There’s nothing more satisfying than walking off the 18th green knowing that you hit your Driver well all day. So to have that happen more often … when hitting your Driver – should you try to:
A) Swing with more effort than you swing your pitching wedge
B) Swing with less effort than you swing your pitching wedge
C) Swing with the same effort as you swing your pitching wedge
We often see the greatest improvement from Golfers when they learn to allow for the same amount of effort with their Driver as they are using with their pitching wedge … and simply trusting the club to do the work!
It’s frustrating when a Golfer knows that he/she shouldn’t swing so hard, yet slice after slice – we continue to do it! “Oh, dang it … I just tried to kill that golf ball!”
Though, at GMS we’ve found that many of the Golfers that feel as if they’re swinging too hard … are actually struggling because they decelerate with their Driver.
Deceleration? Why Does It Feel As If You’re Swinging Too Hard?
There are two ways you may decelerate, yet feel as if you’re swinging too hard –
1. you could be slowing your body on the forward swing … which causes your arms to fling forward without much control like a slingshot. Although, many Golfers blame their arms … it’s the body stopping that caused the arms to fling forward without control
2. your arms could be slowing down (because you’re trying to swing slower) while your body continues to move as it should – which may give you the feeling of “I’m getting too far ahead of the ball … I feel like I’m lunging at the ball”.
Either way – it’ll appear to others (and to yourself) that you’re swinging too hard because the swing didn’t look smooth.
Yet, in reality, all that’s happening is that either your arms or body is decelerating. And because you looked and felt so discombobulated – it feels and appears as if you’re swinging too hard.
Yes, deceleration is often pegged to other shots/clubs such as chips, wedges and putting … but, it does also happen many times with Driver. Because the accumulation of constantly being told that you’re swinging too hard has Golfers standing over the golf ball repeating “swing nice ‘n easy, nice ‘n easy, nice ‘n easy”. Which may contribute to you decelerating.
Fortunately, all that maybe happening is that your arms or body is decelerating. And because you looked so out of control – it appears as if you were swinging harder than you should.
Though – if you’re body and arms are moving together at any speed – it would appear as if you had made a smooth golf swing. As the typical PGA Tour Pro swings his Driver at 120 mph and the average 90 shooter swings at 85 mph … yet, the Pro looks smoother while swinging at 35 mph faster!
Believe me, I wish I could give you a guaranteed way to never swing too hard or too slow again. However, learning to have your arms and body working together is a great place to start!
And … next week … we begin a new video series on how to get your body and arms working together for a smoother, more consistent golf swing. Be on the lookout for our next issue of Golf Improvement Weekly!
The Happy Golfer finds consistency with their Driver by understanding how to get their arms and body working together to produce a smooth swing
The Monkey swings too hard, then swings too easy, then swings too hard, then …Go ahead, Be a Happy Golfer!
Regards,
Marc Solomon, PGA – Your Instructor For Life
www.GolfMadeSimple.com
