Speedball is a golf training device manufactured by Tour Tempo, a leading producer of golf instruction tools and equipment. Speedball is derived from the philosophy that to increase distance, you need to increase your clubhead speed and the squareness of the clubface at impact. According to the book, "The Search for the Perfect Swing," by A.J. Cochran and John Stobbs, this philosophy is correct as clubhead speed is the primary determinant of distance.
Speedball Training Tools
Speedball offers several tools to increase swing speed. The basic Speedball kit comes with the Speedball Driver Striking Club and Impact Targets. The Striking Club is a modified driver with a ball-shaped head to reinforce the correct feel at impact. The Impact Targets are solid mats that are set up and struck with the driver. Golfers can also purchase tempo trainers and a putter variation of the Speedball driver. The Speedball kit comes with an instructional video.
Function
The Speedball Driver Striking Club and Impact Targets serve to increase clubhead speed and promote the correct, "delayed power" at impact. Many golfers are capable of swinging very hard, but if the power is delivered too early the club will actually decelerate through the impact zone. The goal of the Speedball system is to not just create faster swings, but to promote better timing as well.
Benefits
The Speedball system has been featured in numerous golf magazines and several testimonials report that the product is effective for increasing distance. Tour Tempo director of golf and long drive champion John Novosel Jr. asserts that using the Speedball trainer has increased his clubhead speed to 140 mph. Many customers also report that the Speedball system has helped them produce more accurate shots, without sacrificing distance.
Misconceptions
Increasing clubhead speed is just one of the many ways to increase distance with the driver. Distance is also a product of compression on the golf ball, launch angle and spin. The golf swing is a harmonious chain of events that work together in a winding and unwinding motion. Many golfers are capable of swinging the club very hard, but doing so correctly, with the body in the proper position throughout the swing is what will lead to consistently longer shots.
Practice Tips
The Speedball kit is an effective supplement to technical training, and can be used every day to reinforce a powerful swing and proper timing. Use the Speedball trainer for about 10 minutes and then practice hitting real shots on the range to promote transfer. Practice using the Speedball trainer in front of a mirror for instant feedback on body position throughout the swing.
References
- Tour Tempo: Speedball
- "The Search for the Perfect Swing"; A.J. Cochran and John Stobbs; 2005
- "A.I.M. of Golf"; Mitchell Spearman; 2004
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