Titleist Tips: Golf Myths - Swing Slowly - Jonathan Yarwood

Looks can be deceiving. Throughout golf history there have been many great players who have hit the golf ball miles with seemingly effortless swings. Maybe the contrast between these types of smooth, well-sequenced swings and the violent, uncoordinated lashes we see from many unskilled golfers is what has perpetuated the myth that you should swing slowly. But smooth is not the same thing as slow. Even pros with the most syrupy of swings aren’t trying to swing slowly - you need speed to hit it far - and this video, Titleist staff member Jonathan Yarwood shows how to sequence your swing properly so you can swing fast to hit it both far and straight. The big issue with swinging too slowly is that it gets all the components of your swing moving together at the same rate. When this happens you break the chain reaction that allows forces to accelerate as you pass energy from your legs to your core to your shoulders to your arms to your hands and, ultimately, to the club head. To Create the Right Sequence: 1. Get the club and your arms moving away from the ball first. 2. The body then carries the motion to the top of the swing. 3. From the top, shift your pressure from your trail leg and foot to your left side (for a right-handed golfer) as the body leads the action down. 4. The shoulders, arms and hands will follow, passing along built-up speed to the club head. BONUS DRILL Build speed into your swing by swinging the club upside down. Grip the club at the bottom of the shaft, near the club head. Keep a loose grip and make some practice swings, trying to make the grip end of the shaft “whoosh” as you swing it. Also make short takeaway swings where you also hear the shaft “whoosh” to ingrain the feeling of the club and arms moving first to start the golf swing.