Drive The Golf Ball Further With More Control

Working with clients and talking with them about their weekly activities usually leads to golf, general topics include how bad the game was, how much further someone was hitting the ball, or occasionally how good the day was or even a broken window. One topic that almost always comes up is driving distance and control, there is nothing better when walking up to the tee than knowing that you are going to out drive all of your golf buddies AND put the ball right down the middle of the fairway! Here are some workout drills to give your brain that required confidence and train your body to get the task done!

Impact Zone Strength of Dominate Arm
Note: The term dominate arm refers to the type of golf club you use, right or left handed.

Attach a length of exercise tube or theraband to a solid object. The tube should be attached at your waist height when you are in your golf stance.
Stand with your dominate arm closest to where the band is attached, take one end of the band in the dominate hand, keep this in front of the body, take the other end of the band in the off hand and place this behind the body resting on the lower back or hip area.
Move away from the band until tension in the band is developed, this is how you can vary the load during your training.
Using your coordinated swing pattern and arm extension (minus your non dominate arm) move the dominate arm from around the 8 o-clock position through the impact zone to the 5 o-clock position. The non dominate arm should remain on the hip or lower back creating a twisting moment on the core.
Repeat this movement 12-15 times focusing on the feeling and form through the impact zone. To balance the exercise switch arms and repeat the work if desired.

Core Function and Control

Attach a length of exercise tube or theraband to a solid object. The tube should be attached at your shoulder height when you are standing erect with a very minor knee bend.
Place the feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Grasp the band with both hands and extend the arms horizontal from the shoulder. Have the feet facing 90 degrees away from the band attach point. Move away from the band attach point and let the arms be pulled to the band attach point allowing the core to twist so the shoulders now fact the attach point.
Twisting through the core while trying to minimize lower body and pelvis movement rotate the arms from facing the band attach point to the opposite side of the body. Keep the torso upright and erect throughout the twist. Focus on feeling the movement and logging it in your brain. Hands should move in a constant plane around the spine extended from the shoulders.
Repeat 12 - 15 times then switch the direction of loaded rotation to balance the exercise.

Swing Speed and Swing Plane Control

Grab a medicine ball or kettle ball, the weight of the ball can be increased as you progress.Assume a standing position with feet shoulder width apart. Prepare to do walking lunges. (do not be facing into a wall or equipment) Allow the ball to hang in the crotch area with hands on either side of the ball.Take a lunge step, while going into the lunge twist the core of the body to the forward leg, this twist should move the ball from the starting point to a point directly out from the forward leg side ear. The ball should move upward and outward during the twist of the core. As you come out of the lunge move the ball back to the starting point near the crotch.Repeat the same movement on the other leg.Repeat 8-10 times for each leg.

Muscle Memory for Weight Transfer

Find a two dimension (side to side) balance board.
Assume a position on the board to simulate your golf stance at addressing the ball before a swing.
Simulate a golf club using a club or other device.
Attempt to balance weight on the board at address.
Rotate into your swing takeaway. As you take away your weight should transfer on to the back foot, that side of the board should move down onto the ground.
Rotate through the impact zone to the follow through. The board should now have flipped to touching the ground on the front foot. Repeat this drill paying close attention to the timing of the weight transfer to the forward foot. The weight should transfer to the forward foot just as the club passes through the impact zone.
Repeat focusing on the transfer of weight timing versus the club head location in the impact zone.

Dustin Norlund is the founder of Holistic Life and Fitness based in Barrie Ontario serving the Greater Toronto Area with Holistic Wellness Coaching and Private Training. Dustin holds a CSCS certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association and a Holistic Lifestyle Coaching Certification from the C.H.E.K institute. Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCSs) are professionals who apply scientific knowledge to train athletes for the primary goal of improving athletic performance. Dustin focuses on sports performance training, aging or ill client cases, nutritional coaching, and life style coaching. More information can be found at http://www.holisticlifeandfitness.com/ or by calling 705-896-5213.

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