How hard do you swing? How hard should you swing?

[Exactice808]

Side thought, I posted this in another thread.....and thought it was relevant

 

 

People say slow down your swing for control? On a normal given day when you are swinging good, say you have a 105MPH Driver SS, with a fast tempo and a hard transition, So 70grams shaft Stiff flex and say you got some X100s in your Irons......(example purposes)

 

So you are having a bad day swing is not good and you say ok Im going to slow down my swing.

 

Mechanics need to match now the slower swing, release, wrist set, shoulder turn etc etc..... now you you went from a 105mph to a 95mph SS, From a fast tempo to a moderate tempo, from a hard transition to a normal transition.

 

Your equipment now does not match the slowed down swing along with your body having to compensate for the mechanical change of the slower swing......

 

 

Why not Instead...Swing exactly the same swing *edit* you normally swing, dont decelerate .... just shorter..... instead of the hands being at the 11:30 position cut the swing down to the 10 o'clock position, but keep the same swing speed... The distance will be shorter and the syncing should be the same?

 

 

Slowing the swing down or speeding the swing up in my mind can only compile more errors its the snowball effect...it aint going to get better........

[MPStrat]

I think when my intent is to smash the crap out of it, my sequence gets messed up. For me there's a difference between not holding back and actually intending to hit it as hard as I can:

[TappaKegga]

Coach always said give 110%, so I give 110%

[pinhigh27]

Side thought, I posted this in another thread.....and thought it was relevant

 

 

People say slow down your swing for control? On a normal given day when you are swinging good, say you have a 105MPH Driver SS, with a fast tempo and a hard transition, So 70grams shaft Stiff flex and say you got some X100s in your Irons......(example purposes)

 

So you are having a bad day swing is not good and you say ok Im going to slow down my swing.

 

Mechanics need to match now the slower swing, release, wrist set, shoulder turn etc etc..... now you you went from a 105mph to a 95mph SS, From a fast tempo to a moderate tempo, from a hard transition to a normal transition.

 

Your equipment now does not match the slowed down swing along with your body having to compensate for the mechanical change of the slower swing......

 

 

Why not Instead...Swing exactly the same swing.... just shorter..... instead of the hands being at the 11:30 position cut the swing down to the 10 o'clock position, but keep the same swing speed... The distance will be shorter and the syncing should be the same?

 

 

Slowing the swing down or speeding the swing up in my mind can only compile more errors its the snowball effect...it aint going to get better........

 

what does this mean? if the speed is the same and impact dynamics are the same, the ball will fly exactly the same way... the ball doesn't know if you take the club back to 11:30 or 10

 

you could say keep the same acceleration, just from a shorter backswing, but that would result in less speed.

[Exactice808]

Side thought, I posted this in another thread.....and thought it was relevant

 

 

People say slow down your swing for control? On a normal given day when you are swinging good, say you have a 105MPH Driver SS, with a fast tempo and a hard transition, So 70grams shaft Stiff flex and say you got some X100s in your Irons......(example purposes)

 

So you are having a bad day swing is not good and you say ok Im going to slow down my swing.

 

Mechanics need to match now the slower swing, release, wrist set, shoulder turn etc etc..... now you you went from a 105mph to a 95mph SS, From a fast tempo to a moderate tempo, from a hard transition to a normal transition.

 

Your equipment now does not match the slowed down swing along with your body having to compensate for the mechanical change of the slower swing......

 

 

Why not Instead...Swing exactly the same swing.... just shorter..... instead of the hands being at the 11:30 position cut the swing down to the 10 o'clock position, but keep the same swing speed... The distance will be shorter and the syncing should be the same?

 

 

Slowing the swing down or speeding the swing up in my mind can only compile more errors its the snowball effect...it aint going to get better........

 

what does this mean? if the speed is the same and impact dynamics are the same, the ball will fly exactly the same way... the ball doesn't know if you take the club back to 11:30 or 10

 

you could say keep the same acceleration, just from a shorter backswing, but that would result in less speed.

 

Sorry, re-reading my post I see the confusion.

 

The statement I was making is,

 

1) The person taking a regular full "length" swing, but slowing it down causing timing and tempo and sync issues.

 

2) The person taking a shorter "length" swing but keeping the same acceleration so the timing and tempo is the same natural tempo, as their normal full swing.

 

 

in essence yes lets just say both swings at the ball are measure at the SAME MPH, but #2 is more accurate as it keeps the same natural swing mechanics, rather than 1 slowing the whole swing mechanics down.

[juststeve]

When you have a yardage of 170 yards what would you hit? a full 7 iron? 6 iron? play to the yardage and hit a full shot. Dont complicate it and think you need to swing at 83.5% to hit it consistently all the time.

Learn your full swing yardages and use that to determine how far or hard you need to hit it. Everyone will have a comfortable rhythm and tempo that they swing at

 

I might be wrong but do people make a full swing but throttle the speed/effort in order to hit the club a certain yardage? Would you not restrict the length of the swing yet still apply the same effort into that 3/4 swing to hit it the required distance?

 

I guess what I am saying is I always swing at 100% it might be a 100% 3/4 swing but its still 100%!

 

I'm not sure how much it helps others to know what I personally would do, but since you asked 170 is a real good number for my stock 6 iron. I can speed up my swing a bit and hit a 7 iron that far, but with some additional dispersion in direction and distance. I can really amp up my swing and carry an 8 iron 170, but with a lot less consistency than I can with either the 6 or 7. Hitting the "real big" 8 introduces more dispersion on good strikes but brings some mishits into the picture.

 

I've played with a lot of really good golfers, pros and top amateurs, over the years, and not one of them has routinely hit the ball to their maximum distance on the course. Each has demonstrated the ability to hit a shot further than normal when circumstances require them to do so. An extra 10 or even 20 yard on tap when needed. Otherwise they swing at what you might think of as a cruising speed, not slow by any means but also not as hard as they can.

 

On the other hand, I've played with lots of duffers who go at it as hard as they can all the time. In baseball there is a saying "swing hard in case you hit it". I don't know about baseball but it doesn't work in golf.

 

Steve

 

Sorry it was more of a rhetorical question than anything but you answered you question by saying "170 is a real good number for my stock 6 iron".

I think adding percentages or ideas of how hard you should swing is tough because someone's 80% is another persons 100%.

 

Sorry if I came across as rude I didn't mean to.

 

NZ:

 

I detected no rudeness so no worries.

 

I agree that it makes little sense to put percentages on swing effort/speed. What I consider to be a stock shot is the speed/tempo/rhythm that I have found over the years hitting thousands of ball provides me with the most consistent contact, trajectory, direction and distance. I can't put a number on it but I know what it feels like and can repeat it. The point I have been failing to make is that is not flat out as hard as I can hit the ball, and I don't believe it is for any other good golfer. If good players were hitting the stock shot as hard as they can, what would it mean to play a big eight iron or a little seven iron? All good players do that, something more or less than the stock seven or eight. To suggest as some do on WRX that it is good to hit the ball as hard as you can, shot to shot, just isn't what good players do. It might work on a simulator, but not on a golf course.

 

Steve

[Santiago Golf]

The only two club im going to swing at 95% to 100% is my driver and a 3 wood off the tee. Otherwise I'm going to swing at 85%. This wing is controlled and I m going to still accelerate at the ball. Most the time when amateurs take something off a shot they will not accelerate at the golf ball and hti bad shots

[poizster]

My new home course is really tight, with OB right and left on almost every hole. I have more confidence if I don't go at it 100% off the tee. It seems to be working.

[Hunter991]

i have found that a controlled swing where everything lines up is key. Finding that is like finding the fountain of youth. Swing in control and the ball goes just as far. I have tried swinging with every muscle in my body and i don't seem to gain much more distance and usually off center or a huge slice.

 

i was told by a PGA pro to swing my driver like i do a full wedge. no weaker, no stronger and the results proved to be better.

[zorro]

My body is such a train wreck that my 110% is equal to someone else's 60%. It's almost laughable, but whatever....

 

So....I go smooth (it looks lazy, but it isn't) and lob it at the fairway, then lob it toward the green...and then do it 17 more times. I then watch some of my buddies swing out their a** an go on a nature walk. Yep, golf really can be entertaining!

[NZgolfer1991]

When you have a yardage of 170 yards what would you hit? a full 7 iron? 6 iron? play to the yardage and hit a full shot. Dont complicate it and think you need to swing at 83.5% to hit it consistently all the time.

Learn your full swing yardages and use that to determine how far or hard you need to hit it. Everyone will have a comfortable rhythm and tempo that they swing at

 

I might be wrong but do people make a full swing but throttle the speed/effort in order to hit the club a certain yardage? Would you not restrict the length of the swing yet still apply the same effort into that 3/4 swing to hit it the required distance?

 

I guess what I am saying is I always swing at 100% it might be a 100% 3/4 swing but its still 100%!

 

I'm not sure how much it helps others to know what I personally would do, but since you asked 170 is a real good number for my stock 6 iron. I can speed up my swing a bit and hit a 7 iron that far, but with some additional dispersion in direction and distance. I can really amp up my swing and carry an 8 iron 170, but with a lot less consistency than I can with either the 6 or 7. Hitting the "real big" 8 introduces more dispersion on good strikes but brings some mishits into the picture.

 

I've played with a lot of really good golfers, pros and top amateurs, over the years, and not one of them has routinely hit the ball to their maximum distance on the course. Each has demonstrated the ability to hit a shot further than normal when circumstances require them to do so. An extra 10 or even 20 yard on tap when needed. Otherwise they swing at what you might think of as a cruising speed, not slow by any means but also not as hard as they can.

 

On the other hand, I've played with lots of duffers who go at it as hard as they can all the time. In baseball there is a saying "swing hard in case you hit it". I don't know about baseball but it doesn't work in golf.

 

Steve

 

Sorry it was more of a rhetorical question than anything but you answered you question by saying "170 is a real good number for my stock 6 iron".

I think adding percentages or ideas of how hard you should swing is tough because someone's 80% is another persons 100%.

 

Sorry if I came across as rude I didn't mean to.

 

NZ:

 

I detected no rudeness so no worries.

 

I agree that it makes little sense to put percentages on swing effort/speed. What I consider to be a stock shot is the speed/tempo/rhythm that I have found over the years hitting thousands of ball provides me with the most consistent contact, trajectory, direction and distance. I can't put a number on it but I know what it feels like and can repeat it. The point I have been failing to make is that is not flat out as hard as I can hit the ball, and I don't believe it is for any other good golfer. If good players were hitting the stock shot as hard as they can, what would it mean to play a big eight iron or a little seven iron? All good players do that, something more or less than the stock seven or eight. To suggest as some do on WRX that it is good to hit the ball as hard as you can, shot to shot, just isn't what good players do. It might work on a simulator, but not on a golf course.

 

Steve

 

I think as someone mentioned in an earlier post, it is all about swinging within yourself to the point where you still have composure, balance, rhythm and power. Regardless if you slow it down or speed it up you need to be comfortable making that swing.

 

I think we all know within ourselves we can swing the club a lot harder and faster with the primary goal of swinging it faster, but you then have moved away from hitting the ball where you want to. I agree that swinging as hard as you possibly can with goal is just to swing it hard is best left to REMAX and simulators.

[baloo]

I think there are a couple ways to look at this:

For me, I honestly feel like I go around swinging at about 80%. It's fast, but at the same time feels very comfortable.

But if you were to ask me to max out and go 100%, I honestly only would be able to inch it out another 10 yards maybe with the driver.

So when I say 80%, I mean it feels like 80%, but it actually is probably only a few MPH away from my absolute max. So 80% probably isn't the right way to describe it.

 

Also, once my hands hit hip high in the downswing, I feel I can pretty much go at it as hard as I want.

 

Also, I almost never actually think about how hard I am swinging. Most swings, I just step up and swing at my standard pace. No conscience effort to regulate it.

[Exactice808]

When you have a yardage of 170 yards what would you hit? a full 7 iron? 6 iron? play to the yardage and hit a full shot. Dont complicate it and think you need to swing at 83.5% to hit it consistently all the time.

Learn your full swing yardages and use that to determine how far or hard you need to hit it. Everyone will have a comfortable rhythm and tempo that they swing at

 

I might be wrong but do people make a full swing but throttle the speed/effort in order to hit the club a certain yardage? Would you not restrict the length of the swing yet still apply the same effort into that 3/4 swing to hit it the required distance?

 

I guess what I am saying is I always swing at 100% it might be a 100% 3/4 swing but its still 100%!

 

I'm not sure how much it helps others to know what I personally would do, but since you asked 170 is a real good number for my stock 6 iron. I can speed up my swing a bit and hit a 7 iron that far, but with some additional dispersion in direction and distance. I can really amp up my swing and carry an 8 iron 170, but with a lot less consistency than I can with either the 6 or 7. Hitting the "real big" 8 introduces more dispersion on good strikes but brings some mishits into the picture.

 

I've played with a lot of really good golfers, pros and top amateurs, over the years, and not one of them has routinely hit the ball to their maximum distance on the course. Each has demonstrated the ability to hit a shot further than normal when circumstances require them to do so. An extra 10 or even 20 yard on tap when needed. Otherwise they swing at what you might think of as a cruising speed, not slow by any means but also not as hard as they can.

 

On the other hand, I've played with lots of duffers who go at it as hard as they can all the time. In baseball there is a saying "swing hard in case you hit it". I don't know about baseball but it doesn't work in golf.

 

Steve

 

Sorry it was more of a rhetorical question than anything but you answered you question by saying "170 is a real good number for my stock 6 iron".

I think adding percentages or ideas of how hard you should swing is tough because someone's 80% is another persons 100%.

 

Sorry if I came across as rude I didn't mean to.

 

NZ:

 

I detected no rudeness so no worries.

 

I agree that it makes little sense to put percentages on swing effort/speed. What I consider to be a stock shot is the speed/tempo/rhythm that I have found over the years hitting thousands of ball provides me with the most consistent contact, trajectory, direction and distance. I can't put a number on it but I know what it feels like and can repeat it. The point I have been failing to make is that is not flat out as hard as I can hit the ball, and I don't believe it is for any other good golfer. If good players were hitting the stock shot as hard as they can, what would it mean to play a big eight iron or a little seven iron? All good players do that, something more or less than the stock seven or eight. To suggest as some do on WRX that it is good to hit the ball as hard as you can, shot to shot, just isn't what good players do. It might work on a simulator, but not on a golf course.

 

Steve

 

I think as someone mentioned in an earlier post, it is all about swinging within yourself to the point where you still have composure, balance, rhythm and power. Regardless if you slow it down or speed it up you need to be comfortable making that swing.

 

I think we all know within ourselves we can swing the club a lot harder and faster with the primary goal of swinging it faster, but you then have moved away from hitting the ball where you want to. I agree that swinging as hard as you possibly can with goal is just to swing it hard is best left to REMAX and simulators.

 

Actually bouncing off the above about hitting different shots for a set distance....

 

My example and maybe a reason of being an amateur

 

 

I have a square release, no major wrist roll, so I sacrifice distance for consistency as my release stays square longer through the ball..... OK

 

So my PW goes 130 stock normal controlled full natural swing....... Now if I gas it, I can like you go to lets say 135-140 maybe......by doing this like you stated, it introduces a little more timing and syncing so dispersion may suffer a little more.

 

Now if I really wanted to? I could hit a PW 150-160, now this sounds stupid and a passive brag, but my point is. If I finagle my swing, to optimize purely swing speed and ball speed and ball flight..... I can change my swing from a square release to a rolling release to get maybe an extra 5-10mph in swing speed to get the 150-160PW, that also means me coming way from the inside and doing the "Tiger woods Jr Golf" "Ole" flip...... where the ball goes I have know idea....but it will probably be a super hook and from there who knows....

 

I think this is where many of amateurs struggle to keep a consistent shot, that pro's excel at. They are able to have perfect sync and timing through out their swing no matter how fast they swing...... Watching old Tiger woods video of when he really lets loose shows how balanced at impact he is, its the same when its a short chip or that 270 yard 3wood.......amazing....

[NZgolfer1991]

Exactice808

I know exactly what you mean, What the pros do well is they know how hard they will go at the ball and everything is still working as it should. The hips don't spin out, arms don't get stuck, balance is maintained.... I suppose that's why they can make a living out of it.

[AlecEmersonGolf]

I think you should swing as fast as you can on all driver shots. On other shots, its more complex, as you have to factor what type of shot you are trying to play. For example if i am trying to hit a knockdown shot from 150, im not just gonna hit a 9 as hard as i can, but im going to bunt a 7 or 8 depending on what flight I want.

[juststeve]

I think you should swing as fast as you can on all driver shots. On other shots, its more complex, as you have to factor what type of shot you are trying to play. For example if i am trying to hit a knockdown shot from 150, im not just gonna hit a 9 as hard as i can, but im going to bunt a 7 or 8 depending on what flight I want.

 

Swing as fast as you can on all driver shots and exhibit the kind of control you see among the Re-Max guys, struggling to find the 60 yard wide grid at least once per round. Really?

 

Steve.

[birly-shirly]

If anything, I'm the opposite. I see situations where, for whatever reason, I feel happier hitting a more lofted short iron hard rather than a stronger club with less effort. I cannot see a situation where trying to hit a driver or long iron any harder than usual is likely to pay off for me. Dangerously attractive, yes. Likely to pay off, no.

[virtuoso]

In terms of how hard, wherever part of the body naturally wants to slow down, go hard. Whatever part of the body wants to move fast, go slow. So, as an example, I go slow with the arms in transition, and hard with the hips at the bottom....and then I stripe that puppy.

[RichieHunt]

Are you saying you go at it as hard as you can with every club on every shot, or are you saying something else?

 

Steve

 

I try to go as hard as I can with every club. There are some times when I may not do so, but they are the exceptions rather than the rule.

 

 

 

 

RH

[Hoganstriker]

That's wrong.

 

Iron shots are for control of flight to a specific distance not full out.

[North Texas]

That's wrong.

 

Iron shots are for control of flight to a specific distance not full out.

 

But what if full out gives you better control of flight to a specific target?

 

For me, when I try to "control" the shot, more often than not I try to "steer" it instead.

 

And more often than not, when I give up control, I actually gain control.

[Kuuuch]

That's wrong.

 

Iron shots are for control of flight to a specific distance not full out.

 

But what if full out gives you better control of flight to a specific target?

 

For me, when I try to "control" the shot, more often than not I try to "steer" it instead.

 

And more often than not, when I give up control, I actually gain control.

 

Exactly. Controlling=steering=not as good of a release for me.

 

I think this relates to people hitting it well on the range versus on the course. On the range there is no punishment, you can swing freely and you hit better shots that way.