything there is to know about golf power and what you can do to hit the ball further out on the golf course.
2. What Causes Golf Power?
Power is generated by the way that you swing a golf club. If you’re static and don’t swing through the ball, it’s difficult to generate the power necessary to hit the golf ball more than 200 yards.
Therefore, the most powerful players in the game have fluid golf swings* that ensure the optimal transfer of power throughout the body.
Specifically, to generate power in the swing, your hips should turn approximately 45 degrees from your initial address position.
What’s more, you need to ensure that your upper body turns more than your lower body, and you should ensure that your hips don’t remain stagnant.
Without sufficient motion, it’s extremely difficult to transfer power to the ball.
It’s also important to mention that power in the golf swing is equal to speed. In most instances, players who can swing the club faster can generate more speed, and the converse is also true.
3. Where is Most of the Power in the Golf Swing?
The fact of the matter is that your entire body contributes to the generation of power in the golf swing. That being said, most of your power is generated within your core, which is why it’s so important to be flexible and hit through the ball, as opposed to swinging with your arms.
In terms of your arms, keeping a straight left arm is helpful, as it drives power through the ball.
When you bend your left arm, it’s more difficult to generate the optimal amount of power for your golf swing.
When people look to increase their power in golf, they typically work their core and their upper legs, as these are the key areas for the transferral of power from your body to the golf ball and are the source of those huge drives!
So, in short, most of the power in the golf swing comes from your core, but it’s important that all of the aspects of your swing work in tandem to achieve the best possible results.
4. Why is There Little Power in My Golf Swing?
One of the main reasons why there is little power in your golf swing is that you’re swinging the club predominantly with your arms.
This is something that lots of recreational golfers do by mistake, as it feels natural to swing the club in this way.
As mentioned already, rotating your body through the swing is the key to generating sufficient power, and if you’re not rotating your torso, it’s impossible for you to generate the power you need to smash the ball down the fairway.
Another issue to consider is the way that you grip the club, as a poor or mismatched grip can cause big issues as far as power is concerned.**
Many long drives opt for thicker jumbo grips, as they’re much better for transferring power.
In order to work on the power of your golf swing, it’s really important to consider your technique, making sure that you rotate through your ball striking to generate sufficient power.
5. How Do You Generate More Power in Golf?
The first and most important thing when trying to generate more power in golf is to work on your technique.
This might surprise some people, but the reality is that your technique has a huge influence on how powerful your shots are.
Again, the key is in rotation, which should be your focal point when working on the power of your swing.
But there is also a range of exercises that you can do to work on the strength of your core, which can also help you to generate more power on the golf course.
Helpfully, there are lots of different exercises that you can perform at home to increase the power of your core, such as the rotational plank, monkey crawl, and diagonal plate raise, all of which you can incorporate into your daily exercise routine.***
While it takes time to strengthen your core, putting in the effort is undoubtedly worth it, and you will see the results that you desire when you head to the range to work on your long game.
6. Should I Use a Trainer to Increase My Golf Power?
Some people find that hiring a personal trainer provides them with the motivation that they need to achieve their health and fitness goals, while others are able to motivate themselves by working out alone.
Either way, incorporating core exercises into your workout routine can make a big difference in how powerful your golf swing is.
This is also true for back, shoulder, and upper arm exercises, all of which can help you generate more power.
As well as using a trainer, it’s a good idea to schedule some lessons with a golf professional when you’re trying to work on your power.
This is because a golf coach will help you improve your technique, ensuring that you can generate the maximum amount of power when you’re on the tee.
So, you certainly can hire a trainer to help you increase your power, but it makes sense to work on your technique with a golf coach at the same time.
7. What About Good Golf Exercises for Power?
There are so many different exercises that you can do to work on your core, which in turn will help you hit more powerful golf shots. Though not an exhaustive list, here are some exercises that you should consider:
- Bridges
- Crunches & bicycle crunches
- Supine toe taps
- Bird dogs
- Planks
- Mountain climbers
The beauty of these exercises is that they enable you to work on your core without any equipment, meaning you can do them anywhere at any time without signing up for an expensive gym membership.
Working on your drives out on the range is a great way to build up your power over time, and adjusting the technique and mechanics of your swing with a golf coach are perfect supplements to the above simple exercises you can do to boost your power.
8. How Can Senior Golfers Increase Power Safely?
For senior golfers, increasing power is all about maintaining flexibility. It’s unlikely that a senior golfer is going to be able to rip it 300+ yards down the center of the fairway, so explosive power shouldn’t be the goal.
But as you get older, your joints become less flexible, making it more difficult to generate power from rotations in your golf swing.
As a result, many senior players swing the club mainly with their arms, as opposed to swinging from the core.
Therefore, senior players should work on the flexibility of their core to ensure that they can still generate power from the rotations in their swing, which can be done through simple exercises at the gym.
Changing the grip can also make a difference, and using a slightly thicker grip can help with power for senior players.
It also has the benefit of reducing vibrations and making injuries less likely when you get older.
Conclusion
As we’ve explored, power in the golf swing mainly comes from the core and is something that you can work on in the gym and out on the range.
If you have a more powerful golf swing, you can hit the ball further, which is something that every golfer could get on board with!
So, be sure to use the above tips to work on your power this season, and relish the opportunity of hitting the ball that little bit further down the fairway!
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