Are You Swinging Too Fast? | How to Slow Down Swing Transition

Swing speed is a factor that contributes to a good swing or a sloppy one. It’s a very complex part of a technique that only practice and experience can correct. You can’t go too slow or too fast. Part of completing a swing sequence transition is acceleration. Acceleration is also about timing and rhythm. So how do you know when to accelerate? How do you even know if you’re swinging too fast or too slow? 

Am I swinging too fast or too hard? 

There is a difference between swinging too fast and swinging too hard. Although both are affected by tempo, the main force behind the swing makes all the difference. When you swing too fast, the transition of your backswing to downswing is too quick. The acceleration was too quick to even build up a good speed and tempo. When this happens, you will notice that your ball is always flying in the same way and direction. On the other hand, swinging too hard is having no control of your power from backswing to downswing. The power is released too much that oftentimes, it causes the ball to fly in a curved direction. 

What are the signs that I’m swinging too fast? 

Other than the golf ball flying in a certain way, another sign you are swinging too fast is when you’re actually losing your grip on your club. When your grip gets loose and you lose control of your balance during the transition, it’s another indication that you are swinging too fast. 

Why should I control my swing speed? 

Acceleration is needed to build up a good swing speed. The faster you swing, the farther you are likely to fly the ball. So, when does swing speed become disastrous? It’s when you have no control over the tempo and rhythm of your transition. We cannot stress enough how crucial these two elements are in performing a golf sequence. The tempo is the speed at which you swing your club while rhythm is the time it takes for every transition from address position to backswing and backswing to downswing.  

How do I develop a good swing speed? 

Constant practice is needed to develop and master a good swing speed that suits your swing techniques. Drills and exercises that will help you improve your rhythm and tempo are a great start. 

Rhythm

A good full-swing rhythm follows a good ratio of 3:1. It means that your counting should be 75% on the backswing and 25% on the downswing. To make it easier, try using these counting methods out loud. 

One-two-three -  Count one, two from setup position to the top, and three from top to downswing. 

One and two -  There is not much difference with the aforementioned counting, the only difference is you emphasize the “and” to follow the rhythm of the counting. 

Tempo

One of the ways to avoid quick ins during a full swing is to execute the sequence completely. This means that from a setup position, you must bring your backswing all the way to the top without losing your balance and rhythm. Don’t rush your downswing. Maintain the pace you used to perform backswing. Let your club build up the necessary speed while keeping your body alignment intact to prepare for another swing transition. This prevents your upper body and lower body from breaking the sync and losing balance which results in uncontrolled rhythm and tempo. 

Don’t rush your swing. There is nothing wrong with fast and slow swing speed. The only problem is not completing the sequence because you’re trying to execute the full swing in a lesser time. Keep practicing and find out the right speed that suits your swing technique and the club you’re holding.