A golf swing speed of 100 mph is considered very fast and is only achievable by a small percentage of professional golfers. For most amateur golfers, a swing speed between 80-95 mph is more realistic. However, swing speed alone does not determine how good or accurate a golfer’s shots are. Factors like swing mechanics, timing, and consistency also play big roles.
What is a good swing speed for an amateur golfer?
For amateur male golfers, a swing speed between 80-95 mph is considered good. The average male amateur has a swing speed around 90 mph. For amateur female golfers, a good swing speed is between 60-80 mph, with an average around 70 mph. Golfers on the professional tours average around 110-120 mph for men and 90-100 mph for women.
Pros of a faster swing speed
Faster swing speeds allow golfers to:
- Hit the ball farther off the tee
- Use longer clubs into greens for approach shots
- Spin the ball more on wedge shots
- Shape shots more easily by adding or reducing clubhead speed
For most amateur golfers, being able to hit the ball a bit farther and having more spin control can lower scores. Longer drivers allow golfers to use shorter clubs into par 4 and par 5 greens, which can lead to more birdie opportunities.
Cons of a faster swing speed
While a faster swing speed has advantages, it can also lead to some disadvantages such as:
- Hitting the ball less accurately and consistently
- Increased back injuries due to extra force on the body
- More complicated swing mechanics and timing
- Higher ball speeds exaggerating mishits
Swinging faster requires perfect timing and coordination to make solid contact. For many amateur golfers, sacrificing some swing speed for consistency often leads to better scoring. There is also more stress placed on the body with faster swings, leading to a higher chance of injury over time.
Is 100 mph achievable for most golfers?
For a male amateur golfer, reaching 100 mph is possible but requires a lot of strength, flexibility, timing, and practice. Many male golfers do not have the physical capacity or swing mechanics to gain the clubhead speed needed for 100+ mph swings.
For female golfers, 100 mph is very rare. The leading LPGA Tour professionals average around 95-100 mph. For amateur women, reaching 80-90 mph would be considered a very fast swing speed. The differences in strength and body mechanics between men and women generally make it much harder for females to reach triple digit swing speeds.
Some characteristics of golfers that can achieve 100+ mph swing speeds:
- Above average strength and athleticism
- Efficient swing mechanics and sequences
- Fast twitch muscle fibers that allow rapid club acceleration
- Ideal swing tempo and timing
- Efficient use of the body rather than just arms
Many golfers can increase their swing speeds into the 90s with proper instruction, strength training, flexibility exercises and lots of practice. But reaching 100 mph requires an ideal combination of physical abilities.
Is 100 mph optimal for maximizing distance?
For some golfers, 100 mph is around their optimal swing speed for maximizing distance. But for many others, swinging faster than 100 mph can decrease their driving distances.
There is a point of diminishing returns where trying to swing faster causes:
- Loss of control and solid contact
- Inefficient strike location on the clubface
- Coming out of the swing too early
The optimal driver swing speed where golfers maximize their distance is the speed right before technical breakdowns occur in the swing. For stronger and more skilled players, this speed will be faster than less skilled players.
Each golfer has to find their personal optimal speed for distance through monitoring swing speed devices and shot data. For golfersreaching 110+ mph, slowing down the swing 5-10 mph often produces longer drives. They sacrifice 2-3 mph of speed for much better impact and control.
Does swing speed correlate with handicap?
In general, there is a moderate correlation between faster swing speed and lower handicap among amateur golfers. Golfers with tour level swing speeds 105+ mph tend to have handicaps of +2 or better when combined with solid swing mechanics.
The chart below shows averages from a Golf Digest study examining handicaps and swing speeds:
| Handicap | Average Swing Speed |
|---|---|
| 0-5 | 105 mph |
| 6-12 | 100 mph |
| 13-20 | 94 mph |
| 21-30 | 86 mph |
As shown, lower handicap players had faster swing speeds on average. But the relationship is far from perfect, as some golfers with smooth swings in the 90s can still achieve low handicaps. And some players with tour level speed may have handicaps in the high single digits if they lack consistency.
But in general, the extra distance from higher swing speed allows better players to score lower. However, once golfers are in the 90+ mph range, other factors like accuracy, chipping, putting, and course management become even more important.
What exercises can increase swing speed?
Some exercises that can help golfers gain clubhead speed:
- Rotational core movements – Medicine ball twists, cable woodchoppers, rotational lifts. Builds power and separation in the torso.
- Plyometrics – Jumps, bounding, box drills. Develops explosive power.
- Resistance training – Squats, deadlifts, Olympic lifts, band work. Increases strength and force production.
- Speed/agility drills – Ladder drills, speed hurdles, dot drills. Improves fast-twitch muscle response.
- Yoga/mobility work – Improves flexibility and balance for increased force from the ground up.
Strengthening the core, legs and reinforcing proper swing sequences are key for more speed. A certified golf fitness professional can recommend the best training plan.
Swing speed vs. smash factor
Two key elements of distance are swing speed and smash factor. Swing speed is the velocity of the clubhead right before impact. Smash factor measures the efficiency of the collision between clubface and ball.
A higher smash factor means more of the speed is being transferred into the ball. The combination of swing speed and smash factor determine ball speed off the clubface.
Many average golfers have decent swing speeds but low smash factors in the 1.4 range. More skilled players can have a smash factor around 1.5 even with slower swing speeds, leading to similar distance.
Optimizing strike quality through proper swing mechanics is key for most amateur golfers to maximize their existing swing speeds. This is often easier to improve than raw strength and flexibility.
Importance of swing speed vs. consistency
While swing speed is important for distance, consistency of solid contact is more crucial for better scoring and handicap improvement for mid and high handicap golfers.
A golfer with a 90 mph swing speed who constantly hits the sweet spot will outdrive a golfer with 100 mph speed but poor impact. More centered and consistent impact leads to:
- Less ball speed and distance lost off the tee
- Fewer off-target drives requiring recovery shots
- Better distance control on approach shots
- Improved ability to hit greens in regulation
Lower handicap players have ingrained the motor skills and proper sequences to make consistent contact. Trying to swing faster may disrupt the timing for amateur golfers leading to more inconsistent shots.
Conclusion
For most male amateur golfers, hitting driver speeds of 80-95 mph is ideal for maximizing distance while maintaining control. Women golfers should aim for 60-80 mph. Golfers who optimally blend swing speed in this range with solid impact, proper technique, and athleticism can reach scratch handicaps or better.
But a swing speed of 100 mph is not necessarily the best objective for all golfers to improve their handicaps. Sacrificing some speed for consistency, proper mechanics, course strategy, and sharper short games leads to better scoring for the majority of recreational golfers.