We have all heard the word tempo in relation to the golf
swing. Announcers on television speak of the “great” tempo Ernie
Els has in his golf swing. What does tempo mean to the amateur
and their golf swing?
Tempo in the Golf Swing
Tempo in the golf swing is a
combination of many parts. Tempo is part timing in all aspects
of the golf swing. It is part sequencing of each position within
the golf swing, and it is part “feel”. Putting all these golf
swing parts together creates tempo in your own golf swing.
Interconnecting each phase of the golf swing; address,
take-away, backswing, transition, downswing, impact, and follow
through is one part of tempo, Performing each of these phases
with the correct timing is also tempo. And finally “feel” for
the clubhead is part of tempo.
We can probably say tempo
is the end goal of all our practice and time spent on our golf
swing. Once we have developed tempo in the golf swing, there is
definitely a level of mastery within it.
How Do We
Develop Tempo in the Golf Swing?
A great question that
does not have a simple answer: Developing tempo in the golf
swing is a task that requires patience, practice, and time.
There really are no short cuts to developing it within your golf
swing. One practice session at the driving range will not do it.
The use of a single training aide will not get you there. The
implementation of a golf fitness program will not achieve this
task on its own.
I say this because developing a PGA Tour
type golf swing requires a “basket of tools” in your arsenal.
Developing tempo and a silky smooth golf swing requires you to:
§ Receive proper instruction on the fundamentals of the golf
swing
§ Maintain a consistent practice schedule with your
golf swing
§ Use swing drills to develop every as of your
golf swing
§ The possible implementation of training
aides into your practice sessions
§ Implementing of golf
fitness program to develop your body around the golf swing.
The “basket of tools” listed above put together can lead you to
developing great tempo in your golf swing. It requires a
comprehensive approach in which no short cuts can be made. Let’s
take a look at the bullet points above to get a better
understanding of how to go about this process.
Proper
Instruction in the Mechanics of the Golf Swing
Learning
the fundamentals of the golf swing is key to developing tempo.
This can be achieved through quality instruction. This will
allow your body to learn the nuances of the swing. This is the
first step in developing tempo.
Consistent Practice of
the Golf Swing
As they say practice makes perfect. In
order for your body to learn and be able to repeat to proper
mechanics of the golf swing, you must practice on a consistent
basis. The body learns biomechanical movements through
repetition. The golf swing is no different. Repetition through
proper practice session is the second key to developing tempo.
Swing Drills to Develop the Golf Swing
The golf swing as
a whole is one of the most intricate athletic movements to
perform. In its entirety, it is a very difficult movement to
perform and master. It is best when learning the golf swing to
break it down into parts. Breaking the golf swing down into
segments allows you more easily to master each phase of the
swing. This is accomplished through the implementation of golf
swing drills. Swing drills break the swing down into manageable
parts.
Training Aides in Association with Your Golf
Swing Drills
Training aides assist the body in developing
the golf swing. Think of training aides as “training wheels” on
a bicycle. They simply help your body learn certain movements
and positions associated with the golf swing.
Implementing a Golf Fitness Program
Your body swings the
golf club and performs the biomechanics of the golf swing. In
order to perform the biomechanics of the golf swing correctly.
It is necessary for your body to have certain levels of
flexibility, balance, endurance, strength, and power. If your
body is lacking any of this aforementioned list learning the
biomechanics of the golf swing correctly will be very difficult.
A golf fitness program is the final key to developing tempo in
your golf swing.
Summary
To summarize the development of tempo in your
golf swing requires a “basket of tools”. Tempo requires; proper
instruction on the golf swing, consistent practice of your golf
swing mechanics, the utilization of swing drills, training
aides, and a golf fitness program. Put all of these aspects
together and a golf swing with tempo will be yours.
Sean
About the Author:
Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness
instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour
regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson.
He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf
swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on the
website
http://www.bioforcegolf.com. To contact Sean, you can email
him at
support@bioforcegolf.com.
