tour player golf swing

Tour Player Connection And Sequence Drills

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The body is the engine of the golf swing. These tour player connection and sequence drills are designed to improve the way the arms and body work together for greater power and accuracy.

Golf Swing Tips Videos

Peter Uihlein – Right Arm Connection Drill

For a simple, repeatable and more consistent golf swing you want your arms and body to work together. That’s what Uihlein is aiming for with this drill. He places a glove under his right arm. This keeps his right elbow more connected to his torso as he swings back. It is one of the most classic tour player connection and sequence drills, and it work to simplify the swing, keeping the club on plane and the arms working with the body.

Julien Quesne – Left Arm Connection Drill

The same theory applies to the drill being used by Julien Quesne but for the left arm. It also differs in that whereas Uihlein was concerned with his connection on the way back, Quesne is looking to ensure his body and arms work together through the ball. If your left arm moves away from your body during the downswing, you’ll make inconsistent, weak strikes.

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9 Tour Player Practice Golf Drills

Julien Quesne – Pause Drill

Quesne also pauses at the top of his backswing. This is all about sequencing. He wants to ensure that his upper and lower body unwind in the correct sequence during the downswing. Pausing at the top ensures the transition from backswing to downswing is as smooth as possible.

Graeme McDowell – Heavy Club Warm-Up

This is a popular warm-up technique but it is also one our tour player connection and sequence drills. By adding weight to the club, you are forced to activate all your core muscles. As you feel your core working, your arms respond to what your body is doing. McDowell also pauses at the top to feel the powerful resistance between his upper and lower body.

Tour Ball-Striking Drills... Revealed

Chris Wood – Pitching Connection Drill

With a shorter club in hand, it is often the case that golfers start ‘flicking’ at the ball, only using the arms for the swing. Chris Woods avoids this by placing a towel under both arms. This ensures that he rotates his body effectively to create the momentum in his swing for a much more consistent action.

In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he has also presented many Golf Monthly videos looking at all areas of the game from Tour player interviews to the rules of golf. 

Throughout his time with the brand he has also covered equipment launches that date back well over a decade. He clearly remembers the launch of the Callaway and Nike square drivers as well as the white TaylorMade driver families, such as the RocketBallz! If you take a look at the Golf Monthly YouTube channel, you'll see his equipment videos dating back over a decade! He has also conducted 'What's In The Bag' interviews with many of the game's best players like Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm. Over the years, Neil has tested a vast array of products in each category and at drastically different price-points. 

Neil is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus Fairway Wood: Titleist TSR2 Hybrid: Titleist TS3 Irons: PING Blueprint S (4&5), PING Blueprint T (6-PW) Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 50˚, 54˚, 60˚ Putter: Odyssey Triple Track Ten Ball: Titleist Pro V1X

Billy Horschel suggested that LIV Golf supporters are partially to blame for the current state of men's professional golf

By Ben Fleming Published 27 April 24

The deal with LIV Golf is expected to go towards funding Golf Australia’s junior program

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Instruction

Kelley: should a tour player’s swing be the pattern we copy.

PGA Tour players are the most gifted golfers on the planet. Their ball striking ability is remarkable to the average, even scratch, golfer. With the time to practice all day, usually perfecting their imperfections in their own swings, why are PGA Tour players’ swings always the model we seek?

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Look at the progression and expectations in other sports played recreationally. If you start playing Tennis, you don’t expect to serve as fast and accurate as Rafael Nadal. When joining a gym, do we look and replicate the times and bodies of Olympians? However, in golf, players seek the worlds best trying to emulate them. Examining this idea, could this actually be detrimental?

• Related:   Kelley: Simplify your swing with the hammer drill

Let’s start with the speed differential. The average PGA Tour driver club head speed is 113 mph. The average male amateur golfer driver speed is 93.4 mph. The average handicap for the male golfer sits between 14 and 15. Below is a chart from Trackman showing the distribution of clubhead speed among male golfers.

*Trackman research shows there is a direct correlation between clubhead speed and handicap.

Speed is mostly a natural talent developed at an early age. It can be enhanced with speed training, gym work and even lifestyle changes. ?With such a differential in speed?, wouldn’t players first be better served focusing on center contact with the most efficient route to do so? This can include modeling simple looking swings.

Besides the speed differential, the world’s best golfers all have unique swings that have been perfected over time. Take for example the top ten players in the world. Different swings with different match-up moves throughout the motion. They have made it work for themselves with countless practice hours. Usually time the average golfer doesn’t have.

A main example would be Rory McIlroy, often a sought out golf swing among students. Here is a quote regarding his swing swing sequence after visiting the Titleist Performance Institute Center. “At the start of McIlroy’s downswing, his left hip spins violently counterclockwise, as it does for every elite, long-hitting player. but then, and only with the driver, Mcllroy makes a funky move you could not teach. a moment before impact, his left hip suddenly changes direction and jerks back, clockwise, and then rotates again.”

With the average golfer on a time constraint?, golfers could actually look at what the greats do the older they get in their careers. The swings become more simple, using their instincts to get their body in efficient and more teachable positions. This is usually in their set-up then backswing, with less excess movement for an efficient strike. Take for example a young versus older Ben Hogan. (Picture below)

Below is another example of a young Jack Nicklaus compared to an older Nicklaus later in his career.

This is in large part due to the concept that  less can be more  at times. Unfortunately in golf, all to often players are told to do more with their swing, only to jeopardize center contact even seeking vanity over function.

A concept that could be beneficial is next time you want to work on your swing, focus on efficiency and minimizing the ?motion for center contact and a better face/path relationship.  Then you can build . Rather then taking a bit from a Tour player’s swing, understand how your body should move to achieve your desired ball flight. Once you have a foundation, then add speed and your own DNA to the swing.

The argument could be made the opposite should be taught for aspiring junior golfers, especially the way the game as going. This article is intended to open a discussion and perhaps change the view of how the golf swing is being taught based on your skill-set and what you are trying to get out of the game. Also, what may be teachable and not teachable. You can change swings with concepts alone.

www.kelleygolf.com

Twitter:  @Kkelley_golf 

Kelley: Create shallow space with your direction of turn

Clement: Why laying up = more power

Kelvin is a Class A PGA golf professional in San Francisco, California. He teaches and has taught at some of the top golf clubs in the Bay Area, including the Olympic Club and Sonoma Golf Club. He is TPI certified, and a certified Callaway and Titleist club fitter. Kelvin has sought advice and learned under several of the top instructors in the game, including Alex Murray and Scott Hamilton. To schedule a lesson, please call 818.359.0352 Online lessons also available at www.kelleygolf.com

Apr 7, 2024 at 6:57 pm

Exactly backwards advice. You should learn to do something with an excess of motion, then refine. Like all those Tour guys did.

Jacque Nickleaux

Jan 22, 2023 at 1:28 pm

I’d say the guy with 20 major wins (US Amateur’s used to count), 19 runner-ups, and 56 top 5’s would be the one you’d wanna copy.

Jan 22, 2023 at 3:59 am

Nice article Kelvin, a lot of good points. Overall, I see so much focus on speed when the reality is the large majority of golfers would do better focusing on better consistency, control and are finding the sweet spot more often.

Jan 21, 2023 at 7:27 pm

LPGA players (Not Lexi though) would be better to copy for most golfers.

Similar swing speeds. More efficiency.

Jan 21, 2023 at 11:04 am

Gonna be a maverick and say: Teach the finishing posture, then work backwards.

Jan 22, 2023 at 11:51 am

Absolutely.

Jan 20, 2023 at 6:14 pm

Yes At Dirty Harry used to say “A man’s got to know his limitations”

Jan 20, 2023 at 10:47 am

What a stupid article

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The wedge guy: the easiest-to-learn golf basic.

My golf learning began with this simple fact – if you don’t have a fundamentally sound hold on the golf club, it is practically impossible for your body to execute a fundamentally sound golf swing. I’m still a big believer that the golf swing is much easier to execute if you begin with the proper hold on the club.

As you might imagine, I come into contact with hundreds of golfers of all skill levels. And it is very rare to see a good player with a bad hold on the golf club. There are some exceptions, for sure, but they are very few and very far between, and they typically have beat so many balls with their poor grip that they’ve found a way to work around it.

The reality of biophysics is that the body moves only in certain ways – and the particulars of the way you hold the golf club can totally prevent a sound swing motion that allows the club to release properly through the impact zone. The wonderful thing is that anyone can learn how to put a fundamentally sound hold on the golf club, and you can practice it anywhere your hands are not otherwise engaged, like watching TV or just sitting and relaxing.

Whether you prefer an overlap, interlock or full-finger (not baseball!) grip on the club, the same fundamentals apply.  Here are the major grip faults I see most often, in the order of the frequency:

Mis-aligned hands

By this I mean that the palms of the two hands are not parallel to each other. Too many golfers have a weak left hand and strong right, or vice versa. The easiest way to learn how to hold the club with your palms aligned properly is to grip a plain wooden ruler or yardstick. It forces the hands to align properly and shows you how that feels. If you grip and re-grip a yardstick several times, then grip a club, you’ll see that the learning curve is almost immediate.

The position of the grip in the upper/left hand

I also observe many golfers who have the butt of the grip too far into the heel pad of the upper hand (the left hand for right-handed players). It’s amazing how much easier it is to release the club through the ball if even 1/4-1/2″ of the butt is beyond the left heel pad. Try this yourself to see what I mean.  Swing the club freely with just your left hand and notice the difference in its release from when you hold it at the end of the grip, versus gripping down even a half inch.

To help you really understand how this works, go to the range and hit shots with your five-iron gripped down a full inch to make the club the same length as your seven-iron. You will probably see an amazing shot shape difference, and likely not see as much distance loss as you would expect.

Too much lower (right) hand on the club

It seems like almost all golfers of 8-10 handicap or higher have the club too far into the palm of the lower hand, because that feels “good” if you are trying to control the path of the clubhead to the ball. But the golf swing is not an effort to hit at the ball – it is a swing of the club. The proper hold on the club has the grip underneath the pad at the base of the fingers. This will likely feel “weak” to you — like you cannot control the club like that. EXACTLY. You should not be trying to control the club with your lower/master hand.

Gripping too tightly

Nearly all golfers hold the club too tightly, which tenses up the forearms and prevents a proper release of the club through impact. In order for the club to move back and through properly, you must feel that the club is controlled by the last three fingers of the upper hand, and the middle two fingers of the lower hand. If you engage your thumbs and forefingers in “holding” the club, the result will almost always be a grip that is too tight. Try this for yourself. Hold the club in your upper hand only, and squeeze firmly with just the last three fingers, with the forefinger and thumb off the club entirely. You have good control, but your forearms are not tense. Then begin to squeeze down with your thumb and forefinger and observe the tensing of the entire forearm. This is the way we are made, so the key to preventing tenseness in the arms is to hold the club very lightly with the “pinchers” — the thumbs and forefingers.

So, those are what I believe are the four fundamentals of a good grip. Anyone can learn them in their home or office very quickly. There is no easier way to improve your ball striking consistency and add distance than giving more attention to the way you hold the golf club.

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Clement: Stop ripping off your swing with this drill!

Not the dreaded headcover under the armpit drill! As if your body is defective and can’t function by itself! Have you seen how incredible the human machine is with all the incredible feats of agility all kinds of athletes are accomplishing? You think your body is so defective (the good Lord is laughing his head off at you) that it needs a headcover tucked under the armpit so you can swing like T-Rex?

How a towel can fix your golf swing

This is a classic drill that has been used for decades. However, the world of marketed training aids has grown so much during that time that this simple practice has been virtually forgotten. Because why teach people how to play golf using everyday items when you can create and sell a product that reinforces the same thing? Nevertheless, I am here to give you helpful advice without running to the nearest Edwin Watts or adding something to your Amazon cart.

For the “scoring clubs,” having a solid connection between the arms and body during the swing, especially through impact, is paramount to creating long-lasting consistency. And keeping that connection throughout the swing helps rotate the shoulders more to generate more power to help you hit it farther. So, how does this drill work, and what will your game benefit from it? Well, let’s get into it.

You can use this for basic chip shots up to complete swings. I use this with every club in my bag, up to a 9 or 8-iron. It’s natural to create incrementally more separation between the arms and body as you progress up the set. So doing this with a high iron or a wood is not recommended.

While you set up to hit a ball, simply tuck the towel underneath both armpits. The length of the towel will determine how tight it will be across your chest but don’t make it so loose that it gets in the way of your vision. After both sides are tucked, make some focused swings, keeping both arms firmly connected to the body during the backswing and follow through. (Note: It’s normal to lose connection on your lead arm during your finishing pose.) When you’re ready, put a ball in the way of those swings and get to work.

Get a Better Shoulder Turn

Many of us struggle to have proper shoulder rotation in our golf swing, especially during long layoffs. Making a swing that is all arms and no shoulders is a surefire way to have less control with wedges and less distance with full swings. Notice how I can get in a similar-looking position in both 60° wedge photos. However, one is weak and uncontrollable, while the other is strong and connected. One allows me to use my larger muscles to create my swing, and one doesn’t. The follow-through is another critical point where having a good connection, as well as solid shoulder rotation, is a must. This drill is great for those who tend to have a “chicken wing” form in their lead arm, which happens when it becomes separated from the body through impact.

In full swings, getting your shoulders to rotate in your golf swing is a great way to reinforce proper weight distribution. If your swing is all arms, it’s much harder to get your weight to naturally shift to the inside part of your trail foot in the backswing. Sure, you could make the mistake of “sliding” to get weight on your back foot, but that doesn’t fix the issue. You must turn into your trial leg to generate power. Additionally, look at the difference in separation between my hands and my head in the 8-iron examples. The green picture has more separation and has my hands lower. This will help me lessen my angle of attack and make it easier to hit the inside part of the golf ball, rather than the over-the-top move that the other picture produces.

Stay Better Connected in the Backswing

When you don’t keep everything in your upper body working as one, getting to a good spot at the top of your swing is very hard to do. It would take impeccable timing along with great hand-eye coordination to hit quality shots with any sort of regularity if the arms are working separately from the body.

Notice in the red pictures of both my 60-degree wedge and 8-iron how high my hands are and the fact you can clearly see my shoulder through the gap in my arms. That has happened because the right arm, just above my elbow, has become totally disconnected from my body. That separation causes me to lift my hands as well as lose some of the extension in my left arm. This has been corrected in the green pictures by using this drill to reinforce that connection. It will also make you focus on keeping the lead arm close to your body as well. Because the moment either one loses that relationship, the towel falls.

I have been diligent this year in finding a few drills that target some of the issues that plague my golf game; either by simply forgetting fundamental things or by coming to terms with the faults that have bitten me my whole career. I have found that having a few drills to fall back on to reinforce certain feelings helps me find my game a little easier, and the “towel drill” is most definitely one of them.

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How to Maximize your golf swing speed for maximum performance

How Do I Increase Golf Swing Speed?

In the world of golf, where precision and power coexist, one crucial element stands out—your golf swing speed. Golf swing speed can take your game to new distances, no pun intended.

We’ll explain the details of golf swing speed and how understanding it can be a game-changer for beginner and seasoned golfers.

As an avid golfer, swing speed is a fascinating, ever-changing topic. With new developments in golf club and golf ball technology, distance is always a topic of interest in golf. So, how can maximum golf swing speeds be achieved?

Golf swing speed can be increased by continuously working on strength and conditioning, swing mechanics, and correctly fitting golf clubs.  However, we must understand what swing is before increasing our swing speeds.

Table of Contents

Understanding golf swing speed, what is golf swing speed.

In its simplest form, golf swing speed measures how fast your clubhead moves during the swing. It’s a fundamental metric that can significantly impact your performance on the course. To put it in perspective, it’s like the RPMs of your golf game. The greater the RPM, the faster your vehicle goes.

Like a vehicle, the greater the clubhead speed, the greater the ball speed. Higher ball speed leads to greater carry distance. Also, like a vehicle, club head speed is measured in miles per hour (mph). For instance, the average swing speed of a male amateur golfer of all ages is 94 mph. Conversely, the average swing speed for PGA tour players is 115.20 mph.

Factors Influencing Golf Swing Speed

Your clubhead speed isn’t static; several vital factors, such as age, strength, and technique, influence it. Swing speeds, particularly driver swing speed, resemble a bell curve. As a junior golfer, the average speed will be lower. As you become an adult in your 20s and 30s, your average swing speeds are at their highest. As you get older, the swing speeds begin to decline over time slowly. Below are some (certainly not all) factors affecting average swing speed.

Body Strength and Fitness

Your body plays a pivotal role in generating speed. A solid and fit body can generate more power, translating into higher swing speeds. Today’s Golfers place a strong emphasis on physical fitness. One of the first professional golfers to do such was Tiger Woods.

Tiger changed the landscape for physical fitness and playing golf. Tiger started a trend in fitness that has only grown and has branched off into other avenues specifically for golfing fitness, such as TPI, Joey D Golf, and many others. These programs offer swing speed training and have a proven speed training system for the average golfer and the PGA tour player.

Strength and fitness are essential in golf today; PGA tournaments now have workout trailers for players to work out at each event. Engaging in golf-specific fitness routines and speed training can help you maximize your potential.

Swing Technique

Your technique is another major determinant of your swing speed. Proper mechanics and grip strength can help you optimize your speed while maintaining control and accuracy. Think of it as the finesse behind the force. How you move your body and handle your golf club during a swing directly impacts the speed at which the clubhead travels through the air and makes contact with the ball.

Every aspect of your swing plays a role in determining your swing speed. A balanced and coordinated swing and proper weight transfer generate more speed. How your hips open up and use the ground as a power force plays significant roles in club speed.

It’s not just about raw power but finesse, timing, and technique, all coming together for a faster swing speed.

Flexibility

Flexibility is often underestimated in golf. Golf flexibility might sound like doing yoga on the fairway, but it’s essential. A supple body allows for a more extensive range of motion, enabling you to generate higher clubhead speed.

See, flexibility is how easily your body can move and stretch. And when it comes to golf swing speed, being flexible is like having hidden power.

When your body can move freely and your muscles aren’t tight, it helps you swing the golf club faster. Think of it like a rubber band – it won’t stretch very far if it’s too stiff. But an excellent, stretchy rubber band can go a long way. So, stretching and keeping your body flexible can help you swing the club faster and hit the golf ball farther.

Age can be a big player in your golf club swing speed. As we grow older, our bodies change, affecting how fast we swing that club. When we’re young, like in our 20s and 30s, our bodies are usually more flexible and energetic. That means we can swing the club faster and hit the golf ball longer distances. But as we get older, like in our 50s and beyond, our muscles might weaken, and our joints might not move as quickly. Our swing speed might slow down.

But here’s the cool part – age isn’t the only thing that matters. You can keep your swing speed up by staying active and exercising to keep your muscles and joints in good shape. So, while age can play a role in golf swing speed, you can stay in the game by staying fit and enjoying golf for many years to come!

Importance of Golf Swing Speed

Go lf swing speed is like the turbo boost button for your golf game. It’s all about how fast you can swing your club when teeing off. Another critical topic is the ever-growing list of the most used golf terms. Why is this important? Let’s explore three exciting reasons:

Increased Distance

One of the most noticeable benefits of a higher golf swing speed is increased distance off the tee.

Imagine your golf ball as a rocket and your swing speed as the rocket’s engine. The faster the engine, the farther the missile goes. Well, the same principle applies to golf. When you swing faster, the ball travels longer distances.

Studies show that for every 1 mile per hour (mph) increase in your swing speed, you can gain up to 2.5 yards in distance. That means you could gain ten extra yards if you add four mph to your swing! Want to see how your swing speed stacks up?

Improved Accuracy

You might think swinging faster means losing control, but that’s not always true. Picture a race car driver. They can go super fast yet stay on track. In golf, the right swing speed can boost your accuracy.

Contrary to popular opinion, a higher swing speed can also improve accuracy. When you have better control over your speed and technique, you can place the ball precisely where you want it.

When you control your swing speed and technique, you can place the ball exactly where you want it. It’s like aiming a sand wedge from 100 yards instead of three wood from 250 yards.

Club Selection

Choosing the right club is like picking the right tool for a job. You wouldn’t use a hammer to screw in a lightbulb, would you? Well, the same goes for golf clubs. Your swing speed determines which club you should use.

Here’s a simple rule: the faster your swing, the more distance you can cover. So, if you’re a speedster, you might need clubs that can handle the distance. But if you’re more of a steady cruiser, different clubs might suit you better. To simplify, golf club distance charts can guide you in choosing the right club for your swing speed.

Golf swing speed is your secret weapon for success on the golf course. It can make your shots fly farther, land more accurately, and help you pick the perfect club for each situation.

Golf swing speed is the secret that can transform your golf game from ordinary to extraordinary. We’ll explore the tools and techniques to help you increase club head speed.

How to Measure Your Golf Swing Speed

Using a launch monitor.

Launch Monitors are like magic machines for golfers. They’re devices that precisely measure your clubhead speed and other numerical metrics. A launch monitor can be used inside or outside, providing immediate, real-time data when you hit the ball.

Statistical data, which we often use, can significantly benefit the average golfer and the PGA tour player. Launch monitors can also use shot tracer technology, thus providing instantaneous video feedback of your swing. 

Here’s how you can use them:

• Find a Launch Monitor : You can usually find one at your local golf course or practice range. Some popular brands include TrackMan, FlightScope, and GCQuad. Other popular brands that you can personally purchase and are more budget-friendly include the Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor, Garmin Approach, and the Swing Caddie SC4. I use the Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor .

Set Up : Turn on the device, position yourself in the designated area, and calibrate the launch monitor. Set up is easy and takes only a couple of minutes.

Swing Away : Take your best swing; the launch monitor will do the rest. It’ll measure your swing speed and provide other valuable data, like ball speed, launch angle, and smash factor.

Our recommendation for a starting launch monitor is the Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor.

At Swingcrafters, we highly recommend the use of a launch monitor. It will help new golfers understand how far they hit each club in the bag while permitting seasoned players to fine-tune their game. 

Golf Simulators

Indoor golf simulators have gained significant popularity in recent years, offering golf enthusiasts a unique and convenient way to practice their game regardless of weather conditions or location.

They are pretty expensive and do take up a decent amount of room in your basement or outdoor space. However, they are worth the price as they will improve your club head speed and golf game overall.

Below are some of the advantages and disadvantages of golf simulators. 

• Accessibility- Can play day or night, snow or rain
• Controlled and comfortable Environment
• Versatility and access to golf courses you Could never play
• Valuable statistical data on every shot.
• You can make data-based improvements to your game
• Provides launch angle, spin rates, carry distance, total distance, attack angles, etc.

Disadvantages

• High cost (Low Budget $3,000 to $5,000)
• Only partially replicates playing an actual golf course
• Lack of authenticity
• Takes up a decent amount of space

Golf Swing Speed Charts

The following charts provide numerical data that has been collected over the years. Data was collected from the PGA Tour , Trackman Golf , and Par4Success.

The charts demonstrate various swing speeds by handicap, age, and PGA Tour swing speed statistics at the professional level.

Golf Swing Speed Chart By Age

The chart below shows the average swing speed by age.

Statistical Data Provided By Par4Success.com

Golf Swing Speed Chart By Handicap

The chart below demonstrates the average male and female amateur golfer’s swing speed based on their handicap. To learn more about a handicap, check out our article on handicaps in golf.

PGA Tour Swing Speed Chart By Tour Average

The chart below tracks the average PGA tour swing speed over the last 17 seasons. As you can see by the chart, there has been a nearly three-mile-per-hour increase in the average PGA tour player’s swing speed.

The latest average for the 2022/2023 season was a whopping 115.20 MPH.

Average Driving Distance and PGA Tour Average Distance

The following chart provides statistical data showing the correlation between club head speed and driver carry distance. The second chart will demonstrate the average PGA Tour driving distance in yards over the last twenty years.

Average Driver Carry Distance By Swing Speed

This chart shows the relation of swing speed to total carry distance in yards with a driver.

PGA Tour Average Driving Distance

This chart demonstrates the PGA Tour average driving distance over the last twenty years.

Tips for Increasing Golf Swing Speed

Now that we know what swing speed is and what the average golf swing speed is, these are the three tips that will have you achieving maximum speed in your swing and greater driving distance.

Strength and Conditioning

You don’t have to be a bodybuilder to improve your swing speed. Simple exercise and flexibility movements can make a big difference. Some of our favorites are:

Lunges With Rotation

Single Leg Deadlift

Squat with Medicine Ball Rotations

Medicine Ball Sit-Up Rotation

Stretching/Flexibility

Shoulder Stretch

Standing Forward Bend

Standing Quad Stretch

Hip Flexor and Psoas Stretch

Hip and Lower Back Stretch

These are just a few of the exercises and movements our team uses frequently in the gym. For more workouts and programs, check out  Joey D Golf  or  TPI .

Swing Mechanics and Golf Instruction

Your swing technique matters more than you might think. Proper swing mechanics and hand position at impact play a significant role in speed within the golf swing. Your swing must be at the highest speed before impact when you hit the ball. This will directly impact the carry distances of all clubs in your golf bag. 

Below are ways to improve your average golf swing speed. 

And here is another great video

Golf instruction is a surefire way to improve your average club head speed. Working with a PGA Golf Professional will help you obtain more swing speed, and with proper speed training, you will swing faster in no time. Driver distance will improve as well as your driving efficiency. Many golfers take lessons, but rarely do you see a golfer taking lessons to get more speed, regardless of skill level. 

Create your personal swing speed chart to track your progress in increasing your average club head speed.

Custom Club Fitting

Getting properly fit golf clubs is crucial for increasing speed and overall performance on the golf course. One of the main reasons for this importance lies in the relationship between club specifications and the golfer’s unique biomechanics. 

An adequately certified club fitter takes this into account.

Golfer’s height

Wrist-to-floor measurement

Swing Tempo

When these factors align with the club’s length, shaft, shaft flex, and clubhead design, it optimizes the golfer’s ability to generate maximum clubhead speed. 

According to True Spec Golf , the shaft flex you need is based on your clubhead speed. Here is a quick breakdown:

• X-stiff  – This is the range where most high-level players fall. If you’re swinging the driver above 105 mph, it might be time to get some X-stiff shafts in your set.
• Stiff  – If you’re between 97 and 104 mph with the driver, you need a stiff flex. 
• Regular  – This is where most recreational golfers fall. Regular flex will be best for you if you’re between 84 and 96 mph.
• Senior  – Slower swingers fall into this category. Between 72 and 83 mph signifies you need to be hitting senior flex. 
• Ladies  – Not all women’s golfers fall into this category. This range will be for anyone with a swing speed slower than 72 mph.

A club that is too long or stiff can hinder a golfer’s swing, reducing power and control. Conversely, a club that is too short or flexible can lose distance and accuracy. Therefore, club fitting is crucial in unlocking a golfer’s full potential and achieving more incredible club head speeds.

Additionally, properly fit clubs can enhance a golfer’s confidence and consistency on the course. When a golfer has trust in their equipment, they are more likely to make an aggressive and controlled swing, which can translate into increased clubhead speed.

The right club length and shaft flex can also help with shot dispersion, reducing the likelihood of wayward shots and penalties. 

As swing speed increases with a well-fit club, so does the potential for greater distance off the tee and better approaches to the green. Ultimately, getting correctly fit clubs is not just about swing speed but improving overall performance, making the game more enjoyable, and helping golfers reach their full potential.

Golf Swing Speed Conclusion

Golf swing speed is your newfound secret weapon for shortening the course. More club head speed will increase carry distance, accuracy, and performance. Now that you can measure and enhance your club head speeds, it’s time to see how your average swing speeds improve.

Track the average distance your ball goes with each club. Over time, and with continued practice on the driving range improving your speed training, you can create your personal swing speed chart and track your improvement over time.

Remember, golf is a journey, and increasing your average swing speed is one of the exciting stops. Watching your average driving distance improve will boost your confidence and lower your scores. Having shorter shots into the green increases the chances of getting closer to the hole, leading to better scores and more fun.

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One of the best golf swings on tour has some good swing tips for you

Maddie Meyer

This article originally appeared in the Golf IQ newsletter, which is available exclusively for Golf Digest+ members. You can sign up for that newsletter, and more awesome content, by joining the Golf Digest+ community right here.

Last week I was walking around Augusta National with my fellow newsletter writer Sam Weinman. We were talking about the things us newsletter writers talk about, which is golf swings. Specifically, Tommy Fleetwood’s golf swing.

As we watched Tommy play his way up Augusta’s ninth hole, Sam pointed out something:

“I probably get more swing videos of Tommy Fleetwood on Instagram than anybody else.”

I hadn’t really thought about it before, but it was a good point. If your Instagram feed looks anything like mine, open it up at any given point and you’ll be flooded with lots of golf swing videos, but three players’ golf swings in particular:

• Nelly Korda
• Rory McIlroy
• Tommy Fleetwood

And of course, each time I do, I linger over the video, like it, and move on, leaving the algorithm with all the information it needs to know what to give me more of.

Anyway a day later, Tommy Fleetwood finished off his third-round 72 en-route to his career-best T-3 finish, so I decided to ask him: Why do golfers seem to get so many Tommy Fleetwood golf swing videos? And what can they learn from it?

He laughed.

“Good question! I dunno. Probably because people like you won’t stop talking about it.”

“Listen, I’m not a coach, but I think my swing has a kind of good framework that could help a lot of golfers .”

1. No slide

That word—”framework”—is important because it’s essentially how Tommy views the golf swing. Like a car driving down lanes on the road. You’re not too worried about the little movements; the goal is keeping the car between the lines.

One of those is the idea of staying very centered on the backswing. A common fault of amateur golfers is to slide their hips too far away from the target on the backswing. And when that happens, they can’t get back to their left side enough in time. It causes chunked shots and tops and all sorts of ugly shots.

“I like to stay quite centered,” he said. “If I’m centered on the backswing, it’s easier for me to get to transfer my weight, and get to my lead side on my downswing.”

Often you’ll see Tommy work practice hitting golf balls caddy holding an alignment stick on the ride side of his head. The stick literally prevents him from swaying too much off the ball.

2. Clubface control

The clubface is king in golf —it accounts for about 80 percent of the ball’s starting direction. In other words, if the clubface is pointing way left or right, that’s probably going to be where the ball goes.

Naturally, Tommy says he thinks about this a lot—and thinks you should, too. Something you’ve no-doubt seen him do is hit shots with an abbreviated follow through ( you can learn more about that here ).

It was a go-to shot once upon a time, which has basically become his stock full swing. The key feel here is making sure he finishes so his arms are straight, and his chest is pointing towards the target. You can see him doing exactly that on Augusta’s 12th hole on Sunday.

“It helps me feel the right things, and get a sense of where the clubface is,” he says. “That’s a good thing for a lot of golfers .”

3. Neutral(ish) swing path

The final piece of Tommy’s framework is his swing path, or the literal direction he’s swinging the golf club. Golfers who tend to swing over-the-top generally tend to swing too far to the left. If you’re stuck, you may be swinging too far out to the right.

Tommy wants his golf swing right somewhere close to straight down the middle, and he’ll practice this by hitting balls between a yoga block and a set of alignment sticks .

“It just helps me feel the right things and makes sure my swing isn’t moving in any crazy directions,” he said. “Again, just a basic thing that I think golfers like.”

A few things Fleetwood says we can learn from his move, that will maybe make our own Instagram-worthy.

Questions? Hit me at [email protected] . You can follow me on Instagram here, or Twitter here.

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Swing Speed and Distance Chart for Every Club

Find out exactly where your swings speeds with each club stack up

• DESCRIPTION Golf driving range with distances measured
• SOURCE Bildagentur Zoonar GmbH
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The more data we collect about our golf games, and the games of the best players out there, the more we realize how important distance is. No matter what the club manufacturers tell you, the best way to increase your distance is to increase your club head speed. Here’s a club head speed chart that shows you swing speeds for every club from every type of player, from PGA and LPGA tour players, to high-handicap amateur men and women.

Whether you are embarking on a swing speed mission, or you’re simply seeking some context to see how your swing speed with a certain club stacks up, this chart shows average club head speeds for each type of player.

Tour Player Swing Speed and Distance Chart

Here are the average swing speeds of PGA Tour and LPGA Tour players with each full-swing club, along with their average carry distances, in yards, for each club. This data comes directly from Trackman , which captures dozens of metrics from countless professional and amateur golfers every day.

What Is the Average Distance With Each Golf Club?

Amateur Golf Swing Speed Chart by Gender and Handicap

Trackman measures and publishes actual swing speed data for tour players with every full swing club. Additionally, Trackman has published driver swing speed data for amateur men and women by their handicap range. Given that the handicap index of the average male golfer is around 14.5, Trackman used that as one of its handicap benchmarks, in addition to a category that Trackman calls the “Bogey Golfer.”

Using Trackman’s measured swing speeds for amateur and professional golfers, we can estimate the average swing speed with each club for amateur golfers, both men and women, by handicap.

Combining Trackman’s measured data and these estimations, here is the club head speed chart for amateur golfers.

8 Clubhead Speed Drills to Help You Hit More Bombs

Male Amateur: Average Club Head Speed Chart

Over the years, we’ve collected a ton of data from professional and amateur golfers alike. With access to this data, we can match actual average distances with each club for each type of player with their swing speeds.

Here is the average club head speed chart, with actual and estimated swing speeds, paired with actual average distances from male amateur golfers, according to data provided by Shot Scope, an industry leader in on-course distance measuring devices and stat-tracking. Distances are in yards and are adjusted to remove outlier shots.

Bogey Golfer Official Handicap and Stats

Female Amateur: Average Club Head Speed Chart

While we don’t have big data on the average distance female amateur players hit each club, we can still give you solid estimates on how fast they swing each club. Here’s the swing speed chart for female amateur golfers, broken down by handicap.

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Tour Swings

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Here you can purchase tour swings to analyze in the Swing Catalyst software. The swings are filmed with high-fps cameras from two angles, and   include perfectly synchronized   swing data.

Tour Swings are a professional golfer's swing that you can use for reference when analyzing your own swing in Swing Catalyst. By comparing your swing to these elite examples, you can   identify areas for improvement   and refine your techniques, ultimately enhancing your performance on the course. This provides   a valuable benchmark   for you to strive for and improve your game.

All* launch monitor and sensor plate data is included in the Tour Swing *A few exceptions, which is stated on the individual Tour Swing page. 

Please note that the Tour Swing files can only be used with the Swing Catalyst software (v9.0+).

Matthew Wolff

Beau Hossler

Martin Borgmeier

Bryson Nimmer

Lauren Coughlin

Richy Werenski

Dylan Frittelli

Ian Poulter

Justin James

Kyle Berkshire

Matt Kuchar

Lucas Glover

Justin Rose

Michael Bradley

Daniel Summerhays

Beatriz Recari

Stuart Appleby

Kevin Streelman

Joe Ogilvie

Justin Bolli

Russel Knox

Caroline Martens

Suzann Pettersen

TrackMan Average Tour Stats

Tour stats include:

Club Speed, Attack Angle, Ball Speed, Smash Factor, Launch Angle, Spin Rate, Max Height, Land Angle and Carry.

TrackMan Average Stats Taken From The PGA TOUR

TrackMan LPGA Tour Average Stats

80 comments

So the average male Tour pro hits down on the ball slightly with the driver? Should attack angle vary with clubhead speed?

The attack angle for the pros varies on woods, but it’s more or less negative when it comes to hybrids and irons. For the average player, the attack angle on drivers varies and in general so should the ball that is hit from the ground always have a negative attack angle in order to get a better margin of error for the impact.

However, in order to get the longest carry possible, the ball should launch high with low spin. The optimal numbers are individual based on club speed – and that type of flight can easier be achieved if the spin loft is low together with a high dynamic loft. The more the attack angle is negative, then the higher the spin loft gets => the attack angle should be closer to 0 if anything IF the goal is to carry as long as possible.

But generally, the attack angle for irons should be from -2 – -5 for almost all players, but for drivers you can hit it further with a positive attack angle, no matter the club speed.

Niklas Bergdahl Support Manager EMEA & Asia

Can you send me the optimal numbers across the board that players and coaches should be looking for in lessons and trackman sessions

Strangely enough, with a driver you can achieve a carry of 300 vs 275 with the same clubhead speed of 113. Adam Young tries to get people to convert to this method. Attack angle = +8 degrees Launch angle = 19 degrees Backspin = 2,000 Smash Factor= 1.5

Hi. I can only confirm. I achieve those positive angles and l can carry the driver (9 degr loft) 245 yards with a club speed of 95mph. Rollout is average 20 yards.

No, it is 3° and that means the clubhead is movin upwards. – is downwards.

You are reading the LPGA (ladies) numbers Tim. The PGA (men) average is -1.3.

Looks like the average LPGA players trackman swing speed is more or less the same as an average 10 hcp male player. Though the ladies are a lot more skilled in hitting it on the right angles and in the right spot on the clubface. Would an average 10 hcp male player have a advantage or disadvantege using graphite shafts?

Harry, any player of any handicap can benefit from graphite shafts. More often than not, the memory in most players’ minds from graphite stems from a very long time ago when graphite was ONLY graphite. It was whippy, and not very accurate. Material advances and composite technology have nearly rendered steel obsolete. I say nearly, mind you. There are a number of outstanding graphite shafts out there that are super stable and responsive, enabling a lighter club and longer distance without sacrificing accuracy. Fujikura makes some really nice iron shafts that fuse both steel and graphite technologies called MCI. In fact, i have Fuji PRO 95i shafts in my irons and my iron game is better now than it ever was with steel. I’m a 3.5 index and relatively strong but it allows me to play all out without getting tired on the back 9 from heavy clubs. Being a club builder, i can tell you that in golf equipment there’s a trade-off in everything. wether it’s length, weight, or feel so your advantage or disadvantage is dependent on how precisely you build your piece of equipment.

Hey Chris thanks for the info below i find it very interesting. Curious do you have those same shafts in your wedges or do you have steel in your wedges? I played SteelFiber i95 shafts last year in all my irons including wedges. I liked them in my irons but i felt like it hurt my game in wedges. Do you have any thoughts on this? Thanks

Agreed. Shallow your angle of attack to match the LPGA players.

I have had a number of sessions on a Trackman, (the latest on Aug 22, 2015, at “Modern Golf” in Mississauga On.). My clubhead speed and distances are about the same as LPGA averages. I was doing wedge work, and see that for a pitching wedge, (48°), my angle of attack -about 7.5° – is n=much higher than LPGA average. My accuracy is good, (only 3 0f 19 shots more that 20′ away, and all when the face angle was over 4° closed). I’m thinking that I should weaken my left hand a bit, (it’s a little strong on pitch shots), and play the ball farther forward- 2″ ahead of centre. Am I on the right track, or will these changes introduce new problems?

I’m 74 years old, and am a long-time PGA of Canada member. Thanks for any feedback…. love Trackman outings.

I would recommend that you visit one of our certified coaches, he/she would be able to help you and find what numbers are best for you.

See our TrackMan Locator here.

I don’t disagree with these stats but I do it;s kinda weird. 87 miles mph with an 8 iron should produce 177 yards of carry not 160 that’s a lot of mph. Iv’e seen high school kids hit 9 iron 165 and they don’t swing 100 mph with a 9 iron. When I swing hard I hit my 8 iron 155 and my legit radar read 72 mph so logic would dictate at 88 mph you would get more like 180 yards carry again that’s a lot of mph.

Remember that’s a carry number not total distance. Also since the pros produce significant more back spin, their ball flight is higher, landing angle loftier producing minimum roll whereas your total distance might be benefiting from maximum roll. One more thing to check would be launch angle where you might be hitting a low ball flight to maximize distance which in my opinion is “cheating.”

The PGA Tour 8-iron goes 160 in the air for a couple of reasons. One, they usually hit weaker lofts than high school players (like I) do. Secondly, they spin their 8-iron at 7998 RPM to stop the ball on fast greens. I believe this is the combination that makes the 8-iron go so much shorter.

I’ve hit thousands of balls on Foresight simulators, and what I’ve found is that backspin significantly influences carry distance. Holding club head speed constant, greater backspin reduces carry distance on all clubs.

For mid-irons, I’d estimate that you lose roughly 5-7 yards of carry per 1,000 RPM in additional backspin. And with the driver it’s easily 10+ yards of carry lost per 1,000 RPM.

This explains why poorly struck balls will often fly as far, if not further, than a well-hit shot. The key to backspin is crispness of contact – a poorly struck shot simply won’t spin as much. Unless the impact is absolutely terrible, the lack of backspin on poorly struck shots will cause those balls to carry further than a well-struck ball. So if you’re flying balls over the green with your irons, the culprit could be too little backspin caused by poor contact, cheap balls, a dirty club face, etc.

I think this is also the key reason why fades don’t carry as far as draws. It’s not that a draw swing is any faster/more powerful – it’s simply that fades have more backspin due to the impact geometry/physics involved with that swing.

Now I may be wrong on some of this, so I’d love to get a true expert’s take.

One thing I forgot to add to my comment above is that you need a minimum of backspin on all golf shots just to get the ball up in the air. That may be 1,500 RPM for woods and maybe 3,000 for irons.

My point is that increasing backspin beyond this base level will generally reduce carry. For example, I can guarantee that increasing the backspin on your 7 iron from 5k to 7.5k will reduce your carry with that club, even if your swinging faster at 7.5k.

I totally disagree with your premise. Draws carrying further than fades? That makes no sense.

Bare in mind tour players play with proper golf clubs which are weak lofted so the people you see hitting a 9 iron further than tour average 8 it’s probably because that 9 iron is closer to a 7 iron loft

Spin determines weather you hit a draw or fade so logic would dictate distance will also be effected. In my experience draws do tend to be further for 2 reasons and both have to do with spin. With a draw you will usually get more roll out as well as flight because of the decrease in spin. This is especially true with a driver.

Depends what clubs you are using. There can be as much as 7 degrees of variation between a ‘standard’ loft on a 7 iron. If you’re playing the Callaway Mavrik irons, you’ll get 27 degrees of loft on a 7 iron. If you’re playing the Callaway Apex Pro then its 34 degrees. That’s a two club difference.

I was custom fit recently for the Apex 21’s and currently play Apex MBs. With the MBs my 7 iron has 34 degrees of loft and flies 165yds with 89mph average club head speed. Same swing with the Apex 21s (30 degrees of loft) flies between 177 – 180 yds. Big difference.

Larry , I would highly recommend you see Mark Evershed . Buy him lunch and get the answers your looking for .

Hi guys this was a recent session with a cobra 3 wood 16 deg loft.my question is my launch angle seems a little low ,interested in your thoughts .thanks Shot # Club Club Speed (mph) Ball Speed (mph) Smash Factor Launch Angle (degrees) Direction Back Spin (rpm) Carry Distance (yards) Total Distance (yards) 1 3 Wood 94 143 1.52 8.80 Straight 3874.00 215.00 232.00 2 3 Wood 98 148 1.51 9.10 Straight 4096.00 223.00 240.00 3 3 Wood 94 142 1.51 9.10 Straight 3904.00 213.00 230.00 4 3 Wood 94 143 1.52 8.80 Straight 3874.00 215.00 232.00 5 3 Wood 96 145 1.51 9.10 Straight 4000.00 219.00 236.00 6 3 Wood 94 143 1.52 8.80 Straight 3874.00 215.00 232.00 7 3 Wood 94 143 1.52 8.80 Straight 3874.00 215.00 232.00 8 3 Wood 93 141 1.52 8.80 Straight 3826.00 212.00 229.00 9 3 Wood 92 129 1.40 12.40 Straight 4138.00 190.00 207.00 10 3 Wood 94 142 1.51 9.10 Straight 3904.00 213.00 230.00 11 3 Wood 94 142 1.51 9.10 Straight 3904.00 213.00 230.00 12 3 Wood 94 143 1.52 8.80 Straight 3874.00 215.00 232.00 13 3 Wood 96 145 1.51 9.10 Straight 4000.00 219.00 236.00 14 3 Wood 93 140 1.51 9.10 Straight 3856.00 210.00 227.00 15 3 Wood 96 146 1.52 8.80 Straight 3970.00 220.00 237.00 16 3 Wood 92 140 1.52 8.80 Straight 3778.00 210.00 227.00 17 3 Wood 95 144 1.52 8.80 Straight 3922.00 216.00 233.00 18 3 Wood 96 145 1.51 9.10 Straight 4000.00 219.00 236.00 19 3 Wood 94 142 1.51 9.10 Straight 3904.00 213.00 230.00 20 3 Wood 91 137 1.51 9.10 Straight 3760.00 204.00 221.00 21 3 Wood 94 143 1.52 8.80 Straight 3874.00 215.00 232.00 22 3 Wood 95 144 1.52 8.80 Straight 3922.00 216.00 233.00 23 3 Wood 95 144 1.52 8.80 Straight 3922.00 216.00 233.00 24 3 Wood 96 146 1.52 8.80 Straight 3970.00 220.00 237.00 25 3 Wood 96 146 1.52 8.80 Straight 3970.00 220.00 237.00 26 3 Wood 96 145 1.51 9.10 Straight 4000.00 219.00 236.00 27 3 Wood 94 137 1.46 10.60 Straight 4054.00 204.00 221.00 28 3 Wood 94 143 1.52 8.80 Straight 3874.00 215.00 232.00 29 3 Wood 98 142 1.45 10.90 Straight 4276.00 213.00 230.00

What kind of balls were you using?

Brent. This was at a driving range with srixon range balls

Ok the one number that really stood out to me was the smash factor. Usually anything above a 1.50 indicates something is illegal. There’s a reason not even the PGA tour players aren’t averaging 1.50 off the tee. Other than that your numbers look good.

Brent what about the launch angle

Yes the launch is a little on the low side. But seeing how you’re still getting decent distance I wouldn’t worry too much about how it’s coming out. But try hitting down on the ball more to get it up in the air faster.

I frequently get above 1.5 on trackman with longer irons and my woods (I have raised this with your tech teams already). This is because your machine measures club speed just before impact and doesn’t detect acceleration through impact

Trackman doesn’t detect acceleration through impact on solidly struck shots so you can post smash factors above 1.5. It’s best to just rely on ball speed with Trackman

Brent in one of your comments you said my smash factor was high ,had a session last night at range and some of my smash factors were 1.53 is this something to try and change and if so how do I change it

Like you had said you were using range balls correct? If so the smash factor will be a little off since they aren’t a legal tournament ball. What the smash factor (as explained to me by the Carolinas PGA rules committee chairman) is, is a measurement of how well the ball comes off the face. There’s a specific calculation for it but I’m not positive of it and anything over a 1.50 usually is a tell tale sign that either the club or ball is illegal. What I would recommend doing is using the ball you would normally play a round with and get some readings off that ball.

I read not long ago that Rory Mcilroy had a smash factor of 1.53 as well . If Willie can hit it 380 the way Rory does, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Larry. I’m 55 years old 280 is my distance not 380 Like Rory

Ball speed divided by club head speed is smash factor

I’m currently doing my university project on green-side bunker shots, I was wondering if you have any shot data for a short bunker shot or flop shot? Thanks.

Sorry but we do not have any official data we can share, but it would be interesting to see your final research :)

Blair, My assumption would be that the cleaner a ball is picked out of a bunker the more spin it will have and vice versa. The more sand you use to move the ball the less spin.

Do you have TrackMan data for AoA and DL for greenside bunker shots?

Sorry we do not have any official bunker shot data.

In looking at the tour pro stats for men – the max height reading for all clubs is about 30 plus or minus 2. I am trying to understand how/why are the heights the same for all clubs? My assumption would be the more lofted the club the greater the height! Is 30ish the optimum figure for best distance? Because in my last stats my longest 9.5 degree driver shot was max height of 56!

Is there any data available from the Senior tour?

We do not have any official charts for the Senior Tour. But you can login on mytrackman.com and use the combine section and filter, to show only Senior Tour players.

Thanks Christian!

what month/year is this data from?

Is there any data on typical club path for a tour pro?

Can you please post stats for average path, club face, and face to path numbers for PGA tour?

Could you please post average path, club face, and face to path numbers for several top Tour Players?

Before all the hype about hitting up on the ball came about, I hit down on a driver anywhere from -2 to -4 degrees and swung 1-2 degrees left.

Once I started to try and swing up on it. I lost direction big time. An easy swing for me is 112, swinging hard at it I can get it up to 123. Does Trackman recommend those that have higher swing speeds to hit down on it for straighter direction?

There is no physics logic backing up that hitting up on the ball will give a decrease in accuracy. However to go from hitting down to hitting up you have made some changes to your impact obviously. The way you made the changes could well be the problem as this could have affected your impact location, swing path, clubface and the way you release the club

Can pga tour players carry the ball 293 yards.

A Question: Were some data change on this site? I ask because I’m quite sure to have read other data for the men’s driver trajectory. Am I wrong or can someone confirm this?

kindly zorro

Is my impression right, that the data for the men driver were changed from

[Daten alt: 112mph 165mph 11,2° 2685 31y 39° 269y] to [Daten neu: 113mph 167mph 10,9° 2686 32y 38° 275y] ?

Why did TM do that?

For the tour pro stats – mainly carry distance, launch angle and spin rate for the driver, you have the averages, could you supply the max and min (filtered for outliers)? I am going to run an experiment with Trackman at my golf academy and need a starting range for each item. The tour max and min range is a starting point versus having to create this from scratch.

Anyone know where I can find raw data of clubhead speed? It is for a College project. Thanks!

You know what would be great to see – average miss from target – left and right – for each club. Of course short and long from target matter as well, but solid contact isn’t really my issue – left and right misses is my challenge

I’m about a half club off of PGA Tour average distance wise. Technically I’m a 1 handicap, but more like 4 or 5 when the tourney pressure is on. I know from playing with better players the difference between me and them is pretty much how much more accurate they are from a left and right perspective.

You can find all this info from Mark Broadie. He has tracked all the shots on the us tour for years and also written a book Every Shot Counts about it

I have been playing Golf for less than 19 months. I must admit I was damn tired of the same Golf Lesson producing varying results with inconsistent instruction(s) which seemed contradictory to the previous lesson. I take Golf perhaps a little more serious than others and my “approach” to this game may be viewed as extreme due to my focus on Fitness/Strength Training combined with my Yoga and Nutritional regimen.

That notwithstanding I would like to formally THANK the Trackman Developers and Support Staff for FINALLY producing a “Standardized” curriculum eliminating the traditional random quick fixes and circumventing the often inconsistent and contradictory methods being taught today.

I currently own a Trackman 4 and although I DO NOT wish to teach, I am Certified as an Operator and successful in obtaining my Professional Level 1 & 2 Certifications and shortly will be submitting my Thesis to be considered for review. These Certifications have greatly assisted me in understanding Flight/Ball dynamics and greatly assists my Coach and I in our 4-5 hour daily Putting-Wedge-Iron-Wood and Driver Sessions providing the data necessary to produce a more consistent and …. I have a hard time with this next word…… F U N game. (There I said the word “fun” in the same sentence as “Golf.” I’m so proud of myself!!!

Seriously, I simply CANNOT thank Nathan Meyer for coming to my hometown and demonstrating the enormous benefit(s) of purchasing the Trackman 4 product.

Kym Fontana [email protected]

It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know you! Your work ethic, attitude, and kindness are all things that I can look up to. very excited for 2017 and I am looking forward to seeing you again soon!

-Nathan Meyer [email protected]

Are there numbers posted for an average 5 HCP player or 10 HCP player similar to the charts above for the ave tour player?

What is the #1 PGA Tour player in “Carry Distance” average carry distance??

I understand this data is pretty old, released soon after the time when trackman first came out. I’m sure things have changed since then. Any update?

Actually, we haven’t seen any huge changes over the past years, it’s more about roundings. For example, Avg. Club Speed for a driver: 2014: 113.0 mph 2015: 113.3 mph 2016: 112.9 mph And it’s pretty much similar with the other numbers.

We do have a graphical updated version of the Tour Stats here.

Not really. Lee Westwood was interviewed recently and advised that apart from his driver he hits everything else almost the exact same he has his entire career.

I’m looking for PGA tour averages for dynamic loft for different clubs. Does anyone have this data to share? Thanks!

Are there tour averages for club path?

Are all these stats full swings? Example: Would the avg tour pro hit a 6-iron further, if he turns fully and tries to hit it as far as possible (with a natural movement like on a driver – not with an unnatural swing that creates most possible power, but result in very unconsistent ball flight)?

Currently I practice indoors because of the winter. I do my practice with Trackman and I carry my 7 iron about 177-180 yards and total distance of 188-192 yards with my TaylorMade PSi irons. Lots of my shots with the 7 iron has a smash factor of 1.50-1.51.

This is a example of one of my shots with 7 iron.

Club speed: 80.2 | AoA: 1.3 | Ball speed: 120.5 | Carry: 164 meter | Total: 176 meter | Dyn Loft: 19.6 | Smash Factor: 1.50

Is that normal number for a 7 iron with a that club speed?

Averages are useful, but knowing them would be more useful if we knew the median and mode, as well as the range.

Hello, Are there updated PGA Tour Trackman stats?

On Trackman this week using 7i I noticed the spin rate I had was well below that of a pro by nearly 3,000 rpm but similar club speed and attack angle. How can I get my spin rate up?

It can vary a lot due to the ball and clubs you are using. For example driving range balls are normally very hard and will have much lower spinrates than a quality ball like a Titleist pro v1. Modern day irons are also built to higher the lauch angle and lower the spinrate so that the average golfer will achieve more distance

It would be great to know the average loft for each club, especially the irons!. I think 21-24-27-30-34-38-42-46 (3-Pw) are reasonable specs. What do you guys think?

What loft are the irons? A modern 7i is now 30°

Is this still the original data from 2015 or has it been updated?

I’d be very curious to see if the how the average attack angle has changed over this time in the PGA.

Please update this data from over the years of more testing.

Do you have any numbers on tour averages numbers on dynamic loft and spin loft?

I am a 2 handicapper and I hit my driver 280 yards on an average. What is the attack angle with driver of the best players on the pga tour?

these yardages are no doubt well below reality.

6 iron only 183yds carry? Most high handicappers hit it equally far.

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Golf Swing Speed Chart: Averages By Age, Skill, and More

Swing speed charts can tell you the average speeds by age, skill, gender, and more. You can also compare how club head speeds compare to distance.

As a PGA-certified golf coach, I know I am not alone in being a numbers and statistics geek. Many of my students are hungry to compare their numbers with their favorite pro golfers using charts, graphs, and other visual representations.

Many swing speed charts exist today. Some break down clubhead and ball speed by a golfer’s handicap, gender, age, years playing, and many other areas. What many may find surprising by some of the data is that most golfers do not swing as fast as they think nor hit the ball as far as they claim to.

My goal in this article is to share all of the latest information and statistics regarding swing speed in golf. I’ll also share other related information, such as the distance at which golfers hit the ball. Other information relevant to this topic will be shared as well.

Here is a breakdown of what you can find if you read on:

• Average Swing Speed By Age and Gender
• Average Swing Speed By Handicap
• Average PGA TOUR Club Head Speeds and Distances
• PGA TOUR Average Club Head Speeds and Carry Distance Per Club
• Average LPGA TOUR Club Head Speeds and Distances
• LPGA TOUR Average Club Head Speeds and Carry Distance Per Club
• The Fastest Swingers In Golf

Tips To Improve Your Swing Speed

So get ready, and make sure to buckle up. Things are going to get fast!

Average Swing Speed Chart By Age and Gender

Average swing speed chart by handicap, pga tour fastest 10 driver swing speed averages.

• PGA TOUR Slowest 10 Driver Swing Speed Averages

Fast Swing Speed Does Not Always Equal Longer Drives

Swing speed and driving distance matters, but you can win without them, pga tour average clubhead speed and carry distance per club, lpga tour fastest 10 driver distance averages, lpga tour average clubhead speed and carry distance per club, the fastest swing speeds in golf, traditional tips for getting faster swing speeds, non-traditional tips for getting faster swing speeds, what is the mach 3 speed training system, final thoughts.

*Estimates due to a lack of participants in this age and gender group

** The data in the chart was compiled from a Titleist Performance Institute  (TPI) study conducted in 2019.

Club head swing speed contributes to the distance a golfer can hit a golf ball. Countless factors contribute to how fast a golfer can swing, such as age, flexibility, strength, gender, and the efficiency of their swing mechanics.

The first factor I wanted to chart concerning swing speed is age and gender. The following chart represents the average swing speeds with a driver for several different age groups and by male and female golfers within them.

Age significantly affects how much clubhead speed a golfer can produce on average.  Here is the main observation about swing speed versus age and gender:

• As you age, swing speed generally gets slower

However, as you can see from the chart, age does not necessarily have to slow you down completely. Some golfers in the 50 – 59 and 60+ age groups can still swing significantly fast. It all depends on how flexible someone can stay as they age.

Check this out: What Are the Golf Club Distances for Each Club? (Charts for All Skill Levels)

*Data from PGATour.com  as of 7/9/23  

**Data from PGATour.com  as of 7/9/23

Average swing speeds by handicap data from TrackMan

Let’s look at average swing speeds by handicap level for male golfers.

A golfer’s playing ability and how efficiently they swings the club also directly impact how fast their swing speed is. When golfers understand how the swing is supposed to work and can execute those fundamentals correctly, the result is a much more efficient swing. That efficient swing will lead to an increase in swing speed.

Read on: What Driver Loft Should You Use? (Full Chart Based On Swing Speed)

Average PGA TOUR Club Head Speeds

PGA TOUR professionals are among the best golfers in the world, so many golfers look to them as guides to playing the game correctly.

Note: Even though these speeds happened on a specific date in 2024, they’re still applicable today since swing speeds don’t rise significantly over time.

*Compiled through Rocket Mortgage Classic, 7/2/23

• Tour Pro Golfer Average Swing Speed – 115.24        
• Tour Pro Golfer Average Driving Distance – 299.40

PGA TOUR Slowest  10 Driver Swing Speed Averages

*All data from PGATour.com

**Compiled through Rocket Mortgage Classic, 7/2/23

As you may have noticed, some of the PGA TOUR pros in the top 20 in swing speed with the driver are outside the top 20 in average driver distance. This is because of a stat called Smash Factor, which measures the efficiency of a swing.

Smash Factor  is calculated by dividing the ball speed by the clubhead speed. Additionally, where the ball comes in contact with the clubface matters quite a bit as well.

Here are some examples of players with fast swing speeds who are outside the top 20 in driving distance.

Of those short knockers in the bottom 10 on the PGA TOUR this season in swing speed, and many of whom are very near the bottom in driving distance, all but two have a PGA TOUR victory on their resume.

*Data compiled from TrackMan’s 2017 PGA TOUR Data Points

I use data from TrackMan all the time with my students as a reference for what peak performance stats look like.

Above, I have pulled out the club head speed and carry distances for each club, on average, on the PGA TOUR.

TrackMan notes that these AVERAGE stats from 2017 have mostly stayed the same over the last six years.  The top players on the PGA TOUR have gotten faster and carry the ball longer, but, on average, the chart above still holds close to today’s average.

Average LPGA TOUR Club Head Speeds

The LPGA does not keep data on swing speed. However, the average swing speed with the driver hovers around 95 mph, per TrackMan. As we noticed in the statistics above for the PGA TOUR, there is somewhat of a correlation between swing speed and driver distance, but not necessarily always.

The current top drivers on the LPGA Tour shake out as follows:

Driving Distance Averages from LPGATour.com

Swing Speed Estimates Via TrackMan

Data compiled through 7/9/23

As noted previously, TrackMan is a go-to source for swing and club data for many coaches and players. I use data from TrackMan with my students all the time. For my female students, as well as slower-swinging male students, one of my go-to charts is TrackMan’s 2017 LPGA TOUR Data Points .

Compiled data from TrackMan

As noted previously, TrackMan notes that these AVERAGE stats from 2017 have mostly stayed the same over the last six years. The top players on the LPGA TOUR have gotten faster and carry the ball longer, but, on average, the chart above still holds close to today’s average.

In 2012, Ryan Winther set the world record for swing speed at 167 mph, and that swing produced a ball speed of 225 mph.

Recent long-drive phenom, Kyle Berkshire, has come close to Winther’s record, recording a swing speed of 160. Berkshire does however have the highest ball speed ever recorded at 236.8 mph… Say What?!?

More from Golf Span: The 10 Best Drivers for Slow Swing Speed

Swing speed and distance have become one of the most talked about topics in the game over recent years. It seems that everyone in golf has a need for speed! There is no denying that swing speed is a hot topic in golf.

Golfers are always looking for tips and tricks to improve their swing speed. I will break down my tips for you in two different ways. The first is the more traditional ways we, as instructors and coaches, point students toward when working on improving their swing speed.

The second will come from my friend, Michael Romatowski, founder and creator of the revolutionary Mach 3 Golf Speed Training System. Mike’s system is really helping 1,000’s of golfers get faster with their swing.

Some of the more traditional tips for golfers to help them increase their swing speed include the following:

• Train Your Body to Get Faster-  If you can increase your flexibility and mobility, reaching faster swing speeds will be more realistic. How a golfer moves their body, in terms of how much they can rotate their hips and upper torso, will play a big part in their production of swing speed. Getting yourself into the habit of stretching your body regularly will help your ability to swing faster.
• Equipment can make a difference- Having the right equipment for you can make a big difference in your ability to swing faster. Some of the critical things you need to consider in terms of equipment include:
• The overall weight of the club-  The lighter the club, the faster you can swing it. That is straight-up science, folks.
• The type of shaft you use-  The shaft matters in golf. From the length, to the flex, and where the kick-point is, all of these things equate to your ability to swing at your maximum speed.
• The head of the club-  Golf equipment technology has made massive gains over the last two decades. The clubheads on today’s drivers can offer maximum forgiveness and create a “trampoline effect” with the ball coming off the face. Test different drivers, and you may be surprised at what gains you can make by simply having the right club.

I have recently become a massive fan of a speed training program called the Mack 3 Golf Speed Training System . It was developed by Michael Romatowski. Mike is a multi-certified personal trainer, golf fitness expert, and post-rehab exercise specialist. I have spent a lot of time talking with Mike recently; he was a recent guest on my Quite Please Golf Podcast. You can listen to that episode here.

Mach 3 is a year-round speed training protocol that has produced an average gain in clubhead speed for program participants of 11.5 miles per hour. The tools used in Mach 3 are dynamic and unique, allowing golfers to experience the sensation of “Speed Out in Front,” which is the hallmark of Mach 3.

Some of the critical points of Mach 3 that I like include:

• It’s Open To All –  The Mach 3 program is for golfers of all ages, genders, and playing abilities.
• It’s Fun & Safe –  Workouts are fun, non-exhausting, safe, and athletic in nature.
• It’s Accessible to All –  Speed training workouts can be held indoors or outdoors.
• It’s Optimized –  Train for golf without “bulking up” and using natural golf body motions.

The overarching theme of Mach 3 is the “Speed out in front” concept. “Speed out in front” means that a golfer needs to become much more target-oriented when swinging. Anything after impact and up to the end of your swing is “out in front.”

Because the golf swing is such a fast movement, taking roughly only 1.25 seconds, it is essential to think in your mind to be a few steps ahead. Golfers often think of the ball and impact with the ball as the finish line when, in reality, it is only the mid-way point. If you focus on the ball as the ultimate goal, you will move slower into it at impact.

Mach 3 trains golfers to think of the finish line of the swing as being the top of your finish. You become hyper-focused on the target, the finish of the swing, and getting all of your energy, momentum, and speed “out in front” and past the point where the ball is at impact…well past it.

Mach 3 will help any and all golfers that give this concept a try. As mentioned earlier, program participants’ average gain in clubhead speed is around 11.5 miles per hour. That is significant!

If you’re a golfer seeking to improve your game, understanding the insights a golf swing speed chart can provide is invaluable. These charts break down swing speeds by various factors such as age, gender, and skill level, offering a wealth of data that helps golfers understand where they stand. My extensive experience as a golf coach has shown me that these statistics are crucial for those aiming to improve their performance. Surprisingly, many golfers discover they don’t swing as fast or hit as far as they initially thought.

The charts reveal that factors like age, gender, and skill level profoundly impact your swing speed and, subsequently, your driving distance. However, it’s important to note that age doesn’t necessarily have to slow you down. Many golfers in the 50 – 59 and 60+ age brackets can still generate impressive swing speeds, particularly if they maintain good flexibility and employ proper swing mechanics.

To boost your swing speed, you can rely on tried-and-true methods and cutting-edge techniques. On the traditional side, improving your body’s flexibility and selecting the right equipment can make a significant difference. For instance, lighter clubs and the right shaft type can notably increase your swing speed. On the innovative front, training systems like the Mach 3 Golf Speed Training System have helped thousands of golfers achieve faster swings by focusing on functional training tailored to golf performance.

To wrap up, a golf swing speed chart is an essential tool for anyone serious about upgrading their golf game. Combining this data with top tips for improving your swing speed can set you on the path to becoming a more formidable golfer. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to fine-tune your skills, a strategic approach backed by sound data can help you reach new heights in your golf career. Stay tuned for the latest updates and trends in golf statistics and training techniques.

More from me on Golf Span: How to Increase Swing Speed: 10 Tips

Brendon Elliott

Brendon is Class A PGA Professional and founded Little Linksters, LLC, and its nonprofit arm, the Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development. He won 25+ prestigious industry honors, including the 2017 PGA National Youth Player Development Award. He graduated from the PGA of America Management Program and has a handicap index of 7.8.

He has played golf for over 40 years and currently plays twice a month at the Eagle Dunes Golf Club near Sorrento, Florida. He loves Srixon clubs and plays a ZX5 driver with Z 585 irons. He's written over 60 articles on GolfSpan and specializes in sharing tips to improve your golf game. You can connect with Brendon at  LinkedIn , X , IG , FB , his website , or [email protected] .

• Best score : 69
• Favorite driver : Srixon ZX5
• Favorite ball : Srixon Z Star
• Favorite food at the turn : Turkey and cheese on white
• Brendon Elliott https://www.golfspan.com/author/brendon-elliott Bombs Away: The Longest Drives in Golf History
• Brendon Elliott https://www.golfspan.com/author/brendon-elliott 10 Longest Drives in PGA Tour History
• Brendon Elliott https://www.golfspan.com/author/brendon-elliott Are Refurbished Golf Balls Any Good?
• Brendon Elliott https://www.golfspan.com/author/brendon-elliott Masters Ticket Prices in 2024: What I Pay as a PGA Pro

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PGA Tour Players React to Nelly Korda’s Success

Bunched leaderboard means a hollywood ending in store at wilshire.

• Nelly Korda

Nelly Korda’s five consecutive LPGA Tour victories have taken the golf world by storm in recent weeks, even catching the eye of some of her male counterparts on the PGA Tour. Take a look at what they had to say about the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1’s success over the past few months.

Scottie Scheffler

“One of the people here asked me, is this turning into a competition between you and Nelly, and I was like, I don't know, man. I think if it's a competition, she's got me pretty beat right now. Five wins in a row. She had that T16 at the beginning of the year, which was just terrible. I can't believe she did that. It's pretty special stuff. To win four times in a row and then show up at a major championship and win is extremely impressive. I'm extremely happy for her. I think we've all seen the golf swing. I wish I could see it more in person, but we don't really run into them too much outside of some TaylorMade shoots and stuff like that. Some great golf, some historic stuff, and hopefully she keeps it up.”

“She finished T16 in her first event this year and the other five she's won. I don't know if I can quite relate to that. That's some pretty serious golf. I'm extremely happy for her and proud of her. That's some pretty special stuff. It's been a treat to watch.”

Billy Horschel

“I had a three-week stretch where I finished second, first, first, and I thought I was something special at that time, but what Nelly and Scottie are doing is unreal. I can't imagine that. And over a period of time, not just five weeks in a row, they've done over six, seven, eight weeks. It's unreal golf. To think about who they're playing against in today's generation of more talented players and doing what they're still doing, I'd say we're not going to see anything like that again, but I'm sure we will. You have to stand up and applaud them because it's pretty special. As a golf fan, I'm just lucky to be able to see that because, at the end of the day, I'm a golf fan at heart.”

J.T. Poston

“I don't know her personally, but five in a row is pretty impressive, and that was a major (Sunday), right; is that correct? That's pretty impressive. Obviously, what Scottie has been doing has been pretty impressive, and for her to reel off five in a row, that's hard to fathom.”

Wyndham Clark

“To win five in a row is amazing. Especially one being a major that she just won. Kudos to her. She's playing amazing and clearly the best female in the world.”

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Fact or Fiction: Scottie Scheffler Is the PGA Tour Player of the Year Already

SI Golf’s writers and editors debate the historic runs of Scheffler and Nelly Korda, plus the return of LIV Golf.

• Author: SI Golf Staff

Welcome back to SI Golf’s Fact or Fiction, where we’re not crazy to be entertaining Grand Slam odds for Scottie, and even wondering what they might be for Nelly. 

Once again, we’re here to debate a series of statements for writers and editors to declare as “Fact” or “Fiction” along with a brief explanation. Responses may also (occasionally) be “Neutral” since there's a lot of gray area in golf.

Do you agree or disagree? Let us know on the SI Golf X account.

Scottie Scheffler won Monday at the RBC Heritage, dominating and completely brushing off any post-Masters hangover . Bernhard Langer was the last to win the week after a Masters title—in 1985. If the major was his best win of the season, Hilton Head was his second-best. 

Bob Harig: FACT. Winning the Players Championship will get some attention but a victory a week after capturing the Masters is above and beyond. It’s simply too difficult to come back a few days later and compete at the level needed to maintain what went so well at Augusta National. Not to mention … Harbour Town is such a different test of golf than Augusta National. That Scheffler was able to quickly adapt and keep it going is impressive.

John Pluym: FACT. Check out these two stats: In the last 20 years, only Tiger Woods averaged a tournament finish position in the top 10 after winning the Masters in 2002. And the record for most tournament victories after winning at Augusta in the same year is three, and Woods did it twice (2002, ’05), and Jordan Spieth did it in 2015. So, yes, Scheffler winning the RBC Heritage the week after the Masters is no ordinary feat. In fact, it’s actually quite extraordinary when you consider the stats above. 

Jeff Ritter: FACT: Scottie is on fire, and going right out and winning a week after the Masters is further proof that he’s on another level right now. The PGA Championship can’t get here fast enough. 

John Schwarb: FICTION. Becoming the first back-to-back Players champ, against the Tour’s deepest field on its flagship course, has to rank second in this run. But as Bob wrote Monday, not mailing it in at Harbour Town is still remarkable. Scottie is wired differently. 

Scheffler’s wife Meredith is due at the end of the month with the couple’s first child. The world No. 1 could take the rest of the year off as a new father and still win PGA Tour Player of the Year. 

Bob Harig: FACT.  Scheffler has won a major, the PGA Tour’s flagship event and two signature events. Nobody else on the PGA Tour has more than one victory at this point. Take Hideki Matsuyama, for example. He won the Genesis, a signature event. He’d need to add a major plus one of the remaining signature events (Wells Fargo, Memorial, Travelers) and ONE more win just to match Scheffler. And what win would be on the same level as the Players? So that suggests another signature event or a FedEx Cup playoff win. It’s possible someone wins a major and the FedEx Cup and gets consideration but it is difficult to see that at this point.

John Pluym: FACT. The only golfer on a hotter streak than Scheffler is Nelly Korda, and she plays on the LPGA Tour. I don’t see any golfer on the PGA Tour playing consistently well enough to overtake Scheffler for POY if Scheffler decided to pack it in for the rest of the season. Rory? Xander? Wyndham? Max? Tommy? Collin? It’s not even close right now.  

Jeff Ritter: FICTION. Scottie’s resume would be impressive, but the news cycle moves fast! Someone else—maybe Wyndham Clark, or Rory or Morikawa, for example—could snag one of the summer’s majors and cap the season with a FedEx Cup title just before voters go to the polls for POY. 

John Schwarb: FACT. Taking POY from Scheffler right now would likely require a half-dozen wins with two majors. Tough to see who’s doing that given the lackluster seasons by so many Tour “stars.” 

Nelly Korda won her fifth consecutive start at the Chevron Championship (for her second career major), tying five-win streaks by Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam. Hers is the most impressive.   

Bob Harig: FICTION. This is not to diminish Korda’s accomplishment, which is incredible. We are comparing remarkable achievements. But her winning early in the year, and then not playing for seven weeks, makes it harder to equate it to what Lopez and Sorenstam did. But we’re splitting hairs. Winning five tournaments—at all—is amazing.

John Pluym: FICTION. Here’s the thing: Is the LPGA Tour field better than when Lopez and Sorenstam were dominating? No. So, for now, the streak is impressive but let’s see if she can win a couple more in a row.

The LPGA's best player also has excellent cannonball form.

Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Ritter: FACT. Today’s LPGA draws from a worldwide pool of the best players the world has ever known. It’s a much more global tour than in the days of Lopez, and even Annika. It’s tough to win, even if Nelly is currently making it look easy. 

John Schwarb: FICTION. Sorenstam’s five, like Korda’s, was capped with a win at the Kraft Nabisco Championship (now Chevron). But she won that by eight shots, one of many tournaments in which she was the best by a wide margin. 

LIV Golf returns this week with a two-week swing through Australia and Singapore. Jon Rahm will get his first win at one of the two stops.     

Bob Harig: FACT. Rahm had a bad Masters but that happened to a lot of players. He started strong at LIV with a couple of early close calls and he’s too good to let this linger for long. Either place seems a good spot to get the first win and some momentum heading into the PGA Championship.

John Pluym: FICTION. It might take a pair of low-pressure stops for Rahm to win after the defending Masters champion stunk it up during the first major of the year. And he looks like a guy who is enjoying a $450 million payday and has settled into playing 54-hole tournaments. 

Jeff Ritter: FICTION. Rahm appeared lost and ticked off leaving Augusta. But is he just going to throw the switch on his golf game? I’d expect him to win somewhere on LIV this year, but I’m skeptical that it’s coming soon. He has some work to do. 

John Schwarb: FACT. As great as it is to return to the Masters as the defending champion, there was a lot more baked into it for Rahm as a LIV guy and it didn’t appear easy on or off the course. He can exhale with that behind him and these are a pair of low-pressure stops for the Spaniard to get a W.

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