Swinging too hard

[kc8kir]

Any tips or tricks for stopping someone swinging too hard? I have gotten in the habit of swinging way way way too fast and too hard, so much so that I think I'm loosing a lot of potential clubhead speed. As an example, when I started playing, I could hit a 3 wood about 245, and driver 265. Now I only hit 3 wood about 225 and driver 245. Basically, I've lost about 10mph swing speed. My transition is too fast, and I constantly feel like I'm really hauling the club through the impact zone. Hands get too far ahead, shot gets blocked, face never releases, etc.

Now, here is what I have tried:

1) Counting 123, 123, 123, 123... waltz tempo. Works for everything but the transition. My transition is still so quick I have to race to catch back up with the club.

2) Control the entire swing with the hips. Again, didn't help the transition. It's like I get to the top and my instinct says "ok already... GO!".

3) Pausing at the top. This is the strange one. Sometimes it works, but most times it just feels contrived.

For those that have seen my swing sequence, I have been working on a little more lateral motion in the transition and more hands in front on the backswing. It's working slowly (along with fixing a grip fault I discovered), but the fairway woods and driver are still a huge problem. I used to hit these so well...just aim at the inside corner and go. Now it's a nightmare.

 

[softconsult]

I feel your pain. My last round I experienced the same thing, only it was hitting every iron about 15 to 20 yds longer than previous week. Drove me nuts, flew several greens, and cost me a bunch of strokes.

Went to practice area the next day and it continued. For some reason my Pitching wedge that was going around 125 is now going like 140. 50 degree wedge around 130. This is only good if it continues, but this is golf, always a lot of variables surfacing and subsiding.

 

[BrandonM7]

Lord I wish someone would throw out a brilliant and simple answer to this one. Although I imagine the easiest answer is "just stop doing it," I can't seem to. My result is not nearly as pleasant as mentioned, though. I overswing to the point of throwing off my balance, which results in all manner of different problems at random. Chunk one, slice the next, top the next, etc. On the days when I've had a couple of beers and am in a good mood I can just swing away making what I think are some perfectly fine golf shots, over and over. But then before you know it my mind decides I'm capable of 10 more yards with that driver, and every club goes to crap. My most common result is lots of chunks and slices. Next thing you know instead of being relaxed and happy I'm throwing clubs, and of course it just keeps getting worse from there

 

[kc8kir]

Definitely relating there! I am CONSTANTLY hitting approach shots too hard and flying greens. Drives me nuts! But the driver and 3 wood... tisk tisk tisk... I can't find the fairway.

 

[alexlimco]

A bird came up to me and told me to just to try to hit each club about 100 meters out. It worked for me and till today, I still believe it's a good training aid to work out swing tempo.

 

[curtisj76]

One of the best things I've ever read was from "Golf Annika's Way". She said she swings every club the same, wedge to driver. Due to the length of each club, the longer ones will NATURALLY have more speed. This AMAZED me as I've always swung harder once I got the "big dogs" in my hands.

Come to think of it, I'm glad I reminded myself of this as my driver has gone south and I'm most likely swinging too hard.

 

[GPM1985]

I think that swinging hard may not be the issue so much as it is applying force at the wrong time during the swing. There are really good players who hit the ball both hard and solidly with remarkable consistency. I just think they manage to "floor it" at just the right time.

 

[kc8kir]

Something I noticed on videos of Ben Hogan was that, to my eye, it appeared he almost swung back and through at the same speed. Almost as though there was no extra push or acceleration into impact. A constant speed body motion. The club however, because of the levers, accelerates.

I don't know if it is correct, or a good observation, but...something to try at least.

 

[savydan]

You could say that Hogan got interia into the clubhead early so he could react to it.

I think GPM is correct about where the speed occurs (though impact obiviously is ideal). Most pros don't look like they're going full out, but they are in proper sequence so it looks smooth or not full out. But they are actually taking a good rip at it.

You probably have a good deal of thoughts in your head right now. Like they say, you add things to your swing, add more, and then you start to take things away until there's nothing left to take away. Then you have your swing.

When you own what you're doing, then your full speed will come at the right time.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

Personally, i have found that the more off plane you are the more you will find these issues and the more on plane you are the less of these issues you will face.

This is why i have always argued that balance is more of a result of proper on plane force rather than something you can control.

 

[rogerdodger]

Jim is right on. When I am on plane, the swing is effortless. When I am underplane, the more effort I put in the swing.

 

[DMDORMAN2000]

I used to have the same problems with balance and overswinging and my teacher had me hit golf balls standing on the sides of a milk crate. He would have me stand on the walls of one milk crate placed right side up and place the ball, on a mat, of another upside down crate and hit balls. It takes some getting used to and I am sure there were other reasons for this drill but I unlike some others on the forum do not care why only how many. This is the easiest solution I can remember that could possible help. Good luck.

 

[puttmad]

Any tips or tricks for stopping someone swinging too hard? I have gotten in the habit of swinging way way way too fast and too hard, so much so that I think I'm loosing a lot of potential clubhead speed. As an example, when I started playing, I could hit a 3 wood about 245, and driver 265. Now I only hit 3 wood about 225 and driver 245. Basically, I've lost about 10mph swing speed. My transition is too fast, and I constantly feel like I'm really hauling the club through the impact zone. Hands get too far ahead, shot gets blocked, face never releases, etc.

Now, here is what I have tried:

1) Counting 123, 123, 123, 123... waltz tempo. Works for everything but the transition. My transition is still so quick I have to race to catch back up with the club.

2) Control the entire swing with the hips. Again, didn't help the transition. It's like I get to the top and my instinct says "ok already... GO!".

3) Pausing at the top. This is the strange one. Sometimes it works, but most times it just feels contrived.

For those that have seen my swing sequence, I have been working on a little more lateral motion in the transition and more hands in front on the backswing. It's working slowly (along with fixing a grip fault I discovered), but the fairway woods and driver are still a huge problem. I used to hit these so well...just aim at the inside corner and go. Now it's a nightmare.

kc,
There is nothing wrong with swinging hard or fast.....as long as you are in sequence...i.e. weight is shifting correctly...

Take Padraig for example...he has been experimenting with Happy Gilmore swing and is averaging an extra 30 yards.....but if you watch him do it compared with his normal swing you will see one thing that stands right out with the H G swing....MORE of his weight is on the left side at impact, so much so that he is right up on his right toe at impact....

For you, I would go back to my old favourite "first move" from the top....try and raise your right heel off the deck while your weight is still on or towards your right heel at the top.......your right knee will bend to accommodate this and your right hip will kick slightly diagonally forward towards 11 o'clock (if 9 o'clock is towards your target)
Your weigh wil transfer automatically, and this is before you initiate any concious forward movement with arms/shoulders.....the hands will naturally drop below shoulder height (due to shoulder movement as a reaction to the hip slide)...
From there simply finish the pivot and allow the clubhead to pendulum around and up to the finish...

 

[dashfan87]

Personally, i have found that the more off plane you are the more you will find these issues and the more on plane you are the less of these issues you will face.

This is why i have always argued that balance is more of a result of proper on plane force rather than something you can control.

So thats why it looks like my dad is having a stroke after he swings...

 

[cmartingolf]

You don't swing too hard...

Any tips or tricks for stopping someone swinging too hard? I have gotten in the habit of swinging way way way too fast and too hard, so much so that I think I'm loosing a lot of potential clubhead speed. As an example, when I started playing, I could hit a 3 wood about 245, and driver 265. Now I only hit 3 wood about 225 and driver 245. Basically, I've lost about 10mph swing speed. My transition is too fast, and I constantly feel like I'm really hauling the club through the impact zone. Hands get too far ahead, shot gets blocked, face never releases, etc.

Now, here is what I have tried:

1) Counting 123, 123, 123, 123... waltz tempo. Works for everything but the transition. My transition is still so quick I have to race to catch back up with the club.

2) Control the entire swing with the hips. Again, didn't help the transition. It's like I get to the top and my instinct says "ok already... GO!".

3) Pausing at the top. This is the strange one. Sometimes it works, but most times it just feels contrived.

For those that have seen my swing sequence, I have been working on a little more lateral motion in the transition and more hands in front on the back swing. It's working slowly (along with fixing a grip fault I discovered), but the fairway woods and driver are still a huge problem. I used to hit these so well...just aim at the inside corner and go. Now it's a nightmare.

There have been some good comments about lack of sequence.. and for good reason.

While the concept of "lag" seems so "last year" it's darn impossible to swing too hard if you aren't over-accelerating the club head with the hands.

Your distance issues are due to loss or pressure and leakage. Your "long hitting" swing last year, gave you better impact alignments that squeezed the ball more efficiently.

Sure you can swing hard and flip, have a good D-plane, start golf balls on line...BUT GOOD LUCK HITTING THE SAME DISTANCES with irons or woods.

In recent months on this forum we've all been wrapped up in the ballistics of impact and gotten away from what provides consistent ballistics...LAG.

Is your pivot doing the work? Or, is it your hands...

 

[Bill Miracle]

Ooooooooooh!

There have been some good comments about lack of sequence.. and for good reason.

While the concept of "lag" seems so "last year" it's darn impossible to swing too hard if you aren't over-accelerating the club head with the hands.

Your distance issues are due to loss or pressure and leakage. Your "long hitting" swing last year, gave you better impact alignments that squeezed the ball more efficiently.

Sure you can swing hard and flip, have a good D-plane, start golf balls on line...BUT GOOD LUCK HITTING THE SAME DISTANCES with irons or woods.

In recent months on this forum we've all been wrapped up in the ballistics of impact and gotten away from what provides consistent ballistics...LAG.

Is your pivot doing the work? Or, is it your hands...

Me likie!!!!!! Similar thing is happening to me. I am hitting my driver well but......I've lost 20-30 yards. I know somthing has changed.

But, isn't lag with the driver much different than with irons?

 

[kc8kir]

I am more and more convinced as I practice that it is coming down to this...

GRIP INEFFICIENCY

My hands used to feel like they worked together. Very synchronized. Now they feel like the work separately. Somehow my grip has gone awry and no longer functions as it should. The hands are fighting each other throughout the swing, resulting in a save effort with each swing.

I might try switching back to the interlocking grip I started playing with and see if maybe that just works better to unite my hands and stop the leakage.

 

[cmartingolf]

Distance...

GRIP INEFFICIENCY.....The hands are fighting each other throughout the swing, resulting in a save effort with each swing.

...unite my hands and stop the leakage.

The club head doesn't seek out the ball, let the club seek out the plane line with a ball in the way... big difference. No steering!

Me likie!!!!!! Similar thing is happening to me. I am hitting my driver well but......I've lost 20-30 yards. I know somthing has changed.

But, isn't lag with the driver much different than with irons?

Yes, thrust with short irons is generally down to China and backs off through the set, but you still have thrust and throwout action.

You may still have pure strikes, with the motor is not working as well. Or, maybe you aren't letting things go. You have to be fearless to be long off the tee.

 

[kc8kir]

cmartin, you were taught by George Knudson. Got a question for ya.

Knudson advised that a player should address the ball off the toe of the club, to allow for the natural extension one experiences in the swing. I have found personally, that I can hit great shots even with the club head all the way inside from the ball. No lunging or other funny maneuvers, my swing just seems to want to extend... a lot. It's so... "unorthodox" of an address position though, I'm worried about continuing to do it.

How far did Knudson advise taking the "address off the toe" approach? Are you lining the toe up with the center of the ball? Or the toe with one of the edges?

 

[Richie3Jack]

What worked for me is some of the following things:

1. Footwork. Avoid getting the weight up on your toes, especially with the rear foot. Keep the weight more in the middle of the arches of your feet until about impact and then it may move towards the ball of the foot. If the right heel comes up off the ground before impact, that's okay as long as the momentum of the swing is pulling the right heel off the ground instead of you actually lifting the right heel off the ground by getting the weight up on your toes. I often will do the 'Snead drill' where I will hit balls bare footed with my toes raised upward in the air. Balance and rhythm pretty much go hand in hand in my book and if the footwork is good the balance is likely to follow and the rhythm will be nearby.


2. I often focus on the part where my right hand connects to the left thumb in the grip. I try to keep that pressure point throughout the downswing to the finish. The only way I can do that properly is with slowing the transition.


3. The Taly is the best training aid I've ever seen, and if there's one thing it cures is this. Best $70 you could spend.





3JACK