Golf Swing Speed - Fast Or Slow

Posted November 30, 2011 at 5:12 pm

Golf swing speed to get your rhythm and timing right seems to elude the average golfer. Speed equals faster which is meant more power and distance. All the books talk about building club head speed. Yes, but, well no. Confused? You may get more distance, the downside is you lose control then you lose rhythm and tempo in your swing. You will hit the ball all over the place.

Here's why.

Speed at the wrong time kills timing. It's the puzzle of golf swing speed.

Most average or beginner golfers suffer from let's smash the ball. They think golf is a game of strength. Yet the golf swing, golf clubs and golf ball need the magic ingredients of rhythm and timing. Rhythm with square impact on a swing plane that sends the ball on line and on target.

Add to this that most golfers lose control of their golf swing in the backswing by the top of their swing. Simply by over extending and cocking or in reality breaking their wrists. They lose control of their hands, arms and the club. Everything ends up out of sync, out of order.

By the time the club head comes into the downswing it is going in all sorts of directions with the golfer's body trying valliantly to make corrections to stay on line.

Frustrated golfers swing faster. Many golfers get really upset with their performance. They beat up on themselves. From frustrated for some to downright angry. Have you noticed how for this golfer they start swinging faster and faster. What do you notice? The ball starts flying all over the place, left, right, and out of play. A downward spiral.

Bunkers, water, trees, other fairways, the rough becomes a magnet.

Slow and fast a perfect ratio. So, here is something counter intuitive to consider for golf swing speed. Start with a slow backswing. If we were to look at the total time of the complete golf swing. In percentage terms the perfect ratio is 62% of time in the backswing, 38% in the downswing and follow through. This ratio in mathematics is referred to as the golden mean or golden ratio. In relation to a rotational swing like in golf it is called the golden spiral.

It might sound odd but slow is fast. Low and slow takeaway and backswing will set your swing up right in several ways.

You can swing back to a point that feels right, like only to shoulder height. Try a three quarter swing to start with. Think of it as shoulder to shoulder. This is how the late Moe Norman played. You might be amazed to find with much less effort you will not lose that much distance. Much more accuracy, consistency for less energy. Hmmm.

The golf swing has everything to do with rythm and timing rather than strength.

So, where do you build speed then. It's simple at the top of the swing down through the ball so the maximum speed is at impact through the ball. Make sense? If you are swinging properly there is tranference of energy from your hips and torso around your spine, out through your shoulders, arms and hands. Along the club shaft to the clubhead in a centrigal force striking through the ball to your target.

Oh so sweet. You just know when you hit a ball really right. That sweet spot sounds, looks and feels fantastic and to see that ball fly long, straight and on target.

Golf swing speed can be tricky when your head says "hit it." Breathe, get out of your head. Stop thinking. Use your breath in your swing, in on the backswing and out in the downswing and follow through to the target. Your swing will slow down and you will find your natural rhythm and golf swing speed.

Slow is fast and another path to your golfing excellence.