How can you develop more power in your golf swing? This is probably a question that all of us want an answer to. Most of us go to great lengths to do whatever it takes to get that “power” into our drives off the tee. I think we probably all have some ideas of where 300-yard drives come from, but I want to give you the answers without any “fluff.”

Golf swing power is the result of three specific factors. Two out of the three are much more important, but the third does have a bearing on the outcome of how far you hit that ball.

The first and probably most evident of the three is your swing mechanics. I bet you are not surprised by this one.

The second one is probably the least recognized of the three, but for many is the “key” to longer drives and the category that is given the least amount of attention. Number two is what we term golf strength. This is defined as how well your body is conditioned (i.e. fitness) to swing a golf club with maximum power. Probably the least understood of the three, and maybe the most needed by golfers in general. We will talk more about this later. Let us move on to number three in regards to power for your drives.

Number three is your equipment. Yes, equipment does make a difference in how far you drive the ball. The equipment manufacturers have let this fact be known, 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 another 20 yards on every drive. That extra 20 yards might not be down the middle of the fairway, but it will give you an extra 20 yards… could be left, could be right, or could be in 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.

Swing Mechanics

I think all of us are aware of how important the mechanics of a swing are when it comes to driving the ball down the fairway. It is essential, if you are over the top with your swing or come inside too much, you’ll see that dreaded slice or snap hook. The drives will be short, too low, too high, left, right, or a combination of these if you are putting bad swings on the ball.

It is essential for a golfer to work on the mechanics of their swing, week in and week out, to improve their game. If it weren’t important why would all these tour players have swing coaches that work with them on a consistent basis? The golf swing is such a finite, mechanically complex movement, that requires constant work to keep it highly efficient and in check.

One of the most common mistakes I see amateurs make is probably a lack of instruction. I see amateurs over and over at the driving ranges, week in and week out, pounding balls without any improvement. This, I feel, is a result of one of two things: 1) a lack of instruction or 2) 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 most anyone to find a good instructor and take lessons on a consistent basis. This can only help your game in the long run. Now moving on the second point of how to achieve powerful drives and that is golf strength.

Golf Strength (Golf Fitness)

Golf strength is a term we use to describe the golf fitness level of an individual pertaining to swinging a club. This is much different than how much you can bench press or squat, which I like to refer to as “weight room strength.” Understand that these two terms, 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 teeing it up on Tour? The answer to that question is quite obvious, none!

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 the required capacities of the aforementioned list, then the result will be? Anyone want to guess? Well, let me give you the answer: a less than optimal and less efficient swing than possible. Essentially, your body supports your swing much like a foundation supports the house you build upon it. I am sure that all of you would choose to build a house on a stone foundation rather than a sand foundation, wouldn’t you? I will say that many of you make a different choice when it comes to your golf swing. I quite often see amateurs developing their swing on a “foundation of sand,” not a good thing to do in my book.

Regardless of how much time you work on your swing mechanics, if your body does not have the “golf strength” to support your 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. A review of the topics tells us that they are optimal swing mechanics and the proper levels of “golf strength” in the body. One without the other is going to leave you short when it comes to your potential in the game.

Again, I probably see point number two, golf strength, being addressed less often than swing mechanics when you get right down to it. The pros are all aware of the importance of golf strength, why not you?

Equipment

We have come to the final point, and that is equipment. I think the majority of golfers are aware of the technological advances that have occurred in golf equipment over the last 20 years. I mean, think about the ’80′s when we were still playing with woods that actually had wood club heads! Imagine that for a moment, and now we are using drivers with space age faces that shoot the ball off of them at warp speed. In addition, we have to mention the advances in terms of 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.

So what does that tell us?

1) Club manufacturers have done a great, and I mean great, job in the advancement of technology, and

2) to increase the distance on your drives you are now going to have to turn to points one and two of this article.

So what does improving your power really come down to?

It comes down to three simple ideas. Number one is improving your golf swing mechanics. Improved mechanics will improve your driving distance. Number two is improving your golf strength. By improving your body as it pertains to the golf swing you will improve your distance off the tee. Finally, equipment does make a difference, if you hit the ball correctly.

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. To learn more about Sean Cochran and his golf fitness programs go to http://www.seancochran.com

Technorati Tags: Developing, Power, swing

The slice is probably one of the most common swing flaws for amateurs. It is an outside-to-inside swing path that creates side spin on the golf ball.

The side spin causes the ball to cut hard to the side, making it a very frustrating day on the course. It also seems to be one of the most difficult swing flaws to fix.

There have been hundreds of so-called golf training aids that guarantee to cure your slice. And I am sure we have all bought or thought about buying one of these gadgets after a frustrating day on the course.

Some of these golf-training aids do help you to cure your slice; others do not.

In addition to golf training aids, there have been countless articles written about the golf slice.

These articles discuss the slice in-depth and oftentimes provide “fixes” for the golf slice.

If you’ve been a golfer for any amount of time, I am sure you’ve come across at least one or two of these articles. Maybe you have even tried to implement some of the suggested fixes into your golf swing. Some of these golf swing fixes may have helped, others maybe not.

At BioForce Golf we are committed to improving your golf game. And we believe it is fundamentally a process of improving both the body and swing.

As a result, we are committed to providing you cutting-edge, researched, and PGA-Tour-proven information in the areas of golf instruction, golf fitness, and golf swing improvement.

Providing information on curing swing flaws like the slice is no different. Recently, some research from the University of North Carolina provided some interesting information on curing the slice.

A Professor from UNC and the head teaching pro from Pinehurst (venue of the 2005 US Open) performed a series of research studies on the golf swing slice.

These researchers took a group of golfers prone to slicing the golf ball through a battery of tests. These tests were to determine the best swing drills to the cure the dreaded slice.

Golf swing drills, in general, break down the golf swing into manageable parts to allow an individual to work on a specific part of the swing.

It is very difficult, as we all know, to work on “fixing” your swing when performing a full swing. It becomes too much for the brain and body to process.

It is usually best to break down the swing into parts and implement drills that work on specific parts of the swing. This allows you to simplify the process, fix the area of the swing that needs work, and eventually bring it back into the full golf swing.

Back to the research project on the slice and the swing drills. After the process of taking these amateur golfers through this battery of swing drills, the researchers found that two swing drills were of the greatest benefit.

These two drills apparently showed the greatest effect on assisting the amateur golfer prone to slicing to fix such a problem.

The first drill that showed benefit was the “toe-in drill.” This drill apparently placed the golfer in the correct positions during the swing to assist in curing the slice.

The second drill was the “split hand.” This drill helped the amateur “feel” the correct release of the club and the swing path of the club.

Again, both of these drills during this research project indicated the greatest amount of help to the amateur in the attempt to cure the slice.

What points of validity can we draw from this research project? Obviously, the “split hand” and “toe-in drill” are beneficial in assisting an amateur golfer with the slice.

Secondly, it probably indicated that there are many swing drills and possibly training aides that are not beneficial to amateur golfer.

This points to the idea that the amateur golfer must understand the swing in order to decipher what are the best drills for their swing.

Finally, it indicates that proper swing mechanics are necessary for fundamental success on the golf course.

Obviously, a poor golf swing will result in poor play on the golf course.

Implement this and other information provided by Sean Cochran to help develop a better golf swing.

About the Author

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. To learn more about Sean and his golf fitness programs go to http://www.seancochran.com

Technorati Tags: Developing, Power, swing

Imagine every one of your shots in the middle of the fairway, every chip two feet from the hole, and every putt nailing the center of the cup. Well, maybe some of us dream of never having to ever putt and each approach shot goes into the hole, but I think you get the picture. A consistent swing is probably what many golfers dream of when our heads hit the pillow.

The majority of us are aware that golf is a game that requires consistent shot making to be successful (and have fun). If we are hooking, slicing, and hitting our wedges fat, it can really start to get frustrating. Consistency is key to hitting a low score and enjoying the game. So how do we get there?

First, let us do a little review of the golf swing. To hit the ball squarely on the center of the club head you must take the club through the proper swing path. A proper swing path will allow the club to align itself correctly with the ball to hit the shot you are trying to hit. For more advanced players this could be in the form of a draw, fade, cut, or some other variation. Higher handicappers will be happy with just plain old straight shots. Anyway, this process begins with your address, moves through your take away, into the back swing, onto the transition between back swing and down swing, into contact, and finishes with the follow through.

Quite a complex sequence of events for the body to perform! And we all know that if our timing is slightly off, or we are just a little off mechanically, disaster is the result.

Knowing that a consistent swing requires the execution of these complex moves over and over again is quite mind-blowing. But let’s get back to our question: how do we develop a consistent golf swing? The answer is two-fold, and I imagine most golfers are aware of the first point but probably only a few are aware of the second. The keys to a consistent swing are: 1) efficient golf swing mechanics and 2) the body. Got it? Good, now I can stop writing this article and all of us can become scratch golfers, right? Well, not exactly, and I imagine some of you are saying, “I already know all this stuff.” Others may be quite intrigued. Regardless of which category you fall into, let me expand on each of these topics a little.

Golf Swing Mechanics

Golf Swing mechanics is probably the easier of the two areas to understand. It is the reason why we take golf lessons and practice so much at the range. Beginning at address, moving through all the stages of the golf swing, and finishing with the follow through, the body is required to move through a specific sequence of movements to perform the golf swing correctly. If the body does not move through this sequence properly then the result will be a poor, inefficient and awkward looking swing. Over time, a poor swing results in poor consistency (every once in awhile you hit a good shot regardless of your swing, that’s what keeps us coming back for more). An easy example of this is when you “come over the top” with the club. This usually results in a slice (I know, easy thing to do and very hard to correct).

In addition to the body performing an intricate number of biomechanical movements in the golf swing, timing of these movements is critical for you to hit the ball successfully. Each and every biomechanical movement within the golf swing has a certain sequence and timing. If they are not performed in the correct order or timing, then the golf swing will not be efficient. Poor timing results in those wonderful slices, snap hooks, chili dips and topping the ball that we know all too well.

Now, how do we improve on the mechanics of the golf swing? I would have to say it is through two things:

1) Proper instruction (Find a good teacher and stick with that teacher. Most of the pros do, why not you?) and

2) Practice, practice, practice. As they say “practice makes perfect”, and I believe this is true when it comes to the golf swing.

Fix the Engine that Swings the Club

Now, on to the second point when it comes to consistency in golf. Again, this is probably the lesser known of the two points about consistency in the swing. It is also equally as important as the mechanics of your swing. One question might help you realize the importance of “the body” when it comes to the golf swing. What swings the golf club?

Some of the answers I have heard are: “my hands,” “the swing,” “my hips” and even “the grip.” Well, these answers are in the ballpark and are close to being right, but let me simplify it for you. The answer is your body. Quite simple when you think about it: The club head is attached to the shaft, your hands grip the shaft, your arms are attached to your shoulders, your hips rotate through the swing, and on and on we go. It is the body that swings the club. So why is this so important to consistency in your golf game?

We know from our golf lessons, that there are certain positions the body is required to be in during the golf swing. For example, at address we know that the feet are slightly wider than shoulder width, knees slightly bent, back at a certain angle, head in a specific position, and our hands gripping the club a certain way. This is only the beginning of what the body has to do to swing the club correctly. Now, from the address position your body must move the club on the correct path and generate club head speed to hit the ball accurately and with power. Doing this over and over is what we define as consistency.

What most people do not understand is that for the body to perform the golf swing correctly, certain parameters need to be met by the body. The body must have certain levels of flexibility, strength, endurance, balance, stability, and power. If your body does not have the minimal levels of these factors in relation to the golf swing, then what do you think will happen? Well, let me tell you, it will be very difficult for the body to swing the club with the correct mechanics. And what will this result in over time? A large amount of time spent on the range with little improvement on the course and a swing that looks less than desirable.

So what does consistency in my golf swing really come down to?

It is vital to understand that improvements in your golf swing mechanics and improvements in your body specific to golf are equally important when it comes to creating a consistent golf swing. If you ignore either the body or the mechanics, it would be safe to say that your golf swing and game will suffer. Take some time on a routine basis to address both the mechanics of your swing and the body supporting it. I think you will find the benefits to be very rewarding.

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. To lesrn more about Sean Cochran and his golf fitness programs go to http://www.seancochran.com

Technorati Tags: Developing, Power, swing

How can you develop more power in your golf swing? This is probably a question that all of us want an answer to. Most of us go to great lengths to do whatever it takes to get that “power” into our drives off the tee. I think we probably all have some ideas of where 300-yard drives come from, but I want to give you the answers without any “fluff.”

Golf swing power is the result of three specific factors. Two out of the three are much more important, but the third does have a bearing on the outcome of how far you hit that ball.

The first and probably most evident of the three is your swing mechanics. I bet you are not surprised by this one.

The second one is probably the least recognized of the three, but for many is the “key” to longer drives and the category that is given the least amount of attention. Number two is what we term golf strength. This is defined as how well your body is conditioned (i.e. fitness) to swing a golf club with maximum power. Probably the least understood of the three, and maybe the most needed by golfers in general. We will talk more about this later. Let us move on to number three in regards to power for your drives.

Number three is your equipment. Yes, equipment does make a difference in how far you drive the ball. The equipment manufacturers have let this fact be known, 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 another 20 yards on every drive. That extra 20 yards might not be down the middle of the fairway, but it will give you an extra 20 yards… could be left, could be right, or could be in 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.

Swing Mechanics

I think all of us are aware of how important the mechanics of a swing are when it comes to driving the ball down the fairway. It is essential, if you are over the top with your swing or come inside too much, you’ll see that dreaded slice or snap hook. The drives will be short, too low, too high, left, right, or a combination of these if you are putting bad swings on the ball.

It is essential for a golfer to work on the mechanics of their swing, week in and week out, to improve their game. If it weren’t important why would all these tour players have swing coaches that work with them on a consistent basis? The golf swing is such a finite, mechanically complex movement, that requires constant work to keep it highly efficient and in check.

One of the most common mistakes I see amateurs make is probably a lack of instruction. I see amateurs over and over at the driving ranges, week in and week out, pounding balls without any improvement. This, I feel, is a result of one of two things: 1) a lack of instruction or 2) 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 most anyone to find a good instructor and take lessons on a consistent basis. This can only help your game in the long run. Now moving on the second point of how to achieve powerful drives and that is golf strength.

Golf Strength (Golf Fitness)

Golf strength is a term we use to describe the golf fitness level of an individual pertaining to swinging a club. This is much different than how much you can bench press or squat, which I like to refer to as “weight room strength.” Understand that these two terms, 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 teeing it up on Tour? The answer to that question is quite obvious, none!

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 the required capacities of the aforementioned list, then the result will be? Anyone want to guess? Well, let me give you the answer: a less than optimal and less efficient swing than possible. Essentially, your body supports your swing much like a foundation supports the house you build upon it. I am sure that all of you would choose to build a house on a stone foundation rather than a sand foundation, wouldn’t you? I will say that many of you make a different choice when it comes to your golf swing. I quite often see amateurs developing their swing on a “foundation of sand,” not a good thing to do in my book.

Regardless of how much time you work on your swing mechanics, if your body does not have the “golf strength” to support your 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. A review of the topics tells us that they are optimal swing mechanics and the proper levels of “golf strength” in the body. One without the other is going to leave you short when it comes to your potential in the game.

Again, I probably see point number two, golf strength, being addressed less often than swing mechanics when you get right down to it. The pros are all aware of the importance of golf strength, why not you?

Equipment

We have come to the final point, and that is equipment. I think the majority of golfers are aware of the technological advances that have occurred in golf equipment over the last 20 years. I mean, think about the ’80′s when we were still playing with woods that actually had wood club heads! Imagine that for a moment, and now we are using drivers with space age faces that shoot the ball off of them at warp speed. In addition, we have to mention the advances in terms of 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.

So what does that tell us?

1) Club manufacturers have done a great, and I mean great, job in the advancement of technology, and

2) to increase the distance on your drives you are now going to have to turn to points one and two of this article.

So what does improving your power really come down to?

It comes down to three simple ideas. Number one is improving your golf swing mechanics. Improved mechanics will improve your driving distance. Number two is improving your golf strength. By improving your body as it pertains to the golf swing you will improve your distance off the tee. Finally, equipment does make a difference, if you hit the ball correctly.

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. To learn more about Sean Cochran and his golf fitness programs go to http://www.seancochran.com

Technorati Tags: Developing, Power, swing

Imagine that each of his shots in the middle of the fairway, each chip two feet of the hole and each shot preach the center of the glass. Well, maybe some of us never dream of ever having to putt and each will approach shot to the hole, but I think you get the picture. A consistent balance is probably what many players dream of when our head hit the pillow.

Most of us are aware that golf is a game that requires consistent shooting to be successful (and fun). If we are linking, cutting and hitting our fat wedges, it can really start getting frustrating.Consistency is key to achieving a low score and enjoy the game. so how do we get there?

Firstly, let’s do a small review of the golf swing. To hit the ball squarely in the center of the club head, you must take the Club through proper swing path. A proper swing path will allow the Club to align properly with the ball to hit the shot that you are trying to hit.For more advanced players, this could be in the form of a tie, fade, hack or some other variation. top Handicappers are going to be happy with simply old straight shots. Anyway, this process begins with your address, moves through their examinations in rear balance, to the transition between back and down swing, swing in contact and ends with follow-through.

Quite complex sequence of events for the body to perform! And we all know that if our time is a little off, or are a little off mechanically, disaster is the result.

Knowing that a consistent swing requires that implementing these complex moves repeatedly is completely mind-blowing. But let’s get back to our question: how to develop a consistent golf swing? The answer is two-fold, and I imagine that most players are aware of the first point, but probably only a few are aware of the second.The keys to a consistent balance are: 1) effective golf swing mechanics and 2) of the body.Caught? well, now you can stop writing this article and all of us can become scratch golfers, right? well, not exactly, and I imagine some of you are saying, “I already know all this stuff”. Others can be quite puzzled. Regardless of which category you fall, let me expand a little on each of these themes.

Golf Swing mechanics

Golf Swing mechanics is probably the easier of the two areas to understand is why we take golf lessons and practice both in the range. Starting at address, go through all steps of the golf swing and ending with the follow-up, the body is required to move a specific sequence of movements to perform correctly the golf swing.If the body does not move through this sequence correctly, then the result will be a poor, inefficient, and strange looking swing. Over time, a record of poor results in poor consistency (once in a while you hit a shot good regardless of your swing, which is what keeps us coming back for more). an example of this is easy when you “come over” with the Club.This typically results in a slice (I know, easy thing to do and very difficult to fix).

In addition to the body to perform a complex number of biomechanical movements in golf swing, timing of these movements is crucial so that you can hit the ball successfully.Each biomechanical movement in golf swing has a certain sequence and timing. If they do not run in the correct order or timing, the golf swing will not be effective. Poor time results in these wonderful slices, snap hooks, chili depressions and topping the ball we know very well.

Now, how can we improve the golf swing mechanics? I’d have to say that it is by means of two things:

proper Instruction (1) find a good teacher and stick with that teacher.Most professionals do, why not?) and

2) Practice, practice, practice.As they say “practice makes perfect” and that this is true when it comes to golf swing.

Fix the mechanism that Swings Club

Now, for the second point when it comes to consistency in golf.Again, this is probably the least known of the two points about consistency in the balance sheet.Also it is equally as important as the mechanics of your swing.A question can help you realize the importance of “body” when it comes to golf swing which oscillates the Golf Club?

Some of the answers that are heard: “my hands,” “swing”, “my hips” and even “the grip”.Well, these answers are the baseball stadium and are close to be right, but let me simplify it for you.The answer is your body.Very simple, when you think about it: The club head is attached to the shaft, shaft grip your hands, your arms are attached to their shoulders, your hips rotate through the swing and about and we ‘ll. It is the organ which oscillates Club. Then why is it so important for consistency in your golf game?

We know from our golf lessons, there are certain positions the body is necessary during the golf swing.For example, at the address we know that the legs are slightly larger than the width of shoulders, knees slightly bent, back at a certain angle, head at a specific position and our hands gripping the Club in a certain way; This is just the beginning of the body have to do to swing the Club correctly.Now, the position of the address of your body must move the Club on the correct path and generate club head speed to hit the ball with precision and power.Do it more and more is what we define as consistency.

What most people don’t understand is that, for the body run correctly, the golf swing certain parameters must be completed by the body. the body must have certain levels of flexibility, strength, endurance, balance, stability and power. If your body does not have the minimum levels of these factors in golf swing, then you will happen? well, let me tell you, it will be very difficult for the body to swing the Club with the proper mechanics. and what this will result in over time? A great amount of time spent in the range with little improvement underway and a swing that seems less than desirable.

So what consistency in my golf swing really comes down to?

Is critical to understand what improvements in your golf swing mechanics and improvements in your specific body of golf are also important when it comes to creating a consistent golf swing. If you ignore the body or the mechanics, it is safe to say that your golf swing and game suffer. take some time on a routine basis to meet both the mechanics of your swing and the body support it I think you’ll find the benefits of being very satisfying.

Sean Cochran is one of the golf fitness instructors most recognizable in the world today; he travels regularly with PGA Tour 2004 Masters champion Phil Mickelson .for more about Sean Cochran and your golf fitness programs go to lesrn http://www.seancochran.com

Technorati Tags: Developing, Power, swing