This is a question we’ve often gotten; most recently at a live seminar we conducted in January, “Big Mike L.” asked us to research this topic. We did!
In evaluating several of the popular speed training aids on the market, one thing we immediately discovered is that those of us over 45 need to be conscious of injury risk. Sadly, we can no longer just mindlessly swing harder without hurting ourselves. Joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments are prone to decreased flexibility as we age (that’s just a biological fact) AND our ability to recover from strenuous activity like these hard swings is diminished. In the case of this author, pain in multiple body parts during different stages of the swing results in an “altered” swing path. The soreness that can follow a day or two after pushing ourselves is actually counter-productive to a good golf swing. The result? The brain and the body unconsciously make adjustments to avoid discomfort and pain, resulting in less-than-optimal swing efficiency. That’s ALWAYS bad news! So, our first discovery is that we have to start S-L-O-W.
We’ve also consulted with folks in the golf instruction, sports training, and medical fields. These experts unanimously agree that swing speed depends firstly on our capacity to make longer swings, that involve sequential and well-timed movements of multiple muscle groups. A common occurrence in older golfers is to make more restricted (shorter) movements that lack the necessary sequence and coordination of effort. Why? Swing speed is a consequence of swing efficiency. The consensus among the folks we’ve studied with is that mobility and flexibility are the keys to 1) achieving longer, in-sequence movements and, 2) the resulting ability to increase speed.
Matt Blois of Golf Liberty puts it this way: “Range of motion is key, so working on the body to allow better movements is the best bet. A lot of seniors are making nothing that approaches a full turn, and/or are making a short arm swing. I would pursue an improvement in that, before anything to do with generating more force (ie: swing training systems), as those are very likely to cause injury AND often cause or exaggerate technical faults in the swing, unless/until you’ve improved your range of motion.”
The good news is this: you don’t have to start with anything elaborate or costly! Simply get mobile. Get out and walk, try some simple beginner’s yoga, follow a stretching routine, or swing a (slightly) weighted club a few times each day. Get out of the cart and walk a few holes during your rounds to keep your muscles active and your heartrate & breathing up (as a bonus, you’ll also see and appreciate the golf course more). Many of us are now carrying extra weight around the midsection which inhibits a good turn…getting active will help us to lose some of that weight and mass, freeing us up for better swings. Any of these activities alone, or in concert with one or more of the others, will get you more mobile and flexible.
If you’ve got the resources, we strongly recommend you get a bio-mechanical assessment. We published an article last year detailing our experience with our own personal assessments at Northwell Health’s Nicholas Institute for Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma (nismat.org). A thorough analysis like this identifies exactly where your body is limited in terms of your swing efficiency, including speed. Most importantly, the resulting report prescribes specific exercises to address your identified limitations.
Another great source of customized performance programming is Pam Owens Fitness (pamowensfitness.com) which we’ve also written about previously. A TPI Level 3 Professional, Pam fashions customized programs tailored to golfers who are experiencing limited mobility, limited strength, tightness, aches and swing compensations (who isn’t?). Pam points out that—with these “symptoms”–your fitness is impacting your life and sports and your body is adding strokes to your score.
If you’re already going to a gym regularly, seek out and work with a qualified personal trainer that understands the golf swing and will recognize your unique and specific characteristics, to improve your mobility and flexibility, effecting a more efficient swing.
Once you’ve achieved more mobility and flexibility you’ll likely see some distance gains. You’ll also instinctively feel more comfortable in swinging with more force. And your body will be much better equipped to then try out those speed sticks and other aids in a safer way. Give it a try, but remember to start with some simple flexibility improvement routines…you’ll be happy you did!