Proper Golf Swing

Golf Tips to Learn a Rhythmic Tempo

Your Simple Golf Swing

The proper golf swing includes having a solid rhythmic tempo. But what is Golf Swing Tempo? In golf terms, “tempo” refers to the time it takes to complete the golf swing, from the backswing to the follow-through. The critical point is the pause between the backswing and the start of the downhill motion of the club. It is this point that centers the stroke, and should encourage focus on the pending shot. In short, it is a simple golf swing.

Want to Improve your Golf Swing?

Learn about your golf swing tempo. Each golf club in your bag is swung in a slightly different way, with ball position and setups differing when moving from the driver to the woods to the wide spectrum of irons to even the putter. But one thing that should remain constant in your golf swing is the tempo.

Swing Tempo should Remain the Same

The mistake a lot of golfers make is tailoring their swing towards what they’re looking to do with the golf club. It’s easy to go faster off the tee, because most golfers are focused more on hitting the golf ball hard. Similarly, golfers can be tempted to try hitting their wedges slower, reasoning that the goal is to guide the ball towards the hole rather than get the maximum distance out of the golf shot. These changes make it easy to find your stroke heading off-kilter by the end of a round.

Instead, your tempo should be the same whatever club you hit. Whether you’re hitting the driver or a sand wedge, your basic swing should feel the same and should not feel off-balance after you follow through. If you feel like you’re about to fall down, or need to take an extra step forward, then something is off with your golf swing tempo.

Drills for the Proper Golf Swing Tempo

There are several good drills to help golfers practice their tempo, but one of the best aids during a round isn’t anything more complicated than a common catchphrase. When you feel yourself getting off-kilter, especially if you’re getting the sense that you’re rushing your shots or trying to put too much juice on the golf ball, just repeat the mantra “nice, easy swing.” Mentally know the golf clubs are all calibrated to do the heavy lifting for you if you can just hit the ball on the sweet spot, and that might be what it takes to help you to relax, slow it down, and get your golf swing tempo back where it belongs.