Top Speed Golf

The Only 5 Golf Swing Pieces That Really Matter

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Welcome to Clay Ballard's Top Speed Golf Instruction

I founded Top Speed Golf in 2015.

Here's what it's all about...

When you analyze the swings of any top player in the world -- whether it's Jim Furyk, Adam Scott, or anyone else -- there are 5 aspects they all have roughly in common:

1. Stable & Fluid Spine

2. Power Turn

3. Top Speed Lag

4. Compression Line

5. Straight-Line Release

I've found that these 5 pieces will give you 95% of your results.

My Top Speed Golf system teaches you those 5 aspects in a step-by-step, course-based fashion.

"Does it work?" you may be wondering...

Click here to get started with the 5 components of the Top Speed Golf System!

Or check out all my latest content below...

clay 11111 smallerSome of My Highlights...
Handicap: -4
Top Swing Speed: 126.8
Lowest Round: 61
Given Over 6000 Golf Lessons
Instructed Many Professional Golfers
Played Division 1 College Golf and Mini Tours
Most Consecutive Birdies: 6
Certified FlightScope Professional
Swing Catalyst Certified
T.P.I. Certified
Named by Golf Digest as a top instructor in Florida
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G034. Body Speed vs. Arm Speed in the Golf Swing (Which Is More Important??)

In this video, “Body Speed vs. Arm Speed in the Golf Swing (Which Is More Important??)”…

You’ll finally learn where speed is created in your swing.

First, consider how your body creates speed.

Your body creates momentum.

To maximize your momentum, make sure you get a full turn.

Load up in the backswing, and come all the way through the finish.

The body is extremely important for creating momentum and speed in the swing.

But what about your arms?

Your body acts like a base for all your speed…

And your arms add additional speed to your swing.

To maximize your speed, you need to sequence your body AND your arms.

So, to hit your driver with pro-like speed, let’s say 120 mph…

It’s all about sequencing.

Don’t believe me?

Well, have you ever seen a scrawny guy pummel the ball 300+ yards?

That guy is sequencing his body and arms well and gets tons of swing speed!

In this video, you’ll learn how your body creates speed…

And how your arms create speed.

Watch now to put it all together and smoke your drives just like those long hitting scrawny guys!

CD006. How to Use the Shoulders in Your Golf Swing | Crazy Detail

In this video, you’ll get a very detailed description of how how to use the shoulders in your golf swing.

To show you how to use your shoulders, you’ll get a close look at Adam Scott’s swing.

He has one of the better swings on tour and is a great model for this discussion.

Note that you shouldn’t obsess over every single detail about your shoulders…

But the goal is to clear up any misconceptions you may have on the topic.

So I don’t want you to make a 20 point checklist about your shoulders and spend the next 3 months trying to get your shoulders to move just like Adam Scott’s.

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll learn in the video…

Shoulders at Address

Your shoulders should be square to the target…

And your spine angle should be slightly tilted away from the target.

This will give you a slight tilt in your shoulders.

Shoulders in the Backswing

Your overall posture shouldn’t change much in the swing.

Don’t worry about the exact angles.

You just need to know that your spine angle and shoulders should be stable throughout the swing.

At the top of your swing, the shoulder angle shouldn’t have changed much.

As you’ll see in the video, Adam Scott does an incredible job at keeping his shoulders stable (again, just get the general idea; you don’t have to swing exactly like Adam Scott!)

Shoulders in the Downswing

As the lead arm is half way to contact…

Note that your hips should be rotating open more than shoulders at this point.

There’s a separation between your shoulders and hips that’ll help you whip your club through contact.

As you make contact, the shoulders will cinch together but are slightly open while making contact with forward shaft lean.

Shoulders in the Follow Through

Through contact, the shoulders and spine angle are still stable.

You’ll see that Adam Scott stays in posture well past impact; it’s stable to the point where his chest is facing the target.

Only after this point does Scott come out of posture.

He rotates so much that his chest points way left of the target.

You don’t need to be this flexible, but make sure you turn through as far as you safely can.

What You Need to Concentrate On

Throughout the video, focus on the stability of Adam Scott’s shoulders and spine angle.

Your consistency will shoot through the roof if you work on improving your stability and maintain your posture.

Watch this video now to learn how to use the shoulders in your golf swing.

Work hard and improve your consistency!

BH003. The Snap Hook Myth | Don’t Be Fooled

In this video, you’ll learn why you shouldn’t be fooled by the snap hook myth.

Many golfers are fooled when trying to figure out the root cause of the snap hook.

Snap hook a shot out a bounds…

And a buddy will explain to you how you double-crossed…

…which is coming over the top and making contact with a closed club face.

Is that what’s really happening???

Nope.

What’s really happening is the opposite.

You’re coming in way from the inside with a reasonably square club face.

Cool fact: about 75% of the ball direction is determined by the club face.

However, a severe in-to-out club path can put tons of side spin on the ball and help cause a snap hook.

In the video, you’ll see the FlightScope data for a true snap hook.

I hit a nasty snap hook and you’ll see the data on my club path.

It clearly shows a severe in-to-out path and I make contact with the club face slightly closed.

The key is to realize that a snap hook is not caused by coming over the top.

OK, now you know what’s going on when you snap hook the ball…

So how do you fix it?

First, get your path going more towards the left (or less in to out).

Second, stay in your posture.

It’s typical for a snap hook swing to come out of posture with the shoulders going up and out.

Overall, you should feel like you’re trying to hit a cut shot.

Put these two tips together and you’ll fix your snap hook in no time.

Watch this video now to destroy the snap hook myth…

And fix it for good!

C011. How to Improve Your Golf Game Fast | Variability Training

In this video, you’ll learn how to improve your golf game fast.

So, are you a range rat?

Do you spend tons of time putting in thousands of reps…

…hitting the same shots over and over and over?

Well, you can improve through endless repetition…

But there’s a better (much faster) way to improve.

In this video, you’ll learn how to speed up your training with variability drills.

Before we start, consider how most golfers (including me when I first started playing) approach their training.

They think that in order to be consistent, you need to hit the same shots endlessly.

That does work, but variability training allows you to get a better feeling for your shots…

And ultimately, you’ll get better control of your club.

So the next time you’re on the course and you hit a bad shot, you’ll be better prepared to make the correct adjustment to your swing.

Compare that to repetition training.

If your swing is a bit off, it can be incredibly frustrating because you won’t know exactly what’s causing your problem.

Here are a few variability drills to work on…

First, place a tee in the ground and focus on hitting in front of the tee.

Keep in mind, this is not the shot you want to ultimately hit, but the goal here is to develop better control of your swing.

Second, hit the tee and the ground at roughly the same time.

This is the shot you want and your goal is to have a divot in front of your tee.

Third, hit behind the tee.

The reason this variability drill works is that it gives you a frame of reference for what it feels like to hit behind the ball and the opposite of hitting in front of the ball.

As you familiarize yourself with the extremes, you’ll be able to quickly recognize and correct swing problems.

Next, practice by varying your spine angle.

Try hitting a tee with a reverse pivot.

Then trying hitting a tee while leaning back too much.

Finally, focus on hitting a tee with a stable spine angle.

Again, it’s all about feeling the extremes.

You’ll develop better control of your swing.

Watch now to mix up your training…

And discover how to improve your golf game fast!

C010. How to Make Clean, Crisp, Solid Contact in Golf

In this video, you’ll learn how to make clean, crisp, solid contact in golf.

You’ll get a close look at:

  • how the leading edge of your club affects the club face angle,
  • how to limit your club face rotation for more consistent contact, and
  • how your divots give you great feedback on your shots.

Start things off by studying the leading edge of your club.

Keeping the leading edge aimed at your target, see what happens when you adjust the shaft angle.

If you shallow the club, notice how the club face points left.

As you raise the club vertically, notice how the club face starts pointing right.

So, why does that matter?

Well, to make contact with a perfectly square impact (like the pros)…

You’ll need to shallow out your club path in the downswing.

I call this The Move in the Top Speed Golf system.

This move helps you make square contact with forward shaft lean.

If you don’t do The Move and come in a little over the top, you’re club face won’t be square to the target.

Also note that your divot will look similar to a dollar bill if you make square contact.

Bowing your wrist in the downswing is also part of The Move.

As you’ll see in the video, bowing your wrist helps you come into contact with a more stable and square club face.

This improves your consistency.

Watch this video now and find out how to make clean, crisp, solid contact in golf!

G033. Fairway Wood, Hybrid, and Long Iron | What is the Difference?

In this video, “Fairway Wood, Hybrid, and Long Iron | What is the Difference?”…

You’ll finally find out how far each club hits…

What makes these clubs different…

And which one you should carry in your bag.

Long Iron

This is better suited for players with higher club head speeds…

So if you’re getting around 120 mph club head speed with your driver…

…then that’s plenty for hitting long irons.

Also, long irons are better for you if you want more control over the shot shape.

If you’re closer to being an average golfer (~90% of all golfers)…

…I recommend stopping your irons around a 6 iron.

Anything higher than a 5 iron, you’d most likely be better off with woods or hybrids.

Hybrids

Hybrids play a little longer…

So if you’re looking to replace a 4 iron, you’d want to use a 5 hybrid.

Also, hybrids are more rounded on the bottom.

This will help you if your lie isn’t great; you’ll still be able to get a decent shot.

Note that long irons can be really difficult from a bad lie.

Fairway Woods

Woods will typically launch the lowest and will give you more distance.

This may be great for tee shots but the sole is so wide that it may be difficult to get out of normal to bad lies.

What club is best for you?

Overall, if you don’t have crazy swing speed and you’re looking to make life a bit easier, then make sure you test some hybrids.

All that really matters is that you test out a bunch of different clubs…

And see what feels best for you.

Watch this video now to learn about the different club types…

…then test the clubs to see what’s best for you!

S004. Golf Alignment Trick | The Tee Box

In this video, you’ll discover a cool golf alignment trick.

The range is a great place to work on your game…

But it can be a real struggle to get your alignment correct.

Maybe you lay down some clubs or you have alignment sticks.

Those work but it can be a mess fumbling with getting your clubs just right on the ground…

And alignment sticks can scratch up your driver if they get stuck in your cover.

Well, I found a much easier training aid to help get your alignment right.

Eyeline Golf makes a cool aid called the “Tee Box Alignment Station.”

All you have to do is stick a tee on one side of the aid…

…then line it up perfectly by pulling the other end exactly where you want it and anchor it with another tee.

What you’ll get is a perfect rectangle facing your target.

This will help you line up your feet…

And it does a great job at helping you judge your divots.

Your divot should tail off slightly to the left…

And this is easy to see when using the “Tee Box Alignment Station.”

Watch this quick video now to see this training aid in action…

And find out how it’ll help you get your alignment right the first time!

D016. Add Golf Swing Speed with Both Arms

In this video, you’ll learn how to add golf swing speed with both arms.

I’m often asked…

“Which arm is responsible for most of the speed in the swing?”

The answer is both arms, but it’s not as simple as it may seem.

Your arms do add speed, but in different ways…

So let’s take a closer look in this video.

In the video, you’ll see 3 primary moves that add speed to your swing…

#1 Power Turn

For more speed and power, you need a full turn in your backswing.

PGA Tour players turn a bit over 110 degrees in their backswings…

And they turn all the way through impact, finishing with their chests facing left of the target.

This helps build momentum and creates tons of speed.

#2 Right Arm

You use your right arm to accelerate quickly from the top of your swing.

However, once you get near impact…

…the club is moving so fast that your right hand struggles to keep up.

You’ll see players like Vijay Singh and sometimes Phil Mickelson have their right hands start to come off the club just after impact.

Those guys aren’t trying to throw their clubs down the fairway 🙂

What they’re trying to do is avoid having their right hand slow down their club speed.

Want to build up your speed with your right arm?

Check out the right arm only drill as seen in this video.

#3 Left Arm

Your left arm pulls through and helps whip the club through impact.

To build speed in your left arm…

Check out the left arm only drill as seen in this video.

Now that you’ve built up some speed with both arms individually…

Take some swings using both arms.

Watch this video now to add golf swing speed with both arms.

You’ll learn some great drills to build your speed with each arm.

Then put it all together…

And start crushing your drives!

SH011. Putting Master Lesson | 4 Corners Drill

In this video, you get a putting master lesson called the 4 Corners Drill.

Short putts should be automatic.

But let’s face it…

4 footers aren’t a gimmie for a good reason.

It’s because short putts aren’t guaranteed to go in!

So, let’s make sure you never miss easy putts ever again.

Before you start the drill…

…realize that it’s easy to stand over your putt and zone out.

Maybe you’re thinking about the putt you missed 2 holes ago…

Or maybe you’re worried about missing the easy putt…

And becoming known as the guy that chokes on the green.

Whenever you start to zone out…

Walk back about 20 feet behind the putt and regroup.

Assess the slope of the green and concentrate on the correct line.

Next, visualize the ball going over a small spot on the hole.

Hitting precise putts is where the 4 Corners Drill comes in…

On the practice green, putt your first ball so that it barely roles in the hole.

Hit the next putt firmly and hit the back edge of the hole.

Next, hit a soft putt that curls in on the left edge.

Finally, hit a soft putt that curls in on the right edge.

So the 4 corners are…

  1. Front edge,
  2. Back of the cup,
  3. Left side, and
  4. Right side.

This drill may seem easy but making 4 foot putts on all 4 corners can be very difficult.

But it’s worth the effort.

You’ll develop better control of your short putts…

And when you’re on the green to win the hole…

Your short putt will be automatic!

D015. How to Hit Booming High Drives

In this video, you’ll learn how to hit booming high drives.

Imagine you’re on the tee box…

And for once, the wind is gusting with you!

Wouldn’t it be nice to hit your drive higher and take advantage of the wind?

Heck yeah it would be nice!

As you’ll see in the video, Top Speed Golf Instructor Michael Derr walks Co-Founder Clay Ballard through the key swing changes for hitting higher drives.

Here’s are a few great tips to launch your drives higher…

First, set up with the ball more forward in your stance.

Just off the instep of your lead foot is fine.

Next, widen your stance about 2 to 4 inches.

This will help you increase your spine tilt for a higher launch angle.

Your compression line should be tilted back more than your normal drive.

As you make contact with the ball, you’ll want a slightly higher angle of attack.

Watch this video now to hit booming high drives that ride the wind!