What’s your height and what’s your swing speed?

[Lloyd_Christmas29]

I’m 5’8” and my average driver speed was 107 on trackman yesterday, highest was 110. I’ve definitely lost some speed from a few years ago. My peak was 5 years ago where I was like 110 average with a max of 115. I was also a lot stronger in the gym at this time so that probably explains the loss in speed. I also think there is a mental block when I have a ball in front of me. With dry swings i think I can crank it up another 10 mph higher. 
 

Curious if there’s anyone in my height range that can move it 120+ mph. If so, any tips for gaining speed? 

[Trippels]

36 minutes ago, Lloyd_Christmas29 said:

I’m 5’8” and my average driver speed was 107 on trackman yesterday, highest was 110. I’ve definitely lost some speed from a few years ago. My peak was 5 years ago where I was like 110 average with a max of 115. I was also a lot stronger in the gym at this time so that probably explains the loss in speed. I also think there is a mental block when I have a ball in front of me. With dry swings i think I can crank it up another 10 mph higher. 
 

Curious if there’s anyone in my height range that can move it 120+ mph. If so, any tips for gaining speed? 

Well Rory is a short king like yourself

[Hawkeye77]

So if I'm 6'2" tall I should have a couple of legs up (literally) on swing speed?  I've been cheated, lol. 

[596]

4 minutes ago, Hawkeye77 said:

So if I'm 6'2" tall I should have a couple of legs up (literally) on swing speed?  I've been cheated, lol. 

Na, there's more to it then that. I'm 6' 3" at a whooping 87mph. But I'm 69 years old.  Age has a lot more to do with it then height.  It more about fast and slow twitch muscles. Those will limit you more then height.

[Ross_Albatross]

6’5”, 113 playing speed

Edited March 2 by DwayneGretzky

[Lloyd_Christmas29]

45 minutes ago, Hawkeye77 said:

So if I'm 6'2" tall I should have a couple of legs up (literally) on swing speed?  I've been cheated, lol. 

Most definitely. Being taller naturally gives you more speed, for the same reason you can swing a driver faster than you swing a 7 iron.

[Lloyd_Christmas29]

39 minutes ago, 596 said:

Na, there's more to it then that. I'm 6' 3" at a whooping 87mph. But I'm 69 years old.  Age has a lot more to do with it then height.  It more about fast and slow twitch muscles. Those will limit you more then height.

Height is only 1 factor for sure. I’d bet if you were my height (5’ 8”) at 69 years old though you’d be slower than you are now.

[Lloyd_Christmas29]

1 hour ago, Trippels said:

Well Rory is a short king like yourself

Yeah he’s a freak of nature. Rickie and JT are similar height though and they also cruise upwards of 120 MPH on course. It has always baffled me.

[diablocrusher]

I'm 5'8 and was on a Trackman a few weeks ago and was averaging around 115.  Got one up to 119 mph, best ball speed I saw was 170.  I'm 40 years old and don't go to the gym, don't train for speed; played baseball as a kid and in college. My swing speed has been roughly the same since launch monitors came out. 

 

I feel swing speed has more to do with fast-twitch muscles than anything else, just my opinion.  Can't explain how I've maintained those swing speeds over the years. 

[adamwittman]

Wanna solve your problems go to titleist tpi and get your numbers, they will show you where you are suboptimal 

[Lloyd_Christmas29]

19 minutes ago, diablocrusher said:

I'm 5'8 and was on a Trackman a few weeks ago and was averaging around 115.  Got one up to 119 mph, best ball speed I saw was 170.  I'm 40 years old and don't go to the gym, don't train for speed; played baseball as a kid and in college. My swing speed has been roughly the same since launch monitors came out. 

 

I feel swing speed has more to do with fast-twitch muscles than anything else, just my opinion.  Can't explain how I've maintained those swing speeds over the years. 

Makes sense. There’s gotta be a genetic component to it. Just like many people could never throw a 90 mph fastball even if they trained their whole life for it.

[Jtgavigan]

5'8", about 165lbs, 54 years old and about as quick as I have ever been. I have maxed at about 117 swing and 172 ball speed. I cruise in the mid 160s. I have been playing since I was 11 and have always been long for my size. I work out 4 to 5 days a week (been doing HIIT with a kettlebell and heavy club, along with some dumbbell work) and stretch a few nights a week. 

 

One guy I am still trying to figure out is Micah Morris on YouTube. He is a runt like us and is in the 190s. I have seen him push 200. Pretty sure he is one big fast twitch muscle. 

[Pnwpingi210]

Having the right kinematic sequence is likely more of the limiting factor for most of us vs or height, weight, muscle fiber makeup, or mobility.

[Lloyd_Christmas29]

21 minutes ago, Jtgavigan said:

5'8", about 165lbs, 54 years old and about as quick as I have ever been. I have maxed at about 117 swing and 172 ball speed. I cruise in the mid 160s. I have been playing since I was 11 and have always been long for my size. I work out 4 to 5 days a week (been doing HIIT with a kettlebell and heavy club, along with some dumbbell work) and stretch a few nights a week. 

 

One guy I am still trying to figure out is Micah Morris on YouTube. He is a runt like us and is in the 190s. I have seen him push 200. Pretty sure he is one big fast twitch muscle. 

Micah is crazy. He looks pretty built though. I’d bet he can squat/bench quite a bit.

[Valtiel]

6'3" and 115-125mph depending on whether or not I just 3-putted. 

[Mcgeeno]

5-11

210

41 Y/O

 

105 MPH

 

1 cap.

[Jtgavigan]

33 minutes ago, Lloyd_Christmas29 said:

Micah is crazy. He looks pretty built though. I’d bet he can squat/bench quite a bit.

Have seen him bench 225 5 or 6 times...he is a strong one..

[Pnwpingi210]

57 minutes ago, Lloyd_Christmas29 said:

Micah is crazy. He looks pretty built though. I’d bet he can squat/bench quite a bit.

He also sequences well and an elite producer of ground reaction force per his tpi video.

 

its less about fast twitch and strength, and more about sequencing how you use the ground.

 

Thats how guys like Rory, tosti, Sargent, Knapp all generate the 190 ball speed at 160 lbs.

[Chunkitgood]

https://www.tutelman.com/golf/swing/tallGolfer.php

[Poor Mans Ty Webb]

I’m 5’9”, former multi-sport athlete, entering into mid/late 30s, didn’t pick up the game until my mid/late 20s. Currently weigh around 185-190, should weigh 175-180. Classic Dad Bod. 

 

Spent the last few seasons working on getting faster. Pre COVID, I was around 100/140. Now I cruise around 110/165, highest this winter was 117/175 with a 60g, 44.5” driver. I’ve found that it’s a process in phases for me. Figuring out how to make the speed playable takes longer, and due to the late start, my game already lacks a good bit of polish, overall.

 

If I was in better shape, I think I could find 120 and maybe push my cruising speed up to 115. The desire is kind of there, but I don’t really have the need. Making speed playable on the course is a very different ball game. I play under 6500yds most of the time, and I’m sore for three days every time I try to do a set of squats in the gym. My partial wedge game has been brutally exposed with the distance gains, as well.

 

As others have pointed out, sequencing and generating force is key - a combination of lateral, vertical, and rotational. When I try to swing ‘hard’ I rush it and disaster ensues. When I slow it down and properly sequence, good things happen.

[Jtgavigan]

My sequence is pretty good and I produce a ton of vertical (210%+) force. It is in the right order, just not as much of the horizontal and especially torque. 

[Pnwpingi210]

1 minute ago, Jtgavigan said:

My sequence is pretty good and I produce a ton of vertical (210%+) force. It is in the right order, just not as much of the horizontal and especially torque. 

And that’s why at 54 and 165lb you can hit 117 mph.  You could probably swing 10mph faster at 27 (like Micah) if you knew what you knew now, then.  Does he move it, yes.  But it’s pretty much his job to be able to do that in order to retain his audience.

 

I say this cause I hear lots of people (not you) put up barriers to speed like strength, height, weight and mobility.  Are those barriers?  Sure, but they likely aren’t the biggest barrier an amateur golfer is facing, which is sequencing and ground force.   

[Jtgavigan]

30 minutes ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

And that’s why at 54 and 165lb you can hit 117 mph.  You could probably swing 10mph faster at 27 (like Micah) if you knew what you knew now, then.  Does he move it, yes.  But it’s pretty much his job to be able to do that in order to retain his audience.

 

I say this cause I hear lots of people (not you) put up barriers to speed like strength, height, weight and mobility.  Are those barriers?  Sure, but they likely aren’t the biggest barrier an amateur golfer is facing, which is sequencing and ground force.   

I also grew up in an era of persimmon and balata. We couldn't swing like we do now. No telling where it would go. I still liked to hit it hard. 😉

 

They also didn't want us as baseball players or golfers to lift weights and get muscle bound either...

[adamwittman]

My 1 rep maxes on deadlift are 650, incline press 330 plus 2x a week and squat 550 1or 2x a month. Swing speed has zero to do with that. Ive said this 100x on forums, faster speed for 99 percent of golfers is a result of better sequencing, im stronger than everyone on tour, by far, and i suck at golf, why ? Bc sequencing 

[Lloyd_Christmas29]

1 hour ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

He also sequences well and an elite producer of ground reaction force per his tpi video.

 

its less about fast twitch and strength, and more about sequencing how you use the ground.

 

Thats how guys like Rory, tosti, Sargent, Knapp all generate the 190 ball speed at 160 lbs.

I don’t think I use the ground well. I’ve never been able to get that motion of pushing up with my left leg at impact quite right.

[Lloyd_Christmas29]

8 minutes ago, adamwittman said:

My 1 rep maxes on deadlift are 650, incline press 330 plus 2x a week and squat 550 1or 2x a month. Swing speed has zero to do with that. Ive said this 100x on forums, faster speed for 99 percent of golfers is a result of better sequencing, im stronger than everyone on tour, by far, and i suck at golf, why ? Bc sequencing 

Sheesh

[JJFWebster]

5'11 - 120 mph max. Avg is more around 117. I'm turning 40 this year and don't have time for the gym. I do try to make time for a 30 min lesson most weekends through the off-season. I think I have a little more in the tank if I can let my hands drop a little more at the top but it's hard to change that timing after so many years of habit.

[Pnwpingi210]

14 minutes ago, Lloyd_Christmas29 said:

I don’t think I use the ground well. I’ve never been able to get that motion of pushing up with my left leg at impact quite right.

It can feel foreign, especially if you don’t move your pelvis and hips right in the backswing.  
 

the good news it’s something you can improve!

[vegasandre]

-5'11 
-185-190
-Almost 58 yrs old  
-On course swing speed 122-125   - recent max 134/194 - going for 140/200 and then I will concentrate on the getting to Plus scoring thing.. 

Edited March 3 by vegasandre

[Pnwpingi210]

26 minutes ago, vegasandre said:

-5'11 
-185-190
-Almost 58 yrs old  
-On course swing speed 122-125   - recent max 134/194 - going for 140/200 and then I will concentrate on the getting to Plus scoring thing.. 

 

 

You could walk away with the super senior long driver title if you can hit 190 ball speed at 60.

 

Between this and the deadlifts you could be setting some world records!