Opinion & Analysis

More Distance Off the Tee (Part 3 of 3): Rotary Power Training

Published

8 years ago

Feb 15, 2018

It is no secret that being able to rotate with speed, efficiency and power is a big part of the recipe to hit it long off the tee. I am going to outline the top-three rotational exercises that we use with our athletes to increase this type of power… but we have to talk about something else first.

If you did not read “4 Critical Tests to Compare Yourself to the Pro’s” yet, do it now. You need to understand that if you can’t rotate at your hips, spine, shoulders and neck, the exercises that follow below are not going to help. If you have not yet earned the right to move fast in rotation because you don’t have the mobility and you still try to do these exercises, you are asking for a injury. Before reading any further, make sure you actually have the mobility to rotate! If you’re still reading, I will assume you have great rotary mobility and are ready to take your rotational power to the next level. That is where these three exercises come in.

As with the other power articles (Part 1 and 2), make sure not to do more than 6 reps per set to assure you are able to go as hard as possible on each rep. Take a rest between each set and make sure you are not out of breath when you start. In order for these exercises to be the most effective, you need to be able to go as hard as you can on each rep; that is not doable if you are sucking wind.

Cable Machine Push/Pull

The key here is to keep your feet planted about shoulder-width apart and don’t be afraid to use your hips in generating as much speed as you can. This is a fun one. Let it rip!

Iron Man Throws

If the cable machine push/pull was fun, you are going to love Iron Man Throws. There are a couple variations: a standard Iron Man Throw, a throw after a hop back, or a throw after a step behind. Keep your throwing elbow high and drive it through the ball. Make sure you are throwing it against a cinderblock wall or something that won’t break when a 6-10 pound ball hits it. Dry wall will crumble!

Landmine Pull to Push

As with the first two exercises, using your legs and proper sequencing is critical for maximum benefit from this exercise. Make sure your hips are always below your shoulders and drive from your legs up and out through your hands.

Definitely make sure that you take your time with all of these exercises between sets and rest as much as you need to assure proper form and maximal speed/force with each rep. Good luck and have fun!

Related Topics:featured

Up Next

Either plan for excellence, or underachieve

Don't Miss

TrackMan: Zeroed Out and No Place To Go

Chris Finn

Chris Finn is the founder of Par4Success and a Licensed Physical Therapist, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Titleist Performance Institute Certified Medical Professional and trained to perform Trigger Point Dry Needling in North Carolina. He is regarded as the premier Golf Fitness, Performance & Medical Expert in North Carolina. Since starting Par4Success in 2011, Chris has and continues to work with Touring Professionals, elite level juniors & amateurs as well as weekend warriors. He has contributed to numerous media outlets, is a published author, a consultant and presents all over the world on topics related to golf performance and the golf fitness business.

5 Comments

Kevin

Feb 16, 2018 at 2:48 pm

Been following these articles closely. What advice can you offer for people who don’t have a brick wall handy to use for medicine ball exercises?

Reply Report comment
- steve
  
  Feb 16, 2018 at 5:29 pm
  
  Don’t buy a medicine ball …. 😛 😛 😛
  
  Reply Report comment
- The dude
  
  Feb 17, 2018 at 6:12 pm
  
  Use the side of your neighbors house…….about 6 am
  
  Reply Report comment
OB

Feb 15, 2018 at 6:29 pm

“You need to understand that if you can’t rotate at your hips, spine, shoulders and neck, the exercises that follow below are not going to help.”
Well …. that eliminates 99% of all so-called golfers worldwide …. 😀

Reply Report comment
- steve
  
  Feb 16, 2018 at 5:28 pm
  
  Yup…. buncha stiffs whiffing at golf balls with the latest game improvement clubs. 😛
  
  Reply Report comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Opinion & Analysis

AVL: My U.S. Amateur local qualifying experience

Published

6 days ago

Jun 5, 2026

Andrew Von Lossow

This past Monday, I played in the U.S. Amateur local qualifier at Rock Creek Country Club in Portland, Oregon. A full tee sheet from 7:30 a.m. to 1:55 p.m., the top 11 scores would make it to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying.

I teed off at 10:48 a.m.. With the 7:30 am tee time, you can get a feel for the leaders’ pace, and they were off and running on the challenging setup at Rock Creek.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

Getting to the highlight of the round on the par five 17th, a drive up the left side and 212 yards left to the front hole location. I took out a 5-iron with plans of middle of the green. The ball ended up 8 feet left of the hole, pin high. A slight downhill putt dropped in for an eagle 3 on the 17th. With the cut line looking to be anywhere from -2 to even par. This was the boost I had been waiting for all day.

With making par from the trees on 18, it was time to wait for a potential playoff with a posted score of one under par 71.

Three hours later, it was playoff time. 8 players for 6 spots. I made par on the playoff hole, which was good enough to advance to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying in July. USGA qualifiers sure deliver on all of the emotions in golf!

Club Junkie

Building my 2026 gamer WITB: Ranking the contenders and new putter projects – Club Junkie Podcast

Published

1 week ago

Jun 4, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

The annual What’s In The Bag build is underway, and on this episode of Club Junkie, Brian breaks down the clubs currently leading the race for a spot in his 2026 gamer setup. From drivers and fairway woods to irons, wedges, and shafts, he ranks the equipment that’s performing best and explains what’s separating the front runners from the rest of the field.

Brian also heads into the workshop to discuss several putter projects currently on the bench. From head options and shaft choices to build ideas and testing plans, he shares what he’s working on and which putters could become serious contenders for the bag this season.

If you’re a gear junkie who loves equipment testing, club building, and the never-ending pursuit of the perfect setup, this episode is for you.

Follow Club Junkie:
Instagram: @clubjunkiepod
TikTok: @clubjunkiepod
Threads: @clubjunkiepod
X: @ClubJunkiePod

Club Junkie

Tour Edge Exotics mini driver review + TaylorMade Spider ZT Max first look – Club Junkie

Published

2 weeks ago

May 28, 2026

Brian Knudson

On this episode of Club Junkie, I put the new Tour Edge Exotics Mini Driver to the test and break down the performance, forgiveness, distance, and where it fits compared to a traditional driver or strong fairway wood. If you have been curious about adding a mini driver to the bag, this one is worth a look.

I also dive into the new TaylorMade Spider ZT Max putter that was recently spotted and discuss the growing zero torque putter trend. Plus, there is a closer look at the new Project X Titan Yellow shaft showing up on the PGA Tour and what makes it different from other profiles currently out there.