Golf Tip—Use Tempo To Play Better Golf
As an golf nut, I’d like to share one key element to the golf game that a lot of us amateurs miss in our golf swing. So many golf tips focus on the mechanics of the golf swing, or some technical aspect of certain moves, or focus on the hands, wrists etc, etc, etc. But for so many of us if we would start with a big focus on tempo, we would be amazed at the results.
Think about the golf swing itself. Unless you are just an absolutely gifted athlete with exceptional hand to eye coordination, the golf swing is basically complicated and very hard to master. That is one of the reasons that I focus on different things in my golf tips for amateurs. But if you combine that with the fact that most golfers swing way too fast, the results can be disastrous.
Look at it this way. If you break down the golf swing and really think about what you are attempting to do it can boggle your mind. You are attempting to put a very small white ball squarely on the face of a moving object that is only about 4-6 inches in size. And that moving object is at the end of a long pole that is whipping and flexing as it moves through the golf swing. So it only makes sense that the faster you move that object, the harder it will be to get it squarely on the golf ball. And, by the way, it must be facing in the correct direction when contact is made.
I believe that it was PGA golfer Davis Love who said that one of his key golf swing thoughts was focusing on 80%. In other words, he thinks about swinging at 80% of his normal swing speed. When I tried this the first time, it really worked. Especially for a golfer like me. Because one of my big tendencies is to gradually speed up my swing as I progress though a round. It’s not intentional, but it seems to happen quite a bit if I am not thinking about my tempo.
Now this may sound simple, but in fact it is. I recommend keeping your swing thoughts simple and having no more than two. And I strongly recommend that one of them be about smooth and easy tempo. Now some people like images or one word phrases to keep it simple. For example a golf buddy of mine use the word “buttery” to focus on slow, easy tempo. And that’s a great phrase if you might be more of a feel type player.
A quick drill to help with getting the feel for smooth, easy tempo is to go to the practice range and get a few golf balls ready to hit. Then take an iron and take about 3 practice swings with one arm (your right for example if you are right handed) focusing on slow and easy. Then hit one or two golf balls the same way, with one arm slow and easy. This will start to give you a feel for the tempo you are looking for. Then repeat this process.
After doing that process a few times, take a normal swing with both hands, again focusing on smooth and easy. You should find the tempo feels really good and you will make solid contact with the golf ball. Keep this a part of your practice and pre round routine and you should see a big difference in your tempo and your game!
About the Author
About the Author
David Stargel loves writing about golf and is the owner of several golf
related web sites. He is also known as The Golf Nut. You can find
all kinds of discount
golf equipment at his web
site at: www.the-golfer.biz
|
|
The Keys to the Effortless Golf Swing: Curing Your Hit Impulse in Seven Simple Lessons $13.00 The biggest paradox in golf is that the harder you try to hit the ball, the worse you do so. In The Keys to the Effortless Golf Swing, Michael McTeigue offers you a simple system of sequential body movements that produces a true swinging motion with every club in the bag. The result is increased distance and greater accuracy for all sizes, shapes, and ages of golfers for a minimum investment in le… |
|
|
Hank Haney’s Essentials of the Swing: A 7-Point Plan for Building a Better Swing and Shaping Your Shots $13.68 “Hank knows more about ball flight and what controls it than anyone in the game.” —Masters and British Open champion Mark O’MearaGet back to basics and build your best possible golf swingLots of golf instructors can show you tricks to correct a hook or to stop hitting the ball fat, but these are just quick fixes that leave you with a swing built on mistakes. In Hank Haney’s Essentials of the … |
|
|
Freestyle Men’s FS78611 Cortez Polyurethane Watch $49.99 Stylish enough as an appropriate complement to your contemporary casual couture, the sophisticated Freestyle Cortez analog/digital men’s watch (model 78611) will also keep your training on track with power timing features. This large, round watch offers a strong stainless steel watch case and raised bezel in black ion-plating. The positive black-on-gray dial is supplemented by square silver hour m… |
|
|
Freestyle Men’s FS78672 Cortez Chronograph Watch $100.00 Stylish enough as an appropriate complement to your contemporary casual couture, the sophisticated Freestyle Cortez analog/digital men’s watch will also keep your training on track with powerful timing features. This large, round watch offers a strong stainless steel watch case and raised bezel in silver. The positive black-on-gray dial is supplemented by square silver hour markers along the outer… |
|
|
Eric Edelhausen Voyager Men’s Sport Chronograph Watch $466.00 A watch for all occasions. This watch will feel right at home whether you’re on the golf course or in the boardroom. Fitted with an ETA chronograph movement you’ll be good to go with the Voyager. Product description: Case and dial: All surgical grade 316L brushed stainless steel case, stainless steel screw down case back, stainless steel pushers and crown. Water resistant to 5 ATM (50 meters). S… |