Professional long drive golfers combine high intensity weight training with extremely fast swing practice to maximize their club head speed.
This method is theoretically correct.

However, when amateur golfers try to do the same thing, they often find themselves unable to swing even though they are trying to hit the ball farther.
One of the main reasons for this is the order in which you practice golf and do strength training.

〇Thinking about doing it on the same day

The most important thing for amateur golfers is to "create a state where they can swing quickly without getting tired."
If you do it on the same day, the order of golf (emphasis on speed) followed by strength training is thought to be most likely to lead to an increase in driving distance.

〇 Golf → Strength training is suitable for these cases

In order to increase your distance, it is important to first train your body and brain to "swing as quickly and accurately as possible."
Practicing your swing puts more strain on your nerves (the mechanism that controls movement) than on your muscles.
When you are tired, your head speed and swing accuracy tend to decrease.

Therefore, it is very logical to first practice golf to get the feeling of swinging quickly into your body, and then do strength training to strengthen the necessary muscles.

Especially for amateur golfers, swinging after strength training can easily lead to excessive use of force or unnecessary movements (compensatory movements), which can easily cause back or shoulder pain.
If you want to increase your driving distance and prevent injuries at the same time, the basic recommendation is " golf → strength training ."

〇 Cases where strength training → golf is effective

On the other hand, there are times when it's better to do strength training first.
This is when the goal is to "get a feel for exerting force."
After lightly stimulating your lower body and core, practicing your swing for a short period of time will help you get a feel for how to smoothly transfer the force of your strong push against the ground to the club.

However, this requires low load, few repetitions, and a short period of time .
Not suitable for long practice sessions or before a round.

Important training for improving distance

Here we will introduce one important exercise for each of the upper limbs, lower limbs, and core.

① Upper limbs: Swing practice under resistance (downswing/impact)

・Move in the order of lower body → stomach → arms
・Turn your body in place without pushing your hips forward or raising your body
・The body does not move at the moment of impact, and the axis is maintained

② Lower limbs: Hip hinge

・Keeping your back straight without bending or arching, lean your body forward using your hip joints as the axis
Bend your knees slightly and don't extend past your toes
・When returning to a standing position, use your hips to return (don't arch your back)

3. Core: Twisted Side Plank

-Keep your head, body and legs in a straight line
・When twisting, move only around the chest
Don't put too much strain on your neck and shoulders

Number of repetitions: 10 repetitions for each item x 2 sets

Summary

It can be said that the training method used by professional long drive golfers is correct.
The key for amateur golfers to increase their driving distance is to consider the order of golf and training according to their goals.

In golf, you swing quickly and use muscle training to build a body that can support that movement.
It is this accumulation that leads to a reproducible increase in distance.

Author
Ikejiri-Ohashi Sera Clinic Physical Therapist Shuto Sato
Supervision
Dr. Yasushi Sera, Ikejiri-Ohashi Sera Clinic
Ikejiri-Ohashi Sera Clinic