Every golfer wants to hit it farther and straighter. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of crushing a drive down the middle of the fairway. But here’s the catch: increasing swing speed often comes at the cost of accuracy. Some golfers try to swing harder and end up slicing the ball into the trees, while others focus too much on control and lose power.
So, how do you get the best of both worlds? Simple—you train smart. You don’t need a complete swing overhaul, just a few key drills that teach your body how to generate speed while staying in control. Let’s dive into the best ones.
1. The split hand drill
Ever feel like your clubface has a mind of its own? One shot flies left, the next one fades right, and you can’t seem to find consistency? That’s because your hands aren’t working together properly. The split-hand drill is a game-changer for improving clubface control.
To do this, grab your driver and separate your hands on the grip—keep your top hand where it normally is, but slide your bottom hand a few inches lower. Now, take some slow practice swings. You’ll instantly feel how your hands influence the clubface throughout the motion. This drill forces you to be more aware of your wrist action and how it affects ball flight. The more you practice it, the more naturally you’ll start squaring the clubface at impact, leading to straighter, more predictable shots.
2. The step-through drill
Let’s talk about power. You might think that the pros are just swinging harder than you, but that’s not the case. The real secret to distance is Weight transfer. If you’re not shifting your weight properly, you’re leaving yards on the table.
That’s where the step-through drill comes in. Take your normal stance, but as you swing, step forward with your trail foot (your back foot) so it moves toward the target. It might feel a little weird at first, but trust the process, this is how you teach your body to move dynamically through the ball instead of hanging back. You’ll start to notice a smoother, more powerful swing, and most importantly, you’ll pick up speed without feeling like you’re forcing it.
3. The towel drill
Now, let’s talk about consistency. You can’t hit fairways if your swing is all over the place. One big issue that throws off accuracy is that your arms and body aren’t working together. If your arms are flailing independently of your torso, you’ll struggle to control the clubface.
So what can you do? Well, get a towel. Yes, you read that right. Place a small towel under both arms and take some practice swings. The goal is here simply to keep the towel in place. If it falls, that means your arms are getting disconnected from your body. When you keep everything working together, your swing becomes more compact, your timing improves, and your shots become way more accurate.
4. The Power and Speed drill
If you want to swing faster, you need to train your muscles to fire quickly and efficiently. The resistance band drill is perfect for this. Grab a resistance band and attach it to something stable, then hold it like a golf club and simulate your swing against the resistance.
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At first, go slow. The idea is to engage your core, legs, and shoulders while maintaining a solid swing sequence. This drill builds the fast-twitch muscles responsible for speed, and the best part? It helps you stay in control while generating more power. Many golfers try to muscle the ball with their arms, but speed actually comes from using your whole body the right way. After a few sessions with this drill, your normal swing will feel faster and smoother without you even thinking about it.
5. Clubface control drill
If you struggle with keeping your drives on target, the clubface control drill is a must.
Set up two tees about a foot in front of your ball, just slightly wider than your clubhead. Your goal is to swing through without making contact with the tees. If you keep clipping the inner tee, you’re closing the clubface too much (pulls and hooks). If you’re hitting the outer tee, your face is open at impact (pushes and slices).
The beauty of this drill is that it gives you instant feedback. You’ll start to notice patterns in your shots, and the more you practice, the more your body will naturally adjust to deliver the club on the correct path. Before you know it, you’ll be finding the fairway way more often.
So, what’s the game plan? If you want to increase swing speed without losing accuracy, these drills are your blueprint. The best part? You don’t need to spend hours grinding on the range. Just a few minutes of these drills in each practice session will make a noticeable difference. It’s all about training smart, not just swinging harder. Stick with it, and soon enough, you’ll be hitting longer, straighter drives—and maybe even outdriving your playing partners.
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