# Backswing speed.



## Ssshank (Dec 15, 2020)

There have been a few studies which suggest a faster backswing will lead to greater potential in clubhead speed.

Has anyone actively focused on speeding up their backswing and if so what were your results?

For me, I've found that the more deliberate my backswing the straighter and longer the ball goes.


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## clubchamp98 (Dec 15, 2020)

Ssshank said:



			There have been a few studies which suggest a faster backswing will lead to greater potential in clubhead speed.

Has anyone actively focused on speeding up their backswing and if so what were your results?

For me, I've found that the more deliberate my backswing the straighter and longer the ball goes.
		
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The faster your backswing the more violent your transition would be .
Loss of control and direction 
For most ams that would lead to injury imo.
If your a athletic 20something yes but not for me.


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## Dibby (Dec 15, 2020)

I would think there are 2 potential advantages:

1. A faster backswing will get a greater stretch at the top, and so you can use the stretch reflex to your advantage, it's the same concept as crouching before you jump, by elongating the muscle you are about to contract you can take advantage of your reflexes signalling a strong contraction at end range and so generate more force.

2. If your mechanics aren't too terrible a faster backswing has less to go wrong, momentum does it's job and keeps you on plane etc... To conceptualise this, think about a bike, if you want to ride along a straight line is it easier to do it crawling along or with some speed? The caveat being that you have to set things in motion in the right way to start with, and a golf club is light enough that you will be able to fight the momentum and move off course if you don't have good mechanics.


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## Dando (Dec 15, 2020)

Ssshank said:



			There have been a few studies which suggest a faster backswing will lead to greater potential in clubhead speed.

Has anyone actively focused on speeding up their backswing and if so what were your results?

For me, I've found that the more deliberate my backswing the straighter and longer the ball goes.
		
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Recently I’ve tried to slow my takeaway down and it seems the strike is so much better


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## Imurg (Dec 15, 2020)

Dando said:



			Recently I’ve tried to slow my takeaway down and it seems the strike is so much better
		
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Same here.
Greater clubbed speed is only useful of you're hitting the middle of the bat.
A more even tempo and better quality of strike will produce better results than a miss hit faster swing speed strike.
If you can produce a decent strike then the faster swing is great but tempo wins for me.


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## jim8flog (Dec 15, 2020)

I am bit old school

Jack Nicklaus once said something along the lines of  "you can never swing too slowly on your backswing"


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## mikejohnchapman (Dec 15, 2020)

I was always taught as a youngster it was a 2:1 ratio for tempo. ie the time taken from address to the top of the backswing should be twice to time from the start of the downswing to impact.


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## Dando (Dec 15, 2020)

jim8flog said:



			I am bit old school

Jack Nicklaus once said something along the lines of  "you can never swing too slowly on your backswing"
		
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And what did he ever do or win!


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## Ssshank (Dec 15, 2020)

Interesting to see the changes in Bryson, his swing now is quicker than just his backswing from a few years back.

I think the only problem with going too slow is that it can make you wooden or restrict your turn, but too fast and the awareness of the clubhead becomes an issue.

Like people have said it is down to your own preference and what works for you. I was swinging quick back, but the result hasn't been great recently. Where when I go too slow I tend to tense up and struggle to get the club away.


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## FuzzyDuck (Dec 15, 2020)

I've slowed down my back swing and I'm getting a much better contact.


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## SocketRocket (Dec 18, 2020)

A fast backswing often crests a snatchy action that loses control.  If you get the club into a good position at the top then use a progressive increase in speed so that it's at maximum speed just past the ball when the clubshaft is in-line with the lead arm then you will get optimum results.


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## srixon 1 (Dec 18, 2020)

You don't hit the ball with your backswing.


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## pendodave (Dec 19, 2020)

Like most things, the internet will provide compelling answers for both possibilities. And everything in between.
Was just browsing the latest danny maude vid over breakfast. 8 mins in, he starts chatting about the benefits of a faster, more relaxed, backswing.
Pretty certain that i could gave picked a vid with an entirely plausible reason to do the opposite straight away.

I can see how an outlier either way might need correcting, but swinging comfortably and thinking about it as little as possible will probably be best for most players. After all, 
when kicking, throwing, hitting in other sports, does anyone worry about the speed of their backswing?


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## Ssshank (Dec 19, 2020)

pendodave said:



			Like most things, the internet will provide compelling answers for both possibilities. And everything in between.
Was just browsing the latest danny maude vid over breakfast. 8 mins in, he starts chatting about the benefits of a faster, more relaxed, backswing.
Pretty certain that i could gave picked a vid with an entirely plausible reason to do the opposite straight away.

I can see how an outlier either way might need correcting, but swinging comfortably and thinking about it as little as possible will probably be best for most players. After all,
when kicking, throwing, hitting in other sports, does anyone worry about the speed of their backswing?
		
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That's true. However, the issue with golf is that unlike most sports you are creating the motion instead of reacting to it. Even with a freekick you still have momentum going into the shot.

That's probably why people who start an earlier age have a better swing/tempo as it isn't a natural move and so the younger you begin the more natural your swing will be.


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## Swinglowandslow (Dec 24, 2020)

My innate fault is too fast a backswing, which is also invariably too short.
However, if I slow down too much, I find that I tend to slash down from the top, as if to compensate🤔
I know as soon as I get the right backswing tempo, slowish but not too slow, that the downswing comes right and I make a good hit.
What annoys is that it always takes ages to find it😀
The Pros have it straight away, in the muscle memory, I reckon


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## Crow (Dec 24, 2020)

Have a look at the swings of some long-drive competitors, they know a thing or two about getting clubhead speed.


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## TheDeanAbides (Dec 27, 2020)

I can pretty much guarantee that if you have a slow backswing speed it's covering up faults in your swing. That old myth you hear all the time on the range "You're swinging too fast!" is nonsense. Even players with great tempo like Ernie and Fred Couples have usually finished their swing before most weekend golfers have got to the top of their backswing. AMG have some great videos on this, btw. 

Put it this way: if you want to generate 120 mph of swing speed you need momentum and arm speed. If you can't swing faster than you currently do then your mechanics need some work.


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