Paul the more I watch you do the same thing in different tips the more it sinks in. Now I have to actually do what I’m working on with more consistency. While watching this tip, I was wondering what kind of whooshing sound the club woud make if you weren’t fully driving with your hips. Unfortunately when playing I think I’m using my hips more , but I’m not really sure. I’ll keep working for the next few weeks nad then send it to Pete for a video review. Thanks.
Glad it is sinking in. Just stick with it and it will happen for you too.
At a slow speed with driver it will only make a light wooshing noise (unless it is windy and you are doing it into the wind). If you are just swinging with arms you can get the club moving fast. Don’t be fooled by this sound. It is feeling you legs and hips powering it and associating this legs and hip drive with the increased sound of the club. As I go faster you can definitely hear it but I wouldn’t say it is super loud.
Thanks for this lesson. It clarified and confirmed what I suspected.
I need to swing at 50% and recently I have been doing that early in the rounds before my old habits kick in.
One thing I found out in going from an arms only swing to a hip driven swing was that my head followed my hip to impact and causing the club face to open and slice the ball (esp for a driver). Keeping the head back with a bucket of ball improved the flight path of the balls no end.
Everyone wants to swing hard and I am okay with that if they are doing so with the legs and hips. If it is just arms the ball can literally go anywhere.
Sounds like you are close because you are starting to be able to fix your own swing. Keep at it.
Paul,
Very interesting the timing of this tip. I have been using your method for over a year and seeing improvement, but for the last month I totally “lost my swing”, poor contact and no distance with all clubs. I was seriously thinking of quitting, but I was encouraged by your statements that “everybody loses it at some time”. So I researched your previous lessons and went back to basics, which started with slowing down. I practiced your “favorite” drill at home and then got a chance to play yesterday. I even kept my ball dirty and scuffed to reinforce mentally that I wasn’t going for distance. The results were much better consistency with all clubs except the driver (off and on).
One question about lower body – can you initiate the hip turn with lifting the back heal? I don’t have trouble with opening my hips, but I do have trouble transferring off the back foot, so I started my transition by making sure my heal was coming off ground and it seemed to help, especially when I slowed down. I don’t want to add a “band aid” though (as you often say) just to fix a different flaw.
Thanks,
John
I would suggest this over the heel because you may drive the back foot straight forward. Remember it is going onto the inner edge of your shoe to then roll up on to he tip of your toe.
Are you hinting that golfers are incorragable? Change is difficult. Especially when competition comes in. I’m at the point where I’m getting several amazing shots per round and Pete only has me thinking of touch my legs and touch my head. It’s really a struggle to swing easier. I’m down to about 75% but that seems to work and I can keep my arms out of it. You have seen a lot of golfers, how long does it take to be fully transformed when a person is commited to the change, works at it, and wants to improve?
Golfers can change but they to forget the ball and make the change. Too many people keep trying to hit great shots with a golf swing that does not work. This is luck. Living in Vegas has taught me that luck runs out.
I took a guy from 95 to 75 in 2 months and he never hi one practice ball. He was allowed to play and work on his short game but no balls. In total I gave him 8 x 10 minute lessons. I gave my dad 3 lessons. We started indoors I would say Feb. in Canada. He started as a 14 hdcp. By summer he was a 7 hdcp an by September he shot 72 and won the seniors event at our course. He was 62 or 64 at the time.
To get it you just need to understand the concept that each position I teach makes you look like you can shoot 65 and do the practice swings every night if you can looking for the feedback so you are doing the exact same moves every day, eery swing. After checking this feedback for a while you will not know anyone other way to swing. At this point you then put the ball in front of this move and you do the new swing with the ball.
I keep telling everyone to forget hitting a ton of balls. I have already proven this is the fastest way to build a great swing. Unfortunately it is like candy to most golfers and they cannot stop eating it. It is about the move not the ball. As soon as you understand that you are on your way.
They will but how long is it going to take you to tun them off completely. I say this because every kid I have seen swing a club has perfect lag and they never worked on lag. This is the axis (body) moving before the mass (club). Lag means something is trailing behind something else. Adults want to hit so they move the mass before the axis. This will never all the club to lag.
So maybe you should work on some of the lag drills. Feel your arms as you do so. Then once you get it turn them off. If not, you may be 95 before it starts lagging on its own. You could also be a weak as a little kid in your arms and as strong as an adult in your legs.
Find lag tips by searching SWING TIPS > FULL SWING > LAG
Not sure what you are asking. pre-shot routine? You spelled it wrong. Not sure if this is what you are asking. I just posted my pre-shot routine for today’s tip so this may answer your question. If not, please ask again.
Sorry for the typo. Yes, I was asking about the relationship between the pre-shot routine and this tip. For example, should the practice shot be an attempt to real swing or should one, during the practice swing, just focus on the the thing one must correct. For example, relating to this tip, should I try a really slow swing as practice befor my real one, if I try hitting too hard. Or should I try to swing as hard as possible during the practice swing and try to execute a slower one during the real swing?
I am not really doing a perfect really swing. I am doing an easier practice swing. Maybe even a little slower going back to feel what I need to feel. Then I apply or think of these feelings as I make the real swing.
Well, if you were trying to feel a faster hip turn/leg drive then I would be doing the practice swings up in the air at knee high and really feeling this action. Then I would step up and apply it knowing you are probably not going to actually do it this hard.
So choose what you are trying to do. It might be a couple of things. Have them in your mind then apply them. If you are working on speed then it would be do it fast. If you working on loosening up turning the arms off then do it slow.
Paul, regarding golf shaft flex in relation to creating the whipping action, do you prefer more flex within the swing speed range or stiffer shaft? On the one hand more flex suggests more whip but on the other hand when you explain that the whole club is the weight on the end of the string (arms) perhaps a stiffer shaft fits the rationale. I’d be interested in your thoughts.
Eric
This would be dependent on your swing speed. I use a regular shaft and I pull hook it way left as it kicks too early closing the face. So they can be too weak. If you keep hitting shots with left or right spin no matter what you try to do to fix it you may have a shaft problem.
A the club kicks it will then end up fully extended after impact in my release point. This is the point I am concerned with as if you make it to this point impact will be the same.
Paul ,You are 100% right as regards the proper management of your speed rotation forwards,keeping it at 80% of your possibilites .Then what you don’t say ,but which is obvious ,is the whipping action of the wrists in the impact zone .You can do nothing on purpose and let them whip on their own .But you can also teach them to whip in sync. especially the left wrist. When I walk my big German shepherd dog each morning one hour plus , I throw him sticks and I train my left wrist with anything ,a stick ,a ball, held in the palm of my left hand :I throw the stick and I activate (supination )the left wrist at the same time .This is the “roll over “move you show in another lesson .
It straightens the flight of the ball and gives an additional speed to it.
Not sure I want to mention that as it suggest you hit with the lead hand/arm. I want the person to not hit or help it with the hands/arms. I do wan them to do the roll over drill if they leak it right. This entails manually rolling it but this unlocks the wrists. After the person gets it then stop thinking about it and it happens on its own.
I would prefer the person doing what you are doing with both hands on the club not just the left. Kind of like this:
I’ve told you this before but it still amazes me the great tips I find when searching different topics on your website. One other point that probably needs to be emphasized is that at 100 percent, not only are you frequently going offline directionally but it is very difficult to make center face contact at that speed. Thus, distance becomes much further reduced. As a senior I have balance issues making it even more important that I find a nice, easy, controllable, repeatable pace. It runs against our human nature but is so satisfying to hit a nice straight ball with center face contact – and, such shots typically go amazingly long.
You are right. Center contact is huge. Swinging at a pace you can actually repeat without falling over is even more huge. Glad you see it. I can tell everything this stuff but it up to them to actually do it.
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20 Responses to “How Fast Should You Swing When You Play”
April 30, 2014
HarveyKirkPaul the more I watch you do the same thing in different tips the more it sinks in. Now I have to actually do what I’m working on with more consistency. While watching this tip, I was wondering what kind of whooshing sound the club woud make if you weren’t fully driving with your hips. Unfortunately when playing I think I’m using my hips more , but I’m not really sure. I’ll keep working for the next few weeks nad then send it to Pete for a video review. Thanks.
May 1, 2014
Paul WilsonHarvey,
Glad it is sinking in. Just stick with it and it will happen for you too.
At a slow speed with driver it will only make a light wooshing noise (unless it is windy and you are doing it into the wind). If you are just swinging with arms you can get the club moving fast. Don’t be fooled by this sound. It is feeling you legs and hips powering it and associating this legs and hip drive with the increased sound of the club. As I go faster you can definitely hear it but I wouldn’t say it is super loud.
April 30, 2014
PaulKwonPaul.
Thanks for this lesson. It clarified and confirmed what I suspected.
I need to swing at 50% and recently I have been doing that early in the rounds before my old habits kick in.
One thing I found out in going from an arms only swing to a hip driven swing was that my head followed my hip to impact and causing the club face to open and slice the ball (esp for a driver). Keeping the head back with a bucket of ball improved the flight path of the balls no end.
Nearly there. I hope.
May 1, 2014
Paul WilsonPaul,
Everyone wants to swing hard and I am okay with that if they are doing so with the legs and hips. If it is just arms the ball can literally go anywhere.
Sounds like you are close because you are starting to be able to fix your own swing. Keep at it.
April 30, 2014
JOHNROTONDOPaul,
Very interesting the timing of this tip. I have been using your method for over a year and seeing improvement, but for the last month I totally “lost my swing”, poor contact and no distance with all clubs. I was seriously thinking of quitting, but I was encouraged by your statements that “everybody loses it at some time”. So I researched your previous lessons and went back to basics, which started with slowing down. I practiced your “favorite” drill at home and then got a chance to play yesterday. I even kept my ball dirty and scuffed to reinforce mentally that I wasn’t going for distance. The results were much better consistency with all clubs except the driver (off and on).
One question about lower body – can you initiate the hip turn with lifting the back heal? I don’t have trouble with opening my hips, but I do have trouble transferring off the back foot, so I started my transition by making sure my heal was coming off ground and it seemed to help, especially when I slowed down. I don’t want to add a “band aid” though (as you often say) just to fix a different flaw.
Thanks,
John
May 1, 2014
Paul WilsonJohn,
I guess you could do it with the heel. You are the first to ask in 22 years. I feel the inner edge of my right toe driving hard.
Watch:
Power: How I Got Power In My Swing: https://ignitiongolf.com/power-dig-foot-in/
I would suggest this over the heel because you may drive the back foot straight forward. Remember it is going onto the inner edge of your shoe to then roll up on to he tip of your toe.
Watch:
Back Toe: https://ignitiongolf.com/big-toe-balanced-finish
You really need o find what works then keep doing it.
April 30, 2014
PaulSacchettiHi Paul,
Are you hinting that golfers are incorragable? Change is difficult. Especially when competition comes in. I’m at the point where I’m getting several amazing shots per round and Pete only has me thinking of touch my legs and touch my head. It’s really a struggle to swing easier. I’m down to about 75% but that seems to work and I can keep my arms out of it. You have seen a lot of golfers, how long does it take to be fully transformed when a person is commited to the change, works at it, and wants to improve?
Paul
May 1, 2014
Paul WilsonPaul,
Golfers can change but they to forget the ball and make the change. Too many people keep trying to hit great shots with a golf swing that does not work. This is luck. Living in Vegas has taught me that luck runs out.
I took a guy from 95 to 75 in 2 months and he never hi one practice ball. He was allowed to play and work on his short game but no balls. In total I gave him 8 x 10 minute lessons. I gave my dad 3 lessons. We started indoors I would say Feb. in Canada. He started as a 14 hdcp. By summer he was a 7 hdcp an by September he shot 72 and won the seniors event at our course. He was 62 or 64 at the time.
To get it you just need to understand the concept that each position I teach makes you look like you can shoot 65 and do the practice swings every night if you can looking for the feedback so you are doing the exact same moves every day, eery swing. After checking this feedback for a while you will not know anyone other way to swing. At this point you then put the ball in front of this move and you do the new swing with the ball.
I keep telling everyone to forget hitting a ton of balls. I have already proven this is the fastest way to build a great swing. Unfortunately it is like candy to most golfers and they cannot stop eating it. It is about the move not the ball. As soon as you understand that you are on your way.
Keep at it. I will break you eventually.
April 30, 2014
JackMcEncroePaul,
Do quiet arms create the “lag” naturally?
Thank you,
Jack
May 1, 2014
Paul WilsonJack,
They will but how long is it going to take you to tun them off completely. I say this because every kid I have seen swing a club has perfect lag and they never worked on lag. This is the axis (body) moving before the mass (club). Lag means something is trailing behind something else. Adults want to hit so they move the mass before the axis. This will never all the club to lag.
So maybe you should work on some of the lag drills. Feel your arms as you do so. Then once you get it turn them off. If not, you may be 95 before it starts lagging on its own. You could also be a weak as a little kid in your arms and as strong as an adult in your legs.
Find lag tips by searching SWING TIPS > FULL SWING > LAG
October 13, 2017
DavidWeinsteinPaul, si what would you recommend for the ore shot routine in order to follow this advice?
October 15, 2017
Paul WilsonDavid,
Not sure what you are asking. pre-shot routine? You spelled it wrong. Not sure if this is what you are asking. I just posted my pre-shot routine for today’s tip so this may answer your question. If not, please ask again.
October 17, 2017
DavidWeinsteinHi Paul
Sorry for the typo. Yes, I was asking about the relationship between the pre-shot routine and this tip. For example, should the practice shot be an attempt to real swing or should one, during the practice swing, just focus on the the thing one must correct. For example, relating to this tip, should I try a really slow swing as practice befor my real one, if I try hitting too hard. Or should I try to swing as hard as possible during the practice swing and try to execute a slower one during the real swing?
October 18, 2017
Paul WilsonDavid,
I am not really doing a perfect really swing. I am doing an easier practice swing. Maybe even a little slower going back to feel what I need to feel. Then I apply or think of these feelings as I make the real swing.
Well, if you were trying to feel a faster hip turn/leg drive then I would be doing the practice swings up in the air at knee high and really feeling this action. Then I would step up and apply it knowing you are probably not going to actually do it this hard.
So choose what you are trying to do. It might be a couple of things. Have them in your mind then apply them. If you are working on speed then it would be do it fast. If you working on loosening up turning the arms off then do it slow.
I should do some tips on this.
October 13, 2017
EricBarnettPaul, regarding golf shaft flex in relation to creating the whipping action, do you prefer more flex within the swing speed range or stiffer shaft? On the one hand more flex suggests more whip but on the other hand when you explain that the whole club is the weight on the end of the string (arms) perhaps a stiffer shaft fits the rationale. I’d be interested in your thoughts.
Eric
October 15, 2017
Paul WilsonEric,
This would be dependent on your swing speed. I use a regular shaft and I pull hook it way left as it kicks too early closing the face. So they can be too weak. If you keep hitting shots with left or right spin no matter what you try to do to fix it you may have a shaft problem.
A the club kicks it will then end up fully extended after impact in my release point. This is the point I am concerned with as if you make it to this point impact will be the same.
How to Release the Golf Club: https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-wrist-release/
October 14, 2017
RaymondCHASTELPaul ,You are 100% right as regards the proper management of your speed rotation forwards,keeping it at 80% of your possibilites .Then what you don’t say ,but which is obvious ,is the whipping action of the wrists in the impact zone .You can do nothing on purpose and let them whip on their own .But you can also teach them to whip in sync. especially the left wrist. When I walk my big German shepherd dog each morning one hour plus , I throw him sticks and I train my left wrist with anything ,a stick ,a ball, held in the palm of my left hand :I throw the stick and I activate (supination )the left wrist at the same time .This is the “roll over “move you show in another lesson .
It straightens the flight of the ball and gives an additional speed to it.
October 15, 2017
Paul WilsonRaymond,
Not sure I want to mention that as it suggest you hit with the lead hand/arm. I want the person to not hit or help it with the hands/arms. I do wan them to do the roll over drill if they leak it right. This entails manually rolling it but this unlocks the wrists. After the person gets it then stop thinking about it and it happens on its own.
I would prefer the person doing what you are doing with both hands on the club not just the left. Kind of like this:
Drill – Smooth Wrist Release: https://ignitiongolf.com/smooth-wrist-release/
November 4, 2018
MichaelBarrettPaul,
I’ve told you this before but it still amazes me the great tips I find when searching different topics on your website. One other point that probably needs to be emphasized is that at 100 percent, not only are you frequently going offline directionally but it is very difficult to make center face contact at that speed. Thus, distance becomes much further reduced. As a senior I have balance issues making it even more important that I find a nice, easy, controllable, repeatable pace. It runs against our human nature but is so satisfying to hit a nice straight ball with center face contact – and, such shots typically go amazingly long.
Thanks
Mike
November 6, 2018
Paul WilsonMichael,
You are right. Center contact is huge. Swinging at a pace you can actually repeat without falling over is even more huge. Glad you see it. I can tell everything this stuff but it up to them to actually do it.