Tempo is often overlooked when it comes to golf fundamentals. Yet once understood, it can help you play your best more frequently.
Tour pros all use similar swing tempos, which helps create an identical impact position and makes it easier for them to hit solid shots.
The 1-2-3-1 Drill
Common belief holds that perfect swing tempo requires slowing down, when in fact it involves building power in the backswing while speeding up in the downswing and follow-through. With this simple drill you can achieve that perfect tempo!
Make an audible count-back count 1-2-3 before counting one on the downswing – at first it might feel odd but after some practice swings you will get used to counting out loud as you swing; even pros use this technique when making changes or under pressure during games!
An effective golf swing tempo makes it easier for all the parts of your body to work together and produce consistent shots, improving distance and accuracy as a result. Achieve Freddy Couples or Grant Horvat-like swings requires consistent tempo drills; try these on for size!
The Pause at the Top
At the top of your backswing, it is crucial that you pause. Doing so will ensure that your body, arms and club all stop together as part of an unhurried downswing – helping you hit more consistently over longer distances.
Establishing an ideal swing tempo can make it much simpler for both your body and mind to work together and produce powerful shots. When your swing tempo is off, however, it becomes much harder for everything to align properly and deliver consistent results.
Hideki Matsuyama, currently ranked within the world top 10, uses an intentional pause at the top of his backswing on every shot he hits, as an integral part of his game. You can try adopting this technique into your game by pausing at the top of each backswing during practice sessions. Though initially this may feel awkward or self-conscious, over time you should see its benefits.
The 3:1 Drill
Golf’s finest players have an intuitive understanding of what constitutes an optimal swing tempo, like having an internal clock telling them when it is time to move or stop swinging. This ability sets apart professionals from amateurs despite having strong fundamentals and power behind their game.
One of the easiest and most straightforward ways to identify your swing tempo is by counting aloud. Start off by counting backswing 1-2-3, and count down from one when approaching ball on downswing. It’s simple, effective and even works better when done while hitting balls on range!
Tour Tempo Timer is an invaluable application that makes tempo-setting more scientific. This app contains different tones which match what researchers have determined is an optimal 3:1 swing tempo. With just a click of a button you can train your swing tempo.
The Finish
No matter the technical flaws in a player’s swing, good tempo can help align impact position correctly so that club hits ball squarely. It is essential to realize that timing or pace refers to ratio of backswing-downswing motion.
Garrity has worked with thousands of golfers, both amateurs and touring pros alike, and he has discovered that most recreational players possess an extremely slow swing tempo that causes awkward body movements which ultimately sap power and consistency from their swing.
To help find your natural tempo, try this easy yet effective drill on the range: count out loud from one backswing count (1-2-3-1) through downswing 1 (which might make people nearby think you’re crazy!), and have your playing partner watch to make sure that this pattern holds.https://www.youtube.com/embed/ghTJMUvubBI