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How to Stop That Dreaded Golf Swing Deceleration

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Stop Your Golf Swing Deceleration

In the world of golf, the word deceleration is a big time no-no.  Golf swing deceleration refers to the action of slowing the club down before impact, which is something that is rarely – if ever – going to lead to a good shot.

If you want to play up to your capabilities on a regular basis, you need to make sure the club is accelerating properly all the way through the hitting area.  This applies to every shot that you hit around the course, from a short putt all the way up to a long drive.

Of course, as is the case with pretty much everything else in golf, it is easier said than done to accelerate through all of your swings.  There are a number of reasons why you might fall into the habit of decelerating, and it can be a hard habit to break once it is in place in your game.

However, if you are committed to the long term improvement of your game and you are willing to put in some work on the practice range, you can make this bad swing habit a thing of the past.

Swing Past the Ball

The first thing you need to do to break your deceleration habit is to focus on a spot past the ball as the true destination for your swing.  Many golfers swing down with the idea that the ball marks the end of the swing – but that just isn’t the case.

A good golf swing goes all the way through the hitting area and up into a finish position each and every time.  As you make your swing, think about moving the club quickly through impact and beyond without any slow down taking place until well after the ball has been sent into the distance.

 

Naturally, you still want to look at the ball while swinging, so this point is more about mindset than anything else.  You shouldn’t be thinking of the ball as being a stop sign for your swing.  Make it a goal to swing the club through to a balanced finish without any hesitation at the bottom of the motion.

When you think of the swing as a whole around-the-body motion as opposed to something that is only designed to swing down to impact, you will achieve greatly improved results.

Bring Your Confidence

This might be a bit surprising, but confidence is actually one of the biggest keys when it comes to avoiding deceleration in the swing.  Often, deceleration takes place because the player is unsure about their swing as the club approaches impact.  They slow the club down intentionally because they aren’t sure where the ball is going to go, so they try to ‘steer’ it toward the target.  Obviously this is a bad idea, but it is a natural reaction when confidence is nowhere to be found.

If you are going to strike good shots on the course thanks to proper acceleration, you need to bring as much confidence to the party as possible.

So where do you find this confidence?  First and foremost, you need to build confidence on the driving range by hitting plenty of quality shots when there is nothing on the line.  Without the pressure of being out on the course, you should be able to swing free on the range while producing one good shot after the next.  Then, when on the course, you can look back on the good swings you made on the range as a way to build confidence moving forward.

Tighten Up in the Short Game

Deceleration is not a problem that is limited to the full swing, as it can affect your game on the shorter shots as well.  In fact, it might even be a more common problem in the short game, where delicate touch is needed to move the ball up close to the hole.

When chipping from around the green, you need to keep your backswing nice and tight in order to allow yourself to accelerate confidently through the ball.  Commonly, amateur golfers will make a backswing that is too long for the shot at hand, and they will then be forced to slow the club down through impact in order to avoid hitting the shot long.

 

Don’t put yourself in this position.  While using a smooth and even tempo, keep your swing short enough to permit yourself to swing aggressively through the shot.

Not only will this technique help you to hit the shot the right distance time after time, but it will also help you avoid hitting the shot fat.

Deceleration is prevalent in the chipping portion of the short game, but it can even be a problem when putting as well.  Regardless of what kind of short shot you are facing, it is key to keep the backswing tight enough to allow for acceleration through impact.

Hold the Correct Club

This point ties into the earlier point about confidence, but it deserves a section of its own due to its importance.  When picking a club for any given shot, you need to be completely sure that you are holding a club that is capable of handling the shot successfully.  If you don’t have the right club in your hands – or, at least, you don’t believe you have the right club – you will be likely to give up on the swing and slow down prior to impact.  To make sure you are on the mark with your club selection, take the time necessary to determine an exact distance to your target and also consider factors like wind, temperature, and elevation change.

One Final Thought on Deceleration

It is always helpful in golf, as in life, to think of things from a positive perspective.  Rather than thinking about not decelerating, try to think positively about accelerating the club through the hitting area on each shot.  When you frame it that way, it is much easier to be successful shot after shot.

Good luck, and remember to keep that club moving!


Cover Photo via Flickr

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