If you are a beginner golfer then you know that to make the ball go a long way you need to hit the ball hard and fast, Right?? Well yes and no.

The golf swing basics involve a number of aspects that you need to get right. The speed of your golf club head is only one of these aspects.

There are about a half dozen elements in the basics of a good golf swing and while every one will do them slightly differently, sticking to the golf swing basics will help prevent the beginner golfer from thinking too hard about their golf swing.

The Basics of the Golf Swing

The first part of your golf swing is the mental part. Many would say that this is where most games are won and lost on the golf course. For the starter golfer you never want to look stupid on the first tee when you thwack your ball into the trees or the nearest lake. You need to blank out all thoughts and surroundings when addressing the golf ball and just think about where you plan the ball to go. Do not give any thought time to how you will feel if you miss. Just focus on your shot.

One of the pressurizing aspects of taking a golf shot is that you are always being watched. You have your opponents and maybe the following group watching your every move. You must ignore all of this outside attention and just work through your shot. Make it clear what you are going to do and then do it.

Because you are a beginner it will not always work but that is not the issue. If you are in charge mentally then you will eventually get more right than you will wrong.

Controlling Your Swing Speed for More Accuracy

This is the single simple most important golf tip that you can adopt to improve you accuracy and distance. Control your golf club. If you are swinging your golf club so fast that it is not under full control then you will never get the distance you need. Swing your club as fast as you can while still being in control of the moment of contact. By slowing your club down by up to 30% speed you will actually increase your distance. This is as a result of better contact with the sweet spot of the golf club face.

Whether you are a hooker or a swinger of the golf ball this slowing down of the golf club will ensure better distance and very quickly reduce your banana golf shots. Your swing technique will improve as you take control of the pace of your golf swing.

Another mistake with the speed of your swing is to try and speed up in the last 18 inches before contact with the golf ball. By doing this you will again lose the straight shooting you are looking for. You must make your swing smooth on the backswing and smooth and controlled on the downswing. The club head will naturally gain momentum on the way down. There is no need to force it.

Once you know you have control of the clubhead then you can consider trying to add more speed to your swing. But do not think about the speed when you are hitting the ball. Think about being in control of your swing