Why is My Golf Swing Speed Slow?
Your golf swing speed may be slow because you tend to swing your golf club hard with tension; instead of just swinging it fast. This makes it challenging to establish good contact with the golf ball.
As a result, the shots rendered are more likely to be unsatisfactory. You’ll also cover a lesser distance than you intend to. Slicing is another reason why you tend to have slow golf swing speed.
Bad timing
As a result of bad timing, you’ll end up casting or releasing the golf club early, almost just when the downswing starts. Because of this, you lose out on the lag that contributes to increasing swing speed.
Improper timing is one of the key reasons for slow golf swing speed or clubhead speed.
If you think you’re speeding up your downswing and backswing but the ball goes to the right, it indicates that you’re speeding your body and not the golf club as required.
If you try to swing your club holding it upside down and experience a whoosh for only part of the swing, the swing speed is not fast enough.
Improper grip
Fixing your grip is one essential aspect of increasing swing speed. The right grip ensures that the golf club will get released correctly through impact.
Golfers who hit slow swing speeds tend to grip the club too tightly which causes slow swing speeds. Instead the arms should be loose and the ball should be struck fast.
Try implementing the 10 finger grip or the interlocking grip to ensure maximum swing speed.
Lack of fitness
Poor physical fitness can result in slow golf swing speed due to a lack of flexibility and twisting power. Simple body exercises like swinging a weighted golf club can help improve the strength of your shoulders, chest and hips.
The extra strength will increase your swing speed by combining your downswing and backswing as a single smooth motion. The lower part of your body will start coiling as the golf club continues going backward.
A weighted club also allows you to have a better understanding of how a clubhead feels when it’s released through an impact. As a result, you’ll be able to recognize the exact moment when your clubhead speed is at the highest and gain some additional lag.
Narrow stance
A narrow stance at address is undoubtedly a key reason why you experience slow golf swing speed as you’ll not be able to swing your golf club freely resulting in a short swing.
As you widen your stance, you’ll be able to do a relaxed and aggressive longer swing. As a result, the clubhead speed will keep increasing as it passes through the middle of your body and will be at the maximum speed in the air by the time the club hits the ball.
What is Considered a Slow Swing Speed in Golf?
80mph is considered to be a slow swing speed in golf.
A slow swing speed in golf refers to a speed that is slower than the average swing speed.
The best golf players have an average swing speed ranging between 110 and 115mph.
On the other hand, good LPGA players have shown an average swing speed ranging from 90to 100mph. Players with long drivers have an average swing speed of 135mph. In contrast, world championship record players are reported to have an average swing speed of 157mph.
In comparison to the TOUR and LPGA players, amateur male players have an average swing speed of about 80to 90mph or 93.4mph. Female amateur players have an average swing speed of 78mph.
For TOUR players, slow swing speed is less than 110mph whilst a quick swing speed denotes a swing speed of over 115mph.
As for LPGA players, a golfer with a swing speed lower than 90mph has a low swing speed and a player with more than 100mph swing speed is considered to have a quick swing speed.
Amateur male players with less than 80mph are said to have slow swing speed and those with over 93mph have quick swing speed. On the other hand, female amateur golfers with less than 78mph have slow swing speed while they’re said to have good swing speed if it’s above 78mph.
Players who wish to increase the distance that they hit must focus on increasing their average golf speed as the first step. In recent times, golfers have begun to understand the necessity of custom fitting their drivers to improve their overall swing speed in golf.
There is also a direct relationship between a player’s swing speed and handicap, and clubhead speed.
How to Increase Golf Swing Speed
One of the key steps to increase golf swing speed is to regularly practice by swinging often to improve the speed. As mentioned above, players should focus on swinging their golf clubs fast and not hard. You can try out the following to increase your golf swing speed.
Position stability
Maintain stability in the position that you set for yourself. You must particularly take care to ensure that your right leg is quite steady and your body is balanced uniformly. Also, make sure that you have a flexed wrist and a full shoulder turn.
Avoid muscular tension
The best bet for improving your golf swing speed is to keep yourself free of muscular tension. If you find this impossible, try to reduce it as much as you can. One way to do this is to practice swinging the club on a horizontal surface.
Remember to keep your hands and arms stretched and relaxed. This will help you rotate the golf club and your forearms naturally. As a result, your clubhead speed will also increase.
Use a Wide stance
Keep your stance as wide as possible when you focus on addressing the golf ball. It’s recommended that you lower your head towards the right as you pay attention to the target. When you do this, you’ll be able to increase your clubhead speed as the club passes through the middle of your body.
Use weighted clubs
Swing using a weighted golf club. Add the extra weight at the clubhead so that it weighs close to three pounds. Grasp the club at various points and swing it for about half a minute.
Practice your downswing
Work on enhancing your downswing that helps to increase the speed as you progress with the swing speed. Make sure that you begin with a slow backswing and increase the swing speed gradually.
Focus on a balanced and consistent swing where the club heel is released from the ground because of a smooth turn of the shoulder on the backswing.
Try the exercises mentioned below to increase your golf swing speed.
- Kneel and swing a golf shaft five times to both the right and left sides. Repeat the exercise with a sand wedge and a 5-iron. Do the above exercise once again maintaining a normal address posture.
- Work on exercises that focus on muscular strength, hip motion and strength as well as arm and shoulder strength.
- Practice karaoke drills by standing in a goal post position with the arms upright. Position the left foot before the right and move to the side. Interchange the position of your feet and do this once again. Repeat this alternating pattern and move to the left laterally for about 10 to 20 yards. Now, do the same exercise by moving to the right.
- You can start at a slow pace and gradually increasing the speed.
- Stand facing a wall so that your forehead touches the wall. Keep your arms and legs stretched wide. Press your palms against the wall and shrug your shoulders for about 30 seconds. Turn around and repeat these steps for the same duration. Do this exercise five times in each direction. It will help to train the muscles around the shoulders and in turn allow you to control the golf club better than before.
Some exercises that can help improve your swing speed are medicine ball drills, kettlebell swings, jumps and sled pushes and pulls.
Conclusion
While some players may have no problem at all with their swing speed, others often find that their swing speed is very slow. However, increasing speed is not quite challenging.
With regular practice and some exercises like the ones mentioned here, achieving a good and desirable swing speed is possible.