Rob came to G2G Coaching with one goal in mind. He wanted to get better at the sport he loves: golf.
More specifically, he wanted to improve his driving distance. But to add distance to your golf drive, you need more club speed. And to get that speed, you need strength and conditioning.
Rob didn’t have a way of doing that. He’d been in and out of commercial gyms for about ten years. And because of the typical experience in every budget gym in Edinburgh, the priority of his training dropped. It was always when he got around to it. And he struggled to stick to the schedule needed to build his strength and conditioning.
“My training would be very sporadic, which is why G2G Coaching really appealed to me. I wanted to improve my fitness, primarily to increase my club speed.”
A Strength & Conditioning Programme Built to Improve Driving Distance for Golf
In golf, club speed is distance. Every mile per hour is worth about three yards of carry. Five miles per hour is fifteen yards. And fifteen yards is the difference between clearing a bunker and finding yourself swinging into the sand.
Rob’s first few months were about strength. He worked with G2G Coaching up to a deadlift of nearly twice his bodyweight. Closer to the golf season, the programme moved onto power. This meant faster, more explosive lifts that put that strength to use in something closer to a golf swing.
“As the strength developed towards the start of the golf season, we transitioned into using that strength through more power-based lifts. That’s definitely contributed to improving my swing speed and my golf performance.”
He started at around 114mph off the driver. That’s a touch under the PGA Tour average.
But now, Rob sits comfortably at 118 to 120mph, and 125 to 126mph when he pushes. At three yards a mile per hour, that’s over 30 yards added to his drive distance.
Rob Didn’t Need a Trainer. He Needed a Coach.
Like a lot of G2G Members, the part Rob values most isn’t the numbers. It’s that he doesn’t need anyone standing over him to keep it going. Because semi-private coaching doesn’t build dependence like paying a personal trainer.
“I’ve learned an extraordinary amount about how to use the gym and how to get the most out of my body. I now feel like I can listen to when I’m tired, when I want to push, and adjust my training accordingly.”
FAQs about Improving Drive Distance
How do you improve your drive distance in golf?
Distance comes from clubhead speed, and clubhead speed comes from strength and power. You can’t get that at the driving range. It’s built in the gym through structured strength and conditioning. G2G member Rob added over 30 yards to his drive this way, taking his swing speed from 114mph to over 125.
How does strength and conditioning help golf players?
Yes. Building strength first, then converting it into power, is what lets you swing faster without losing control. Rob spent his first few months building strength, working up to a deadlift near twice his bodyweight, then moved onto power-based lifts as the season approached.
How much can strength and conditioning add to your swing speed?
It varies by person, but the gains are real. Rob went from around 114mph to a comfortable 118-120, and up to 126 when he pushes. Every mile per hour is worth roughly three yards of carry.
Do I need to be a serious golfer to train for it?
No. Rob just wanted to get more out of a sport he loves. The programme is built around your goal and your starting point, whatever level you play at.
Got a Goal in Mind? Get in Touch.
Rob came to us to get better at a sport he loves. Maybe that’s you too, whether it’s golf, running, rugby, or anything you want to keep doing well for years to come.
Or maybe you’re starting somewhere else. Building strength after an injury, managing a condition, or just wanting to feel fitter and more capable than you do right now.
Strength and conditioning is a science-backed way to train that gets you there, and you won’t be doing it alone.
We’re G2G Coaching, a private gym in Edinburgh with strength and conditioning coaches on the floor at all times. You get a programme built around you, that you follow at your own pace, with coaches there when you need them.
We offer a free strength and conditioning assessment to start. It’s not a sales call or a pitch. Just an honest chat with a qualified coach about where you want to get to.
