Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a new GOLF.com series in which we’re sharing improvements, learnings and takeaways from amateur golfers just like you — including some of the speed bumps and challenges they faced along the way. The only way to increase your distances is by increasing your swing speed. Yep, it’s that simple — it’s just never actually that simple in practice. That’s because just swinging harder doesn’t always translate into farther, more accurate shots. In many cases, it produces the opposite results, as amateur golfers often lack the proper understanding to generate more swing speed.

Through the years I have developed a strong appreciation for the golf swings of the dominant players. I have spent days, weeks, and years of my life studying and learning what the best golfers do. They hold the key to this game. If you look closely, then you will see common threads emerge. Modern technology has helped us understand the golf swing more effectively than ever before and social media has breathed new life into these ideas. After years of teachers watching their students get worse and injured, they embraced the idea of more movement in the golf swing. Movements that the legends displayed. For example, they observed that lifting the lead heel provided less restriction, faster swings, and hitting the ball longer. Unfortunately, many bad ideas still persist that are not based on the common techniques employed by the greatest golfers.

A powerful golf swing is not based on gender. It’s based on good technique, skill, and work ethic. Traditionally, the women’s game has been more focused on precision, but with a new generation of athletes taking up the game, and better information out there, I firmly believe females can and will narrow the speed gap in golf. Presli is a new student of mine, and a perfect example. She’s 16 years-old, 5’10”, plays volleyball and basketball in high school. She came to me with an 85 mph golf swing, and I could immediately tell she was leaving at least 20 miles per hour on the table. The LPGA tour average is about 93 miles per hour, but she could get over 100. Maybe even touching 110 mph. When golfers think about gaining speed, they often think about speed training. However, that can be very dangerous because if you add speed to dysfunction you’re going to have more dysfunction, and probably get injured as a result.

What’s the key to a great golf swing? According to Lucas Wald, the answer is simple: the ability to create swing speed speed. “What I gravitate towards first is the higher speed players,” Wald said in a recent interview on Brad Faxon’s radio show, ‘Just the Fax.’ “When I’m looking at a Rory or a Brooks or a DJ or a Bubba, that’s what intrigues me the most.”