TL;DR: Everyone from PGA professionals to weekend amateurs are looking to increase their swing speeds, and therefore achieve more yardage. Speed stick training systems are one of the most cost-effective and easiest ways to accomplish that. In this article, I’ll discuss how these systems work, and offer a few Expert-recommended models that can help you push your yardage on the course.

As a golf teaching professional, many students have asked me about increasing their swing speed, improving their ball striking, and therefore leaving their nearest playing companion in the dust. The simple answer is that it all has to do with hitting the ball farther.

There are various ways to get more yardage from your tee shots, or any other shot on the golf course. One of the ways is to increase your swing speed and gain optimal results. In this article, I will focus on one simple and cost-effective way to get faster swings—speed stick training systems.

What Are Swing Speed Stick Training Systems?

Swing speed stick systems are one of the most effective training protocols to help golfers attain faster swing speeds. While fitness professionals also advertise that they can help you to swing faster, speed sticks do the same job for a lot less money. You just have to follow the instructions on your own.

Basically, speed stick training systems consist of weighted clubs—usually three—of varying mass: light, medium, and heavy. The general idea is to practice swinging the lightest speed stick several times and progress through the weights. Within the first 4–6 weeks of regular practice, one typically sees faster speeds.

A swing speed monitor is another crucial part of the training system. Monitors like Swing Speed Tadar, PRGR, or Swing Caddie can measure your swing speed and help record your progress.

How Do They Work?

Speed stick training systems rely on the concept of overspeed training to increase your swing speed and balance your finish. Typically, on day one you will swing one of the speed sticks and record your swing speed. Then, depending on the program that you follow, you will swing three times and check your speed for each swing. You will then record the fastest of the three swings, and that becomes your baseline.

Further, it’s crucial to swing from both sides; that means swinging both lefty and righty to help your body stay in balance. As such, it is very important to swing with both arms.

Each training session is approximately 10–15 minutes long and should be done 3–4 times a week. Each week, swing speeds are recorded after each session. Through this, you can easily track your increase in speed.

A player’s progress is determined by how much effort is given. I've seen golfers that follow the program without skipping a single training session, and I've seen golfers that are less enthusiastic about following through. Like anything in life, the more you put into the program, the more you'll get out of it.

The following is a five-step example of one workout session with speed sticks. One must make sure to record the fastest swing during each of these steps.

1. Swing the light club at normal speed three times on each side (about 50% of full speed)
2. Swing the medium club at normal speed three times on each side (about 50% of full speed)
3. Swing the heavy club at normal speed three times on each side (about 50 % of full speed)
4. Swing the light, medium, and heavy clubs three times on each side (about 75% of full speed)
5. Swing the heavy club on the dominant side three times (as fast as you can)

Typically around week four is when golfers notice increased swing speeds. Roughly, every 1 mph increase in swing speed is equivalent to around 3 yards of distance. I've seen gains from 4–12 mph in this time.

The most I've seen, a 12mph gain, converts into an extra 36 yards of distance…wow! Note that this student followed the program precisely, though a 15–20mph gain in swing speed would not be unheard of, either.

Disclosure: I highly recommend you talk with your doctor and ensure you are cleared for this type of exercise. It is intense, and you will get a thorough workout.

Expert Recommended Speed Stick Systems

1. SuperSpeed Golf

The Superspeed Golf Training System is among the most popular systems on the market. The set features three speed sticks (light, medium, and heavy weights), and various sets are available for coaches, ladies, juniors, and long drivers. They are used by multiple tour pros and amateurs alike and are sometimes sold with launch monitors to measure your swing speed.

The online training program and an easy-to-follow chart to record your data are included. This system is designed for the accomplished competitive player, amateur, or beginner looking for more distance.

2. The Detroit Golf Company

The Detroit Golf Company’s speed sticks are a wallet-friendly alternative to SuperSpeed Golf, and work in a similar fashion: They also come in a set of three sticks of varying weights (light, medium and heavy).

The shafts of these sticks are made of graphite and the heads are steel-weighted. Genuine golf grips make these feel like regular clubs, or you can use the same grips used on your clubs for a more familiar feel.

3. RypStick

While Rypstick utilizes a different concept than the two other options listed, the result is the same. This product is only one stick, but features weights that can be adjusted to produce a light, medium, or heavy club. Pair that with a Rypradar, which is RypStick’s own launch monitor to measure swing speed.

Connect With a Real Expert

If you follow these protocols strictly, you should see an increase in your swing speed after a month of training. The idea is to train your body to swing faster and have a balanced finish. And to keep up the swing speeds, you’ll need to keep training. However, keep in mind that it’s only about 3–4 days a week for 10-15 minutes at a time.

If you still have questions about which speed stick system is best for you, chat with me or one of my fellow Golf Experts here on Curated. We offer free, customized advice and gear recommendations to help you get out on the course, get some yardage, and be the last to get to your ball on the fairway!