Okay, let’s not put off this promise any longer: 2026 will absolutely, almost certainly, absolutely be the year you finally get better. There are numerous ways to do that: reading GOLF Magazine, our videosbook a class and get fit for clubs — but you can also learn a lot just by reading this website. In an effort to get you moving toward your 2026 goal, we’re introducing five key tips for you to focus on next year. Now read on and get started.
No. 1 — Make more putts immediately
No. 2 – Fix your chipping
5 Key Tips for 2026: Add Swing Speed
It’s always fun to hit the ball longer off the tee, and it also makes the game easier. The longer you can hit the ball with a driver, the shorter the club you will have in your hand as you approach the green. And with a shorter club in your hand you give yourself more looks at birdie. Pretty simple formula, huh?
However, adding that swing speed is easier said than done. There are many ways you can do this (7 of which you can read about here!), but the method that sticks out in my mind is thanks to GOLF Top 100 teacher Bernie Najar.
To help increase your swing speed, Najar suggests treating your speed sessions differently than a normal reach session.
“You can’t swing fast for an hour straight unless you’re a professional long-distance rider,” he says.
Instead, focus on short, intense speed sessions where you raise your heart rate and swing aggressively in bursts. Try to swing six balls in a row as hard as you can, all condensed into the space of two minutes. Don’t worry about where the ball is going, just try to swing as hard as you can.
“It’s not about us jumping into it right away,” says Najar. “It’s about retraining your brain to accept faster swings, to let it rip and have fun.”
It’s hard to really let go and allow yourself to swing at maximum effort, but when you do, you’ll unlock a speed you never knew you had.
One trick to unlocking the outcome of the shot is to go to a simulator and turn off the shot tracer. Most launch monitors allow you to adjust the display so that you see only the numbers you want, in this case ball speed and club speed. Do a few hacks at max effort without the tracer and you’ll probably find that it’s easier to really let go and rip it if you’re not afraid of hitting it off-line.
“Imagine you’re standing on the beach, where all you have to do is hit the ball into the ocean,” says Najar. “Would you be nervous if you missed? Probably not. But when you’re driving on a narrow one-lane road, you need a completely different mentality. If you worry too much about control, you’ll never swerve fast enough.”
Add this type of training to your exercise routines in 2026 and you’ll go further than ever.
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