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The “perfect” golf club technique isn’t set in stone. Pro and amateur golfers all over the world swing their golf clubs in different ways that work for them.
But if you’re one of the many players that prefers taking their time in their shots and swinging your golf club slower than your friends, your scores could be paying the price.
Sure, slow and steady wins the race, and a slow swing speed is a good place to start if you’re a beginner. But if it starts costing you strokes as you grow into the game, you may need to change your swing and speed things up a little.
Here are a few things you might want to know about slow golf swings.
The pitfalls of a slow golf swing
Less yardage
This isn’t always the case, and plenty of golfers can generate considerable force with only a moderate swing. But, on the whole, swinging slower will limit your power. And if you don’t apply power to the shot, your club head speed will suffer and the golf ball won’t travel as far as it could.
In other words, if you have a slow swing, you’re costing yourself yards every time you play golf. This will result in taking longer to reach the hole than your fellow players which, in itself, could have greater repercussions.
Taking longer to reach a green could also result in you holding up following players, or costing the players in your party time. It might feel more comfortable giving 110% on every shot, but that comfort can come at a price.
Swinging hard isn't always guaranteed to produce super-long shots, but putting maximum power into your swing gives you the greatest chance at the longest shots when compared to the alternative.
Less power in oncoming winds
The weather isn’t always on your side on the golf course and, in some instances, you’ll have to alter the level of power in your shot to compensate for the conditions and retain an acceptable ball speed.
A perfect example is when you’re playing into strong, oncoming winds. These winds add another level of difficulty to the game and will hold your ball back in mid-air, costing you significant yards.
However, with enough power in your golf shot, you would be able to mitigate some of this yardage loss, if only a little, helping you stay on track and finish your game with as low of a score as possible.
Unlike if you are swinging the club slowly - you may find you aren’t able to generate enough power for your ball to cut through these winds as effectively as it could, resulting in you barely making any headway per shot.
The advantages of a slow golf swing
Accuracy
Whenever you encounter a player with a slow golf swing, they all seem to have one thing in common - their shots tend to be more accurate than other players’ shots.
What they sacrifice in power, they make up for in precision. This is because taking their time in their backswing and follow-through (a swing that closer resembles a practice swing than an actual shot) allows them to bring their club head and club face in line with the ball more precisely than someone with an ultra-fast swing style.
This added control helps guarantee a sweet strike with the ball, resulting in a straighter shot. It’s not always the case, though, and players with a slow swing can still suffer from accuracy issues that plague players with an average swing. It all depends on whether they’re able to take advantage of the added time and control the slower swing offers.
Why a slow backswing can be a good strategy
If your slow swing is costing you shots, but you’d like to retain some of the benefits of a smooth and slow swing motion, you can try testing the best of both worlds.
Rather than carrying a slow and controlled movement throughout your entire swing, another option is to adopt a slow backswing, while increasing grip pressure and accelerating on the way back through the swing.
By doing this, you’re able to better analyse whether your club is positioned correctly at the top of your backswing before you inject some power into the follow-through. Hopefully, this should help you produce both accurate and powerful shots.
A great example of this in the professional game can be seen in Korean player SungJae Im, who adopted a slow and methodical backswing after suffering from less-than-ideal ball striking for a few years. Today, he’s considered one of the best ball strikers in the game.
Practice new golf swings at Clarkes Golf
If you’re looking to change things up and add some extra “oomph” to your golf shots, the perfect place to practice is Clarkes Golf. At our 27-bay driving range, you’ll be able to adapt your style at a pace that suits you and perfect your new way of moving and striking the ball before heading out on the course.
On top of this, we’re also home to an amazing golf shop, packed full of the latest golf clubs, balls, accessories, and more from the world’s leading brands. So no matter how you play, we’ll have the perfect accompaniments to help you solidify your new swing.
Come visit us at Mill Lane, Rainford, St Helens, WA11 8LN.
