How To Use The Ground In The Golf Swing – Generate Ground Force
It’s a common question, especially when you start talking about power and how to use the ground in the golf swing. Ground force is something that is honestly completely misunderstood. So let’s talk about how to do it and how to do it right.
A lot of times, people start hearing about using the ground for power in the golf swing and think they need to start “pushing off” with their load foot. They’ve probably heard some tour pro talk about how they worked really hard to “get into” their left side. While that may be what they “feel”, there’s a difference in a tour pro and the average joe. The tour pros move WAY faster, in every regard, especially in the backswing.
If you’re not hitting the ball as far as you think you should, there’s a good chance you’re swinging the club back really slow. There are a few tour pros that take it back slow. On average they are twice as fast as most armatures. Look at Tiger Woods swing below and see if your swing can match his speed wise on the way back. You’ll be surprised just how fast his movement is.
When a tour pro describes a “feeling” of really getting into the left side, what they’re describing what they’re doing vs what they’re feeling are two different things. If you’re going to the top of your swing and telling yourself you really need to get into the left side, in the amount of time it takes to actually do that, the golf swing should be over. Things happen so fast that you start to interpret feel and real wrong. That leads you down a rabbit hole of problems. What force plates measure is the true definitions of force and that is Mass X’s Acceleration. It’s the acceleration part that every one misses.
A better way to think about creating force and using the ground in the golf swing is tied to the release. Use the ground to help leverage the power of the legs and lower body. This increases the SPEED in which you can release the club. You almost want to think of jumping. Don’t focus on getting into the left side. You want to almost think of jumping OFF of the left side through impact. This may sound crazy, but you can produce a LOT of power this way. And remember, you’re not actually doing it, it’s a feeling! 
Take a look at the video above and you’ll see the data. What you’ll see is really what’s happening when you generate force from the ground in the swing. While we’re on the subject of force and power. Check out some ideas on the golf swing for seniors and see if you can pick up a few more yards! You can also check out more on Jake Knapps 127+ MPH golf swing
