How Strength Training Transformed My Clubhead Speed

If you’re serious about gaining distance then strength training isn’t optional… it’s essential.

When most golfers think of improving clubhead speed, they picture swing tweaks, lightweight speed sticks, or hitting hundreds of drivers into a net. And while those tools have their place, they don’t work as well if you’re missing the foundation: strength and robustness. And you may just be increasing you risk of injury.

Golf Demands an Athlete’s Body

Golf might not look like a contact sport, but rotational forces put a massive amount of stress through the spine and surrounding tissues. That’s why nearly 90% of golf injuries are overuse injuries, according to research. The reality is, if your body isn’t robust enough to handle the forces of the modern golf swing, something will eventually break down.

That’s where strength training comes in. Not just for hitting it further, but for keeping your body healthy enough to keep playing. In fact, a large meta analysis showed that strength training can reduce sports injuries by 33%, and cut overuse and acute injuries by up to 50%.

What Strength Training for Golf Is Actually About

When you strip it back, strength and conditioning for golf comes down to two goals:

1. Reducing injury risk

2. Increasing clubhead speed

And both of those goals are tied directly to improving your physical qualities as an athlete.

Yes, athlete. That’s not just a buzzword. If you want to move like one, you need to train like one.

What the Research Says About Clubhead Speed

A recent 2024 study by Brennan, A. et al. looked into which physical qualities most influence clubhead speed. The findings were clear:

💥 Ballistic performance from both the upper and lower body had the strongest association with clubhead speed.

💪 This was followed by overall muscle strength (e.g. 1RM lifts, Peak Force).

So if your training doesn’t include force production, power output, and strength development, you’re leaving distance on the table.

How I Applied This Research to My Own Training

Since 2017, I’ve been working with William Wayland, one of the top S&C coaches. Together, we’ve used performance testing to guide my training and make sure I’m actually improving the right physical qualities.

We track my performance using force plate tests, including:

• Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull – Measures isometric peak force.

• Countermovement Jump (CMJ) – Tracks lower body impulse and peak force

We test these twice a year:

• Post-season (as I enter my offseason training block)

• Pre-season or mid-season, depending on my competitive schedule

This allows us to identify exactly where I’m improving, whether my force output is increasing, and how that’s correlating with my clubhead speed numbers.

Why This Matters for You

The biggest mistake I see golfers make is assuming strength training will “bulk them up” or mess with their swing. The reality is the opposite.

Strength training done correctly helps you:

✅ Swing faster

✅ Reduce your injury risk

✅ Handle more reps in practice and competition

✅ Recover faster and train harder

In other words, it transforms your body into a better engine for golf.

The Results Speak for Themselves

Since I began structured strength training with Will, I’ve gone from 125mph to 155mph clubhead speed. That’s not from swinging harder or “hitting the gym” randomly. That’s from building a body that can produce and withstand real force.

And here’s the thing: you don’t need to be a professional to benefit.

Whether you’re a 15 handicapper or a scratch player, building strength and power will help you swing faster, play better, and avoid the kind of injuries that sideline so many golfers.

If you want to transform your clubhead speed like I did, it starts in the gym.