Speed Kills

Speed Kills





Would you say you have a fast looking swing or a slow swing? (If you dont have a fast

swing show this article to a playing partner who does). You would think that a

recreational golfers fast swing would hit a golf ball a long way wouldnt you? After all, it

looks fast! Yet the ball doesnt go as far as a slow swinging pros ball. I wonder why...

If you think about your body for a minute, you know that it moves much slower than your

arms in real life. So if your body cant turn all that fast, how do you get a fast looking golf

swing? You get a fast looking golf swing when you try to hit the ball as hard as you can

with just your arms. This means that your arms are moving independently from your

body.

This fast looking swing can be understood by imagining a clock. If you look at a clock,

you will see that the little post in the middle tells the minute hand how fast to swing. If

the little post moves slowly, the minute hand moves slowly. If the little post moves

faster, the arms move faster. The center post and the minute hand are relative to one

another. If you compare your golf swing to the movement of a clock you will see your

body as the center post on the clock and your arms as the minute hand. Having a fast

looking swing would be like the little center post of the clock turning slowly yet the

minute hand is moving very fast. This, of course, would never happen because they are

connected to one another.

What happens to your shots when your arms outpace your body?

First, won't make solid contact with the sweet spot on the clubface because swinging

with your arms alone will cause you to manipulate the clubface as it swings through

impact.

Secondly, the harder you swing, the tighter your wrists and arms will be through impact.

Tighter wrists release slower than looser wrists and looser arms extend more than

tighter arms (which increase the width of your swing arc).

To slow down a fast looking golf swing, we first have to think logically about it. Pros

have a slow looking swing and they hit the ball a long way and you have a fast swing that

hits the ball shorter. So why do you insist on hitting the ball harder than the pros do?

Unfortunately, human nature usually takes control of us when we go to hit a golf ball. It

says that the harder you swing the further the ball will go. This does not allow us to see

the logic behind swinging slower. Swinging slower feels like you have less power so

you cannot see how you can actually hit the ball better and farther by not using your

arms. You must convince yourself that you must swing slower to hit the ball better. Once

you slow down, you will make better contact in the middle of the clubface, widen your

arc and release the club faster. All of these things add up to more distance with less

effort.

I like my students to try this drill in order to take the arms out of their swing. All you

have to do is hold the club at about waist high and feel your body swing the clubhead.

Remember the clock. If the post turns faster the arms swing faster. As you swing, listen

to the swishing sound the clubhead is making as it swings through impact. Now, try to

make the club swing faster by shifting your body weight from the right leg to the left leg

allowing your body to turn at the same time. If you let your arms swing freely you will

hear the club swish faster as you increase the speed of your body.

As you go to hit the actual golf ball, you must relate the same new feeling of using your

body to hit your shot. This means that you cannot think of hitting the ball. If you think

about hitting the ball, it will speed up your arms up again. You have to now think about

turning and shifting your body weight. This will turn your body and allow your arms to

swing down because they are connected to one another. If you feel your swing getting

fast again just step back, hold the club off the ground and do some more practice swings

feeling your body making the club swing. It takes some practice and concentration but

once you slow your swing down you will not only gain a feeling of effortless power but

you will start to look like a pro when you swing.

Paul Wilson

Director of Instruction

Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate

http://www.paulwilsongolf.com

About The author

Paul Wilson is a nationally recognized golf instructor with numerous appearances on the

Golf Channel and in major golf publications. He is the creator of "Swing Machine Golf"

which teaches people the 3 elements of the Iron Byron Swing Machine. Please visit

http://www.swingmachinegolf.com to find out more about his teaching method.