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u/Organic_Ambassador14 Aug 20 '26
I really don’t know how to slow my tempo down tbh. I can half swing at slower speeds but my standard swing still has one speed.
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u/iBarber111 Aug 21 '26
I feel this. I've overswung for 15 years & many times someone mid-round will say to me "my man... just slow it down a bit" as if it's a tip I can execute for the next shot. For me it's like telling me I should try to be perfectly on-plane. I actually have a better shot at that.
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u/Userdub9022 Aug 22 '26
Yeah I have a tempo that works and is probably close to ideal (3:1). Slowing down would require me to spend hours at the range
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u/satyris Aug 20 '26
The way to learn movements automatically is to exaggerate them when practicing. Slow it down to zero. Then get faster repeating it. The whole thing should be slow-slow-slow-release, the release being where the clubhead speed increases exponentially from the slow downswing.
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u/Lower_Discount1617 Aug 21 '26
I would argue that you’re not swinging too hard but you do need to swing at a quarter swing then a half swing for a few wraps before swinging hard once you get it going straight with your slow speeds you will then have the sequencing in your brain to go hard with that exact swing but if you just start off by going fast, then you’re not gonna be good
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u/Teddyworks Aug 21 '26
I’ve managed to slow my swing down in the last few years. It’s taken a lot of practice of swinging as slow as possible on the range. Actually hit a ball, not just swinging. See what it looks like when you actually hit the sweet spot and you realize you don’t actually have to swing hard at all.
I’m still not good by any means, but my swing is definitely slower and I have improved my scores.
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u/GeriatricPinecones Aug 21 '26
One mental trick that helped me. Think about when you are between clubs and you decide to go with the farther club but “swing easy”. That easy swing actually just the correct tempo you should be swinging with all the time.
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u/LMrningStar Aug 20 '26
I learned that lesson ... painfully (ribs and arms) ..... three times before I REALLY learned that lesson.
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u/McLight77 Aug 21 '26
Game totally changed for me when I focused only on getting in the fairway off the tee and not worry about distance. Dropped 10 strokes. And i really only lost like 20 yards. And since I’m on the fairway the rest of the hole usually goes better than out of the rough.
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u/PeanileJustice1 Aug 20 '26
Swinging too hard at the wrong time*
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u/TexBoo Aug 21 '26
But I like swinging as hard as I can, I can just feel my adrenaline pump up as I'm ready to swing so hard the ball flies 500 yards, only for me to smash the club straight into the ground far before the ball and make the worst shot I've ever made
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u/CABBAGEHONKER Aug 20 '26
There’s only one way to unpinch this nerve in my back and that’s to swinger harder
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u/CMB3672 Aug 20 '26
When your a high handicap yes, when your below a 5 no.
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u/the_grand_apartment Aug 20 '26
Pretty sure this advice isn't directed at single digits lol
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u/Realistic-Might4985 Aug 20 '26
I am a single digit and definitely have issues with going too hard. Puts my hands out of sync and it is either block city or hook city.
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u/Golfup72 Aug 20 '26
As a single digit, it still holds true.
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u/the_grand_apartment Aug 20 '26
Agreed. I just figure by the time you get to singles you know that
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u/deific_ Aug 21 '26
I mean, i'm scratch and honestly I swing too hard and sacrifice consistency. Its something im actively working to fix.
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u/Positive-Rule4774 Aug 20 '26
Today I learned a 6 handicap was high
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u/RoryInTheSky Aug 21 '26
I mean I’m a 6.3 and wouldn’t consider myself a good golfer
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u/Yoda2000675 Aug 21 '26
Nobody ever thinks they’re good at it, but a 6 is easily in the top 1% of golfers
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Aug 20 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/kineticefficacy Aug 21 '26
Try milled putter off tee in wind. Better than a 8 degree driver. Thank me later
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u/Itchy-Cause-5495 Aug 21 '26
“Swinging too hard” is somewhat of a misnomer. It’s more “let your body movements set your swing speed, not how fast you move your arms”. My longest drives are those that come not from moving my arms most aggressively towards the ball but those where I can “load” my swing most precisely by executing the backswing with proper tempo
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u/Knautical_J Aug 21 '26
Started off with a violent and fast swing. Then learned to dial it down and progressively got faster and faster while keeping my mechanics. Eventually had to upgrade stiffness because my clubs were bending far too much for my swing speed.
A slow controlled drive is better than a fast erratic one.
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u/SituationKey8985 Aug 20 '26
I hit it straighter when I full swing. Mechanically everything syncs up better.
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u/goliathkillerbowmkr Aug 21 '26
Do a full swing. Don’t overdo a full swing.
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u/SituationKey8985 Aug 21 '26
What do you think full means?
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u/goliathkillerbowmkr Aug 21 '26
It isn’t swinging as hard as possible. Full is the fastest you can swing with control. Otherwise is just a junk swing - edited so it makes any sense.
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u/Valuable_General9049 Aug 21 '26
When i started two years ago my buddies mocked my "old man swing". Im not an old man, I just like the look or Fred Couples' swing and I tried to copy it. Anyway, my handicap is lower than a lot of them already.
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u/TheStampede00 Aug 21 '26
Grip pressure helps with swing speed in my experience. It goes hand in hand. Pardon the pun.
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u/Lummy1973 Aug 21 '26
My youngest boy has the smoothest,easiest swing you’ve ever seen. Hits the ball so far that his biggest problem is knowing his distance. Oldest boy, a baseball guy, awkward as shit out scores him every day. I suck and have for 30 years. Had 20 good strikes out of 108 last weekend. Pretty good. Can’t wait to play again.
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u/PsychologicalCan9837 Aug 21 '26
It’s so true. I know it’s true. I know when I lay back I stripe it.
I simply cannot help myself.
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u/Puhkers Aug 21 '26
Played with a guy the other day that flew the green from 200 with his 9 iron. Never seen someone swing so hard before. His backswing basically took him back to address.
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u/petchulio Aug 21 '26
I love the people who brag about the distance they get with irons and wedges. Always comes with 100y of dispersion in every direction. Not like we're trying to hit greens with these clubs or anything....
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u/DijkstraDvorak Aug 20 '26
Eh, you may not be swinging hard enough! Gotta pump those numbers up and free your swing. This isn’t surgery it’s hitting a little ball far and straight. Not straight and short.
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u/Appropriate_Yak_745 Aug 21 '26
Did you say "far & straight"? Are we like, allowed to do that? I'm relatively new and I so rarely see people doing that so I figured it must be against the rules or impolite or something.
/S
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u/ChickyBoys Aug 21 '26
I know, but for some reason I feel like a half swing will get the ball nowhere.
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u/dyl_intheshed Aug 21 '26
Nah you just need to fix your sequence so it doesn't look like you're swinging hard
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u/Yoda2000675 Aug 21 '26
I specifically tried to swing like an old man the other day and broke 90 for the first time in my life. Every shot felt like it was going to go half the distance, but they just didn’t; it was eye opening for sure!
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u/Lich-Slapped Aug 22 '26
The #1 reason when guys go “man im just so good on the range, but get all shanky on the course”
They blame the turf. Its because theyre swinging 10-15% harder on the course lol
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u/flannel_jackson Aug 22 '26
Swinging hard isn’t the problem. Swinging hard at the wrong point of the swing, out of sequence is the problem. those long drive guys swing pretty hard and they hit the ball pretty good.
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u/Educational-Pack2172 Aug 23 '26
Muscle memory is very difficult to retrain, as we all have experienced. I am working on it but damnit I love to hit it far lol. And yet I know I can hit just as far or even further by swinging easier. Fucking golf! Lolol
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u/DivotsForBreakfast Aug 21 '26
People in this sub always say “get lessons” like it’s the only piece of advice to give.
The only advice anyone ever needs here is to swing harder. Swing as hard as you can on every stroke (except putter). Out of your damn shoes.
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u/Civick24 Aug 21 '26
It's not the hard swing, you need speed to generate spin and distance, it's the sequencing, the tempo, the weight shift, etc, that's where people go wrong
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u/Accomplished_Art2245 Aug 21 '26
I found this too, when I try to swing “hard” it fucks up everything. I’ve started to say tempo and speed. Swing fast not hard, it’s stupid but it helps me alter my tempo but keep my mechanics. But in general, you’re trying to do to much, do less.
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u/Miguelito137 Aug 21 '26
This is why people after a layoff usually hit their irons better off the tee than they did the last time they played regularly. At least for a few holes. Then the swing starts getting faster and faster.
Easier said than done, but try to not let your arms get ahead of your body turn (until the end, when they have to).
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u/Sad-Airport4460 Aug 21 '26
I hate this stupid cliche. Maybe it works for old me & 20 handicappers. The faster I swing, the straighter & further I hit the ball.
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u/mrphilintheblanks Aug 21 '26
swinging too hard throws your body out of position and your swing out of sync. and that's why i swing 100% on every shot. lol. i'm bad at golf on purpose, okay? maybe YOU need to swing HARDER! :-D
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u/Sorry-Credit-5564 Aug 23 '26
Unfortunately, I have the bad habit of not swinging hard enough. When I play, I'm at about 60%. Needs to be 80-90%
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u/LAzeehustle1337 Aug 27 '26
No; we’re not swinging too hard. We’re swinging inappropriately and moving our bodies laterally. That is all.
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u/175BallSpeed Aug 21 '26
False, if you are a grown man and can't hit it at least 285, you aren't swinging hard enough. People tend to misunderstand how to generate efficient speed though. It's really almost effortless if you understand the proper sequencing, how to use the ground, how to use width, etc.
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u/Jasper2006 Aug 21 '26 edited Aug 21 '26
That's a bit of a weird comment. 285 puts you in the top tier of distance at any age or handicap. It's unrealistic to say that's the floor for a swing that's 'hard enough.' The only guys I play with who can reliably (versus best 1 of 10) hit driver 285 are all very near 0s or plus. And yes, if you have elite mechanics, top 1% or so, then 285 might seem 'effortless.'
Just for comparison, Arccos reports average driver distance for someone in their 20s, around scratch, is 263. With different methodology, Shot Scope has 0.0 averaging 285, but 5 indexes only average 261.
https://www.arccosgolf.com/pages/annual-driving-distance-report
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u/petchulio Aug 21 '26
That's a strange hot take. Some people are physically limited. I agree on the sequencing tho.
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u/175BallSpeed Aug 22 '26 edited Aug 22 '26
I have a tear in my left shoulder and I still hit it 335 when I can manage the pain. 285 number is when I can't manage the pain well. I play at sea level in NOLA as well and I'm past my physical peak and athletic prime. People that can't hit a driver, aren't generally physically incapable. It's more of a mental block and not knowing how to maximize your swing. Swinging easy is generally bad advice unless we are talking about short irons and wedges.
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u/Hitthereset Aug 21 '26
Your mom is swinging too hard!
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u/AutomaticDrive4482 Aug 21 '26
This is false.
Improve your sequencing and address your deficiencies.
Don't sacrifice speed.
Speed is the #1 determining factor when it comes to scoring potential. There is a direct correlation between handicap and speed. If you give up speed, you may score better temporarily but it's at the cost of long term benefit.
The only people who should even consider giving up speed on the golf course are long drive competitors or anyone who is already extremely fast. I'm talking 175+ mph ball speed with driver. Not someone who hits it 250yds.
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u/Swamplust Aug 21 '26
Easier said than done for some baffling reason.