Is my backswing too slow?
Sarah Smith
Published Jan 21, 2026
Despite what you may have heard, your backswing can be too slow. The backswing sets up the downswing, and if you swing too slowly, you will not develop enough clubhead speed to hit the ball a long way.
Why is my backswing so slow?
But in my estimation, more golfers have a backswing that is too slow instead of too quick. When you take the club back too slowly, the tendency is to start down too quickly from the top, which causes you to slow down at impact when you should be accelerating.
Should I speed up my backswing?
In golf, your backswing is your counter-movement, which is why it's important to get the club moving quickly away from the target. Speed accumulates throughout your swing, so the faster you move the club away on your backswing, the faster your club will be traveling as it comes into the golf ball.
Can a golf swing be too slow?
Yes, a backswing that is too slow in golf can negatively impact your clubhead speed, accuracy and swing tempo. While some PGA Tour players, like Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama, play great golf with a slow, considered backswing, for most amateurs this will lead to lost distance off the tee and, at times, less accuracy.
How long should a golf backswing take?
The PGATour average time for the backswing is right around 0.75 seconds, with an additional 0.25 seconds for the downswing. Notice that ideally there should be something close to a 3:1 ratio of backswing time vs. downswing time.
32 related questions foundDoes length of backswing matter?
Your backswing length needs to produce enough speed to create the necessary distance, but also provide consistency for the most accurate shots possible. Sometimes golfers need more distance and other times they need more accuracy, and finding the happy medium isn't always easy.
How far inside should your golf swing be?
Like the other golfers, improve your statistics inside eight feet. That means working on your stroke a bit, but more likely working on your routine.
Is 80 mph a slow swing speed?
The average clubhead speed for many male, amateur golfers is between 80-90 mph. Leading LPGA players come in around 90-100 mph. Tour pros tend to have average golf swing speeds in the 110-115 mph range or even higher, and long drive competitors are all the way up in the 140s.
What is considered slow swing speed?
The 75 to 90 mph range is typically considered a slow swing speed for men.
Who has the slowest backswing in golf?
Slowest: Heath Slocum
He doesn't hit it hard or high, but Heath Slocum has managed to record four wins on the PGA Tour, including the 2009 Barclays. Slocum made just six of 22 cuts in 2015, tied for the worst number of his career.
Is a short backswing better?
Beginner golfers can significantly benefit from a shorter swing. A shorter swing will help to keep the game more straightforward from the beginning. What is this? As you get better and the golf swing feels more natural, you can slowly increase until the club is parallel to the ground at the top of your backswing.
What is a good swing tempo?
The right swing tempo is actually all about getting the perfect tempo of 3:1. Here's a quick video from the Golf Channel discussing the 3:1 swing tempo in full. To sum it up, your backswing should take 3X as long as you're downswing. So if your backswing takes three seconds, your downswing should take one second.
How fast should I swing my driver?
Well, more than 40 percent of golfers measured swing the club between 91 and 100 mph, according to the same data. The overall average is 93.4 mph, so if you're hovering around there, you should feel pretty proud of yourself. A swing speed in the 90s puts you right around average.
Who has a slow backswing?
Sungjae Im has one of the slowest backswings on Tour.
What happens when you swing too fast in golf?
Putting too much effort into the swing is usually going to lead to diminishing returns, where the quality of your ball striking – and even your raw distance – actually goes down as you swing harder.
How fast should you swing a 7 iron?
An average golfer will swing a seven iron about 75 mph. This number can change based on the weight of the club and if it is steel or graphite. The faster you swing a seven iron, the further it will go. If you can swing at about 85 mph, you will see distances closer to 165 yards.
How do I know my swing speed?
Divide the ball speed by 1.5 to get the estimated swing speed for your drive. Alternatively, you can divide the carry distance by 2.3 to estimate the swing speed at impact, but the result will not be as accurate.
Is 95 mph swing speed good?
Depending on the driving speed, golfers usually look for the best driver for 95 mph swing speed, or the best driver for 90 - 100 mph swing speed, if they're not yet as consistent as they would like to be.
Is 100 mph club head speed good?
If you're not hitting it 2.5 to 2.7 times your clubhead speed, you need a better-fitting driver, a lesson, or both. This means if your swing speed is 75 miles per hour, you have the potential to hit your drive at least 185 yards. If your swing speed is 100 mph, your distance potential could be as high as 270 yards.
What is the swing speed of an average golfer?
SPEED KEYS DISTANCE (BALL SPEED, THAT IS)
The average male amateur's swing speed is 93.4 miles per hour, according to research by TrackMan, for an average distance of 214 yards. Using TrackMan's "optimal" distance, the average golfer's potential is 255 yards at that same swing speed.
How do I increase my swing speed?
5 Best Golf Swing Tips To Increase Your Swing Speed Quickly
- Physical fitness: Your overall strength and the range of motion will significantly affect your goal swing speed. ...
- Club fitting: ...
- Focus on rotation: ...
- Use your wrist as a Lever: ...
- Hit it free: ...
- Put some lag: ...
- Use speed training tools:
What part of golf ball should you hit?
There is a short and simple answer to the question of what part of the golf ball you should hit. It is the rear, center portion of the ball. That's what will bring you the best result with the most swings.
What happens when you take the club too far inside?
Specifically, moving your hands and clubface too far inside will put you in a position where you are essentially blocked from moving up, where you can't really reach the top of the swing. Blocked indeed unless you make adjustments in order to finish your backswing.
How far should shoulders turn in backswing?
Shoulder Turn and Tilt in the Backswing
In the backswing, your shoulders ought to turn 90 degrees away from the ball and away from the target. So, your chest will, pretty much be facing directly away from your target.