Should You Swing for Speed or Control?

We all want to drive for more distance. Unfortunately golf is not our day job. As a recreational golfer you should accept the fact that you are not hitting thousands of golf balls every week like the pros.  Why try to hit a ball 325 yards like Dustin Johnson? Be realistic about the priorities for your game.  Shorter hits with fewer mishits will lower your score every day.

In this Swing Tip I’m comparing the comments of Hank Haney and Colin Montgomery.

Hank encourages us to swing faster and Colin never encourages amateurs to swing faster. We all play golf at different levels but recreational golfers have different goals than the pros. The pros play a game of distance and precision but we should strive for a game of consistency.

The pros have built their bodies to be hitting machines and their brains to be in a trance for every perfect swing. We recreational golfers rush from our busy lives, warm up on the range, putt a few balls and then rush to the first tee to share good times with our friends. Then the crisis begins. We seem to transform into strange beings (like the Incredible Hulk) when we step up to the ball. Our muscles tighten, our focus sharpens and our minds try to let loose a John Daly swing as our ball spins out of control into Never-Never-Land.

Ultimately the best solution is to let your club do the work as your hips shift then your shoulders, arms and wrists release through the ball to a balanced finish. If you can’t swing to a balanced finish, you are swinging too hard. You need to swing with a tension free rhythm as you let your club whip through impact with the ball.

I wanted to share a Golf Channel lesson by World Golf Hall of Famer, Colin Montgomerie, with his best advice for amateurs to hit better drives. He said: “Have I ever told an amateur to quicken up his swing? Never! I’ve only told an amateur to slow down. A slow swing with a driver is a good one. A fast swing is all over the place.” He continues by explaining that you just swing through the ball. You need a full follow through and a balanced finish. Avoid putting all of your energy into the down swing. It only creates inconsistency in your swing. The power comes from the whip of your wrists at the bottom of your swing.

Hank Haney is now promoting a product which helps you learn to swing faster. It actually helps you learn to whip the club with your wrist at the bottom of the swing. Your arms don’t really have to move any faster. Just relax your muscles and loosen your grip. All of the club head speed comes from your wrists releasing the weight of the club at the bottom of your swing.

Practices by letting your club do the work. Use GOLFSTR+ to remind you to keep your leading arm straight during the backswing and downswing with a reasonable pass. Let your wrist do the real work to create the whooshing noise as your club crushes the ball.  GOLFSTR+ is a great Christmas gift for any golfer.  It give them 6 training aids in 1 Gift Pack.  Buy some today: www.golfstr.com

You may have seen this offer in GOLF TIPS MAGAZINE:

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