Tempo, Tempo!

We would all like to take our best golf swing, put it in a bottle, seal it up, and then uncork that bottle whenever we needed to use that swing. Unfortunately, we can't bottle our best swing. All we can do is practice diligently and try to build a 'repeatable' swing to the best of our ability.

A main goal of practice should be to ultimately get to where the swing is more 'automatic'. There is no shortcut to getting there, there's just a whole lot of repetition and training of the muscle memory via practicing (similar to a toddler training themselves to walk - once they get it, they've got it). The 'getting to automatic' phase of learning the golf swing can be incredibly frustrating, but the beginner must remind themselves that they are getting closer with each ball they hit, regardless of whether solid contact was achieved or the ball shanked off the hosel. Remember, we often learn more from our mistakes than our success.

So, what is the quickest and most efficient way to 'get to automatic'? I believe it has a whole lot to do with tempo, as if we don't have the same tempo with each swing then it becomes incredibly difficult to hit solid, repeatable shots. Golfers should try to 'swing to a cadence' in order to achieve a good repeatable tempo.

It should be noted that most golfers (especially beginners) try to swing the club too hard and too fast, as if they were in a hurry to hit the ball and get the swing over with. They often need to be reminded that it is a golf 'swing' not a 'hit at the golf ball'. Slowing down is almost always good advice, no matter what the golfer's skill level is. Remember that the muscles in the arms and upper body have very little to do with achieving distance; rather, the lower body and hips should initiate, then dictate the downswing. The arms and hands should simply follow along as a result of the body uncoiling towards the target. When this is done properly, all the stored energy, or 'centrifugal force', created as a result of the uncoiling motion will cause the clubhead to reach maximum speed at the proper time (the moment of contact). That being said, once the golfer learns to start the backswing slower and start the downswing slower, it's time to 'pick a tempo'.

Choosing your tempo is quite easy. You simply count '1,2,3' on your backswing and '1,2,3' on your downswing, or something to that effect. Obviously, you don't have to say this out-loud; just 'think' it in your mind as you swing. You may think '1,2,3' is too long to count for a backswing or downswing, especially if you are used to rushing it, but remember that slowing down is almost always beneficial. I used to say 'Fred-die' on my backswing and 'Cou-ples' on my downswing, but this was too easy to rush because there are only two syllables in each word. I now say 'Ser-gi-o' on my backswing and 'Gar-ci-a' on the downswing, and I find this cadence slows me down to where I should be.

It may be that you do have a faster swing, as some pros have very fast swings, too (Corey Pavin comes to mind). If this is the case then you may want to count '1,2' back, '1,2' down or use the 'Fre-die Cou-ples' cadence when you swing.

The point is to create a mental device to draw upon that will make repetition easier. This is most beneficial in 'pressure' type situations (think: 1st tee on a busy day and you're playing with your father in law for the first time and he's a scratch player), as these are the times when a golfer is most likely to 'rush' the swing (maybe in order to get it over with!). If the golfer takes a deep breath and utilizes their 'mental tempo device' they will be much more likely to swing smoothly and less likely to try and force it.