Golf swing speed is an elusive term for most amateur golfers. We've all heard of it and know it relates somehow to longer drives, but how can we increase golf swing speed quickly and effectively?

Do you think it's swing harder? Have you tried that approach? What happened? I can take a wild guess. The ball didn't go anywhere! You were so tense that your golf swing speed was actually much slower.

That's not what you want!

So how do you achieve the ever-elusive higher golf swing speed?

It starts with your engine. Your core. The center of your machine. The stronger and more flexible you get your core, the faster the arms, hands and club will come through without swinging harder. Resulting in longer and much straighter drives.

Just take a look at the main movement in the golf swing!

It's rotational!

In ALL sports movement?what dictates the power? One guess. It's your core. That's why athletes spend so much time throwing weighted medicine balls, pulling weighted cables and doing tons of twisting exercises with resistance.

The same approach should be taken for the golfer wanting to improve golf swing speed. Start with simple rotational exercises that incorporate both strength and flexibility like the seated rotation with a club.

• Sit upright with a club on your shoulders behind your neck.
• Grab each end with your hands.
• While facing forward, focusing straight ahead, rotate to the right and back to the left.
• You will feel tight and restricted at first.
• Maintain an erect posture with eyes straight ahead.
• Do this slowly at first, then build up the rate of speed.
• Rotate back and through 10 times for 3 sets.

This is a starting (basic) core exercise that will make a HUGE difference if you haven't worked on your core before. You will notice a difference in your range of motion and power output on the course quickly.

You would then progress up to more resistance related rotational exercises with handweights, tubing (cables), weighted medicine balls and even weighted clubs.

With just a little bit of effort you will see a dramatic increase in golf swing speed!

About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Take a look at his just released golf fitness dvds at his golf swing trainer site - Perform Better Golf.