There are many myths surrounding the golf swing. One common misunderstanding is that faster swing speeds always translate to longer distance. Generally, that holds true, but if you are not making solid contact, the ball will not travel as far, regardless of how fast you swing. Sometimes, swinging the club at a slower speed actually can be advantageous.
Better Contact
Golfers can whip the club at the ball as fast as they can and still not hit the ball close to the center of the club face, or sweet spot. This will result in a loss of distance. Swinging slower allows the body parts to work together and the arms, shoulders, hips, and core can power through the golf ball. This will translate into longer distance even though the swing speed is slower.
Spin Control
Golfers will swing slower when they want to control spin. Swinging fast and hitting the ball with a large descending blow will cause the grooves of the club face to grab and hold the ball for a longer period, creating more revolutions per minute, which translates into more spin. This is a problem when playing in windy conditions, or when faced with fast, sloping greens. Often, professional golfers will decrease their swing speed in an effort to remove spin from the golf ball.
Fighting the Swing
There are times when your swing as a golfer just doesn't feel right. You might be playing poorly, or have contracted a case of the yips. In these situations, it helps to take some slower swings, even half swings, in an effort to control the golf ball and launch it lower and straighter. The important factor here is to never decelerate at the golf ball. Even though you are sacrificing swing speed for control, you still must accelerate through the impact zone. A slower swing speed for added control will help lower your scores in crisis situations.
Knockdown and Punch Shots
Often, golfers look to work the ball around obstacles by hitting draw or fade shots. They also look to flight the ball -- controlling its trajectory -- when attacking a tucked pin from a difficult angle. Flighting the ball also is important when hitting with gusting wind, or in the thin air of high altitude. To keep the ball lower, you must close the face of the club and de-loft it through impact. This is easy to do with a slower swing speed. Take one extra club to compensate and focus on keeping the ball down. The result will be a controlled, flighted golf shot.
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