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How can our golf swings feel bullet proof on one hole, then fall apart on the next. Did we suddenly forget how to swing the club? Usually, It's not the player's swing that changes, but their tempo. Swing tempo is like the weather. It can change without warning. Loss of tempo is often more psychological than technical. We go from feeling positive to apprehensive over a shot , tension creeps in, and we swing too fast. Tempo is best defined as the time it takes to complete a golf swing. Good tempo is akin to good timing which successfully links all the swing parts together. A well timed swing produces the effortless power everyone strives for. As a golfer improves technically, their expectations naturally rise. This increased pressure to perform can have a deleterious effect on swing tempo. It takes a lot of energy, practice, and patience to deal with the undermining effect that raised expectations can have on our swings. Some golfers exhibit an uncanny ability to stay cool under pressure and maintain good tempo. Others, faced with the demands of golf, speed up their swings hastening a collapse.
How do you get good tempo? Tempo is produced by combining sound mechanics with good timing. Timing is the product of the arms and body working together to produce a repeating swing motion. Good tempo is the expression of this union. Good tempo is the trademark of a successful golfer. Are there any drills that help develop good tempo? Here are two that I recommend. Start by learning to make proper use of practice swings. You will always make your best and smoothest swings without a ball. Perfecting your practice swing tempo will help you cope with pressure. Try keep the same tempo when you hit a ball. Narrowing the tempo gap between practice swings and "real" swings is a great way to insulate yourself from golf ball anxiety. At the range, warm up by hitting shots with a favorite club: Never start with the driver. Instead, develop your tempo with a 7,8, or 9 iron. Feel the arms and body working together. Enjoy the feeling of swinging within yourself. Pick another club at random and see if you can keep the same tempo. Move through the bag, trying to make the same swing with every club. Repeat this drill until you can maintain your best swing tempo. Tempo is often the last piece of the golf swing puzzle to fall into place. When things are going well, it may be good tempo that's holding your swing and game together. |
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