deceleration at impact

[wrv1]

I have a problem with deceleration at the point of impact.  A friend watched me and he said I have good form to the top, I start down well enough but I decelerate about half way down.  It's costing me about 20 yards.  I try to concentrate on accelerating on the down swing but something seems to disconnect between thinking about it and executing it.  Any recommendations?

[Steve Pratt]

Keep in mind that the physics of the collision between clubhead and ball dictate that your clubhead slows down.  I have heard estimates of about 1/3, so a 100 mph clubhead travels 66 mph just a fraction after impact.

[Steve Pratt]

That being said, what does your finish look like?  If you are whipping the club around to a full finish over your left shoulder then there is a good chance you will be accelerating.

[wrv1]

I'll try whipping the club all the way around with a little abandonment.  My friend calls it a fear of commitment.  He says I don't want to sacrifice good form.  Sounds like your reckless abandonment idea is the key.  Thanks.

[Steve Pratt]

Try it!  Don't get discouraged if you top the ball or badly mishit it the first few tries.  Stick with it - this is how good players have such control.

[moparman426]

Just be mindful of the person next to you at the range while you are swinging with reckless abandon , lol.

You started down well enough....with your arms first, or a hip movement?  Hips making a complete rotation through the swing?  Is your friend an experienced golfer?  I have a friend who thinks I have an awesome swing, he knows squat about golf.  Have a video to post?

I accelerate through the ball with a wedge, but never have to rip it over my left shoulder on the follow through.  Just be careful.

[bplewis24]

Post some video.  If I had to guess, I'd say you're trying to prevent deceleration/increase clubhead speed by swinging your arms faster which is resulting in an even more pronounced flip.

Brandon

[Golfs-for-Fun]

Originally Posted by wrv1

I have a problem with deceleration at the point of impact.  A friend watched me and he said I have good form to the top, I start down well enough but I decelerate about half way down.  It's costing me about 20 yards.  I try to concentrate on accelerating on the down swing but something seems to disconnect between thinking about it and executing it.  Any recommendations?

Its a common problem, if you ask me.

I got over it by using some aggressive emotion...literally like I was 'attacking' the ball.

Worked like a charm....now if anything Im still accelerating well after impact.

After a few weeks it just becomes second nature.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Golfs-for-Fun

I got over it by using some aggressive emotion...literally like I was 'attacking' the ball.

Worked like a charm....now if anything Im still accelerating well after impact.

Acceleration "well after impact" or at any point after impact is wasted energy and is thus less efficient than maximum speed delivered at impact.

And most people who "attack" the ball swing more slowly. And suffer from contact issues. And lose their balance. And go bald prematurely.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by iacas

Acceleration "well after impact" or at any point after impact is wasted energy and is thus less efficient than maximum speed delivered at impact.

And most people who "attack" the ball swing more slowly. And suffer from contact issues. And lose their balance. And go bald prematurely.

And have trouble finding people to play with...

[rustyredcab]

Even if you do not post a video, you might learn something just watching your video. Take some video and watch it at the range. What we feel we are doing is rarely what we actually are doing.

[Golfs-for-Fun]

Originally Posted by iacas

Acceleration "well after impact" or at any point after impact is wasted energy and is thus less efficient than maximum speed delivered at impact.

And most people who "attack" the ball swing more slowly. And suffer from contact issues. And lose their balance. And go bald prematurely.

Youll have to tell this to the ball because if I dont do it I lose distance.

I didnt say I didnt swing 'slowly'...I certainly do not swing like lighting...I just dont let myself slow down before the impact or AT impact...hence the 'still accelerating well after impact' comment.

Continuing acceleration thru impact works for me to stop the deceleration problem. I have yet to lose my balance.

The 9 holes I played yesterday on a very long course we have here in town went very well. Even managed to get to the green on par 5's in regulation. Still working on the putting, but ALL of my tee and fairway shots were dead down the middle, albeit short because I only had my 5 wood and smaller. Didnt lose my balance once, so Im not sure if youre just being funny or what ;-)

[Golfs-for-Fun]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

And have trouble finding people to play with...

hmmmm.

Seeing that the two guys in front of me finally asked me to join up with them, Id have to say otherwise. We actually ended up having a good time.

[mdl]

Like others have said, a video so you can get proper help is best.  But saw Greg Norman on the Golf Academy show doing a show on hitting the driver.  He noted the usual stuff that thinking about crushing it just tenses you up and you actually swing slower.  His useful swing thought for adding distance was to try hitting your drive thinking about hitting either the front of the ball or a point an inch or two in front of the ball.  The rationale was like that of martial arts guys punching through boards.  You think about breaking the back of the board, not popping your hand really hard into the front of the board.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Golfs-for-Fun

Youll have to tell this to the ball because if I dont do it I lose distance.

I didnt say I didnt swing 'slowly'...I certainly do not swing like lighting...I just dont let myself slow down before the impact or AT impact...hence the 'still accelerating well after impact' comment.

Continuing acceleration thru impact works for me to stop the deceleration problem. I have yet to lose my balance.

I don't think you understood what I said.

If you're still accelerating after impact let alone "well after" or whatever you said, then you're not hitting the ball as far as you should. That is all.

[Golfs-for-Fun]

Originally Posted by iacas

I don't think you understood what I said.

If you're still accelerating after impact let alone "well after" or whatever you said, then you're not hitting the ball as far as you should. That is all.

How about letting me decide if I am hitting the ball far enough ;-)

The gents I played with yesterday seemed to be fairly impressed with my 5 wood distance. I'll take their eye witness account as being sufficient.

Ive taken a lot of advice from a lot of different golfers, most of which has caused me nothing but problems.

Right now I am hitting long enough (180 with my 7 wood) and very straight. I think I'll leave it where it is for now ;-)

[bplewis24]

He's not saying you don't hit it far enough (7 wood distance notwithstanding).  Rather, that your claim, by definition, would mean you aren't hitting it as far as you could be.  In practical terms, the implication is that you are probably not still accelerating "well after" impact.

Brandon

[Golfs-for-Fun]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

He's not saying you don't hit it far enough (7 wood distance notwithstanding).  Rather, that your claim, by definition, would mean you aren't hitting it as far as you could be.  In practical terms, the implication is that you are probably not still accelerating "well after" impact.

Brandon

Well, obviously just starting 6 month ago, Im not hitting it 'as far as' I will someday, but here and now today in this span of time I am hitting plenty far enough, actually most of what Ive read says 180 is a very average distance for a 7 wood. Given that the shots are pretty much all straight and on target (no slices or hooks at all now, and only slight pushes/pulls and even that isnt much at all) Im content with where my long game is.

I know how this goes. Someone gives me advice, I spend 6 weeks trying to 'figure it out' and end up pissed as hell and having to 'undo' it all which takes another 6 weeks.

I played 9 holes on a pretty long course in the last couple days. Out of 36 strokes only one of them ended up off the fairway and the recovery shot for that one ended up on the green about 8-10 feet from the hole (196 yard par 3 from the whites).

Frankly, I dont think that any change is going to make me hit much further than I am. I started playing at 46, Im out of shape, disabled to a decent extent, and have very little flexibility. Keeping the ball in the fairway and hitting the distance I do is good enough for me.

All that will happen if I start taking advice again is my swing will get $#%#ed up again.

Ive tried changing the timing and swing speed a number of times and this is what works great for me.

That all said, EVERYONE is full of ideas and advice and in my short experience Ive noticed that the majority of it isnt worth bothering with unless a person is masochistic and just loves tormenting themselves.

:-D