getting into long-drive.... how much can i gain with equip/training

[jezlax]

curious for insight from those who have competed in long-drive in the past or gotten into it recently... i live in SLC and they have a local qualifier for WLD this year.

How much clubhead speed did you gain by honing in your equipment and physical training? I've included my stats below, but before dropping $500 on a club/fitting and a swingspeed set and completely changing my workout regimen, I wanted to see what other people had experienced.

On a simulator I have access to:

~120 clubhead speed with a driver (titleist 917 D2, XS shaft, 75g)~330 carry on said sim... don't have ballspeed / smash factor stats 12-13* launch angleAbout me:

31 yrs, 6'0" 225 0 indexweightlifting background: squat 400, dead 500, bench 275 - not the strongest guy in the gym but i can move some weight.

In looking at clubhead info online, I feel like you need to get to ~140 clubhead to be competitive. From those who got into the sport, where were you when you started vs. where did you get to with equipment / swing training / workout regimen?

Thanks all.

[TexC04]

No offense dude but this kind of feels like one of those "I'm currently an 8 handicap, if I quit my job and practice year round could I make the tour?" type of threads. I don't know a whole lot about long drive, but for someone with a weightlifting and golf background trying to add 20 mph of clubhead speed- is that even possible?

There is a decent chance I'm wrong though....

[BeerPerHole]

Isn't dead lift fun?

Good luck with it. I'm a fan of LD.

[jezlax]

thanks Tex, super helpful comment. do you always answer genuine questions by negating their validity and then follow them up by admitting your own lack of understanding in the next sentence? that's pro stuff right there.

[MK7Golf21]

so your over 30, 5’10” with your shoes off and already have a weightlifting background. Not a chance to make long drive standards

[Z1ggy16]

Best thing to try is get superspeed golf sticks. Do the protocols for 2-3 months.... Unlikely you'll gain more than 10-15mph though.

Maybe Monte will tell you what he did back in the day to win at LD.

[GoGoErky]

Superspeed training will get you maybe into the low-mid 130s clubhead speed and that may get you thru the early portion of qualifying but not much further than that.

If not trying to make a career out of it spend some money on the fitting and club and training. See what happens and maybe you win some local money to recoup costs

[jezlax]

good thing i play golf with my shoes on jk - point taken on the fact that I'm closer to my strength ceiling than those who don't lift.

[jezlax]

more info, as i went on a monitor in a local shop last week, using a standard X-flex 75g 9* Epic that they had. Not sure how much I trust these #s but as a baseline:

124.0 clubhead

they use a standard 1.45x smash -- what types of smash #s so people see in competition? but using 1.45x you get 180 ball...1.5x would be 186 ball... ~2100 rpms

Extrapolating all that out, I'd likely need another 15mph to sniff being competitive? is that feasible to gain going to a 48" club and swingspeed training?

Same math at 139 would be: 202 ball speed (1.45 factor), 208 at a 1.5x factor.... obviously spin and other things in play here.

not trying to make a career out of this, but there's a local Q in my town this summer.

[ptjn1201]

The late Bernie Baymiller was active on various forums and worked with a lot of senior golfers, getting them into longer drivers. He felt he got about 10 yards per inch of additional shaft length, and he was in the 100 mph swing speed range at the time, so you can extrapolate to get an estimate for yourself. I'm only a little faster than that, and 10 yards an inch is a little more than I get, but YMMV. The different swing speed trainers talk about 5-10% increases in speed as a reasonable expectation. Good luck!

[CROCN]

You may be able to get in the upper 120's with a speed training regiment, but you will also need to gain in flexibility so you get a full range of motion. Increase your core strength, you're going to need a strong back. Test lots of shafts to match your transition and swing so you get that extra kick at impact. I'm only 5' 9" so shaft lengths matter to me. I can get more clubhead speed with a 1/2" cut off the max compared to full length 48". So you will just have to experiment and have fun with it. But realistically you need to be in the 142-150 range to compete with the big boys!

[Guest]

124 mph is great! But to be honest when I was competing nobody under 140+ mph had a realistic shot to win even in the high competition local qualifiers. Now days they are hitting 220+ ball speeds. Sectionals and worlds were even more competitive, but definitely build a long driver and give it a shot, it’s a lot of fun, there is nothing like getting the adrenaline going and catching one. Personally, I picked up about 5mph going from a 45” to 48” driver and about 30 yards. Build a long driver, get out on the range, and swing as hard as you can as often as you can, if you do it consistently, you will get faster. Lifting weights definitely helps, but hitting balls, maxing our your arc and length of your swing, and building speed will max out your potential.

[N0rs3man]

I am not a long drive champ, or do I even have a LD setup. I swing in that 120 range like you, and can wack it a good distance.

 

I know people are saying well you already have a weight lifting background so there isnt a chance.

 

For a very long time people said you are born with x% fast twich and x% slow twitch muscles. If you were a sprinter you have more fast twitch and if you are a distance runner you have more slow twitch.

 

Studies show now, you can actually COMPLETELY overhaul your percentages. Think about the most athletic person you know, he has excellent hand eye coordination + a high % fast twitch.

 

These long drive champs are like that guy you know. The most athletic person you can think of.

 

The only way you can get past your bodies maximum, is to change your fast twitch to slow twitch muscle ratio. (which I do not know how to do, In fact this is pretty recent development and not many people may know HOW to change the ratio, just that it can be done.)

 

This assumes your swing mechanics are very sound, and you arent losing 30 yards to not coiling 100%

[Myherobobhope]

On 9/3/2021 at 10:00 PM, N0rs3man said:

I am not a long drive champ, or do I even have a LD setup. I swing in that 120 range like you, and can wack it a good distance.

 

I know people are saying well you already have a weight lifting background so there isnt a chance.

 

For a very long time people said you are born with x% fast twich and x% slow twitch muscles. If you were a sprinter you have more fast twitch and if you are a distance runner you have more slow twitch.

 

Studies show now, you can actually COMPLETELY overhaul your percentages. Think about the most athletic person you know, he has excellent hand eye coordination + a high % fast twitch.

 

These long drive champs are like that guy you know. The most athletic person you can think of.

 

The only way you can get past your bodies maximum, is to change your fast twitch to slow twitch muscle ratio. (which I do not know how to do, In fact this is pretty recent development and not many people may know HOW to change the ratio, just that it can be done.)

 

This assumes your swing mechanics are very sound, and you arent losing 30 yards to not coiling 100%

Yeah, this is all true… 120 with a ton of strength should be a good starting point… how did this go? Would love to hear some follow up… not sure why everyone was so unhelpful In this thread.

 

im probably going to do the stack system this off-season, not to get into long drive, but just to up my clubhead speed.

[phizzy30]

On 9/3/2021 at 7:00 PM, N0rs3man said:

I am not a long drive champ, or do I even have a LD setup. I swing in that 120 range like you, and can wack it a good distance.

 

I know people are saying well you already have a weight lifting background so there isnt a chance.

 

For a very long time people said you are born with x% fast twich and x% slow twitch muscles. If you were a sprinter you have more fast twitch and if you are a distance runner you have more slow twitch.

 

Studies show now, you can actually COMPLETELY overhaul your percentages. Think about the most athletic person you know, he has excellent hand eye coordination + a high % fast twitch.

 

These long drive champs are like that guy you know. The most athletic person you can think of.

 

The only way you can get past your bodies maximum, is to change your fast twitch to slow twitch muscle ratio. (which I do not know how to do, In fact this is pretty recent development and not many people may know HOW to change the ratio, just that it can be done.)

 

This assumes your swing mechanics are very sound, and you arent losing 30 yards to not coiling 100%

You can't change your fast twitch to slow twitch ratio.  As far as I'm concerned, it's theory based.  You're born with an X amount of both.  You would have to somehow alter your DNA to do so.  I'm a personal trainer and have numerous clients at the high school, collegiate and pro levels.  Speed training is one my areas of expertise.  Speed training and flexibility plus repetitions are what get your body into peak form for long drive.  I had a client who was already 126 ss at 22 years old and I got him to 142 but it took over a year to do so.  I was having him do some free weight stuff but more resistance band, bosu ball, and weighted sticks movements/exercises.  I also had him pushing the sled loaded up with plates and a decent amount of cardio swimming and on the bike.  Reason being is that these 2 forms of cardio are the easiest on the  knees and and lower back.  We did a lot of dynamic and static stretching as well.  Got deep tissue massages and saw the chiro quite often as well.  LD is an expensive endevour and the pay out sucks compared other sports.  He absolutely loved it though.  Unfortunately, he ended up with 2 herniated discs and hip problems.  LD does a number on your body. 

Edited September 12, 2021 by phizzy30