Practice swing speed vs real swing speed

[Scottc91]

Hey guys, just a quick one if anyone has had similar issues and over come it... I currently play off 5 and driving the ball pretty good and get decent carry, the odd time over 300.. I did a test using my Zepp swing analyser. I did 5 drives average club head speed was 112 mph.. Did 5 practice swings average club head speed was 119 mph, any ideas on why there is such a drop from practice swings to real swings? I've tried swinging faster with a ball in front of me and I don't get close to the numbers I get on a practice swing (highest I got was 114 mph and that felt like I couldn't go any faster, but obviously I can)

When I do a practice swing it doesn't feel like I'm lashing at it, I still hold my balance and control so it's confusing me why I am unable to get speed up with a ball in front of me

[SavvySwede]

I'm pretty sure that's normal believe it or not.

[DrvFrShow]

When there's a ball in front of you there's something at stake, and tension creeps in. Tension slows you down.

[gregsandiego]

On 5/22/2016 at 5:41 PM, Scottc91 said:

Hey guys, just a quick one if anyone has had similar issues and over come it... I currently play off 5 and driving the ball pretty good and get decent carry, the odd time over 300.. I did a test using my Zepp swing analyser. I did 5 drives average club head speed was 112 mph.. Did 5 practice swings average club head speed was 119 mph, any ideas on why there is such a drop from practice swings to real swings? I've tried swinging faster with a ball in front of me and I don't get close to the numbers I get on a practice swing (highest I got was 114 mph and that felt like I couldn't go any faster, but obviously I can)

When I do a practice swing it doesn't feel like I'm lashing at it, I still hold my balance and control so it's confusing me why I am unable to get speed up with a ball in front of me

 

I have the same issue. No matter how hard I try my practice swing is superior. Why can't a ball magically appear when I"m doing my practice swing?

[Buckeyebowman]

1 hour ago, DrvFrShow said:

When there's a ball in front of you there's something at stake, and tension creeps in. Tension slows you down.

Bingo! We have a winner! Where do you think the old saying "All you have to do is hit it with your practice swing" came from! One idea that used to work for me when hitting a ball off a tee, was to imagine the ball as a soap bubble. Weightless, insubstantial, and offering no resistance. All you want to do is swing the club and pop the bubble. If you can really get it into your head, it's amazing how much it can free up the swing motion.

[14ledo81]

8 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

Bingo! We have a winner! Where do you think the old saying "All you have to do is hit it with your practice swing" came from! One idea that used to work for me when hitting a ball off a tee, was to imagine the ball as a soap bubble. Weightless, insubstantial, and offering no resistance. All you want to do is swing the club and pop the bubble. If you can really get it into your head, it's amazing how much it can free up the swing motion.

I like that idea.

I can "practice swing" at dandelions.

[godswing]

in a practice swing you aren't concerned with squaring the clubface so you don't need to make any compensations.  thinking it's a mental problem is wishful thinking and going to end up wasting of lot of time in the end.

[No Mulligans]

It's the opposite for me, my swing radar has me at a faster swing when I'm actually swinging at a ball... faster than my practice swing.  Trying to swing fast on both the practice and actual swing.