Has tempo clicked for your game, and if so, what difference did it make?

[McGolf-Doggie]

I feel I'm on the verge of a breakthrough with tempo, and it seems to be such that as long as I stick with it —•and resist my urge to rush from the top — good things happen.

I'll admit I paid it little attention in the early years, and it seems to be a little emphasized thing, but small tempo changes seem to make a disporportionate difference (I guess that's like saying, well I guess I must have had a pretty bad tempo before, but better late than never).


Has tempo clicked for your game, and if so, what kind of difference did it make when it came together?

[GaijinGolfer]

Tempo is everything. When my tempo is on I hit very solid shots and find that I dont need to think about my swing.

[vct33]

I've always had pretty good tempo because I've always taken it very seriously. I used to go so far as to only listen to slow, peaceful classical music on the way to the course. I'd even avoid driving on the express way if at all possible.

[The Recreational Golfer]

When my swing goes south during a round, the first thing I check is tempo, and many times that's the only thing I need to correct.

[wizzwizz]

I've also just realized how key this 'tempo' thing is. When it's off my swing is almost always over the top. I was at the range today looking for a cure and began focused on nothing else but tempo, and making sure my hips started the downswing, and it worked. Next time I'm on the course I hope I can keep my tempo smooth. I'm beginning to realize that swing thoughts about all this mechanical swing stuff doesn't work.

[Easy]

With tempo I stay more balanced and I get distance with my longer clubs. It was frustrating getting the same distance with my 6i and 4i.

[double_j]

Tempo is the key to fix many swing issues, especially the ones in your head. Sometimes you just need to stop thinking and swing the club like an athlete. An athletic move makes up for a multitude of swing flaws.

Remember though, that everybody's tempo is different. Find the one that feels comfortable to you and don't try to copy somebody else's. There's no need to be Ernie Els if you have a disposition like Gary Player.

[jl923]

How do you work on tempo? is it just a matter of getting rid of tension and trying not to rush the downswing?

[jamo]

The speed of my transition is what sort of sets up my swing tempo. When I am playing well my hips lead the downswing, which whips my hands and the club onto the plane makes my timing perfect.

[TourSpoon]

Tempo is key. When the game gets a little off it is usually from the timing getting quick and it affects every part of the game from the tee to green.

[saevel25]

Tempo to me is unifying the lower and uppper body. Because Nick Price has a fast tempo, but he is unified. most people get quick with there upper body, flying there arms at the ball. Some people get quick with there lower body (Tiger gets this). What counts is finding your natural tempo, there is no secret count, no one tempo.

all i know is tempo and swinging hard are not the same, swing as hard as you can, then start backing it off till you can swing with out loosing balance, were you can stand in your finish. That is your 100%, then back it off a bit more for a buffer zone so you don't accidently step over 100%.

[imtomtomim]

Figuring out a consistent tempo was the key for me this season to make my scores consistently break 80 and flirt around par all the time. It wasn't just the full swing tempo, it was more for the short game and putting. Most of my trouble was in the short game and putting and I read an article on Golf.com with the tour tempo guy talking about tiger's putting tempo. I took to what he was suggesting and putting became easy and fun again. The correct tempo helps you set yourself up for the right swing. Without a steady rhythm, it is hard to have a steady result.

[mobosecomin]

hi guys .. i would just like to add that i find it hard to bring my range tempo to the course with me for some reason.maybe its just tension and energy overdoing it. at the range i find my first 20 or 30 balls twichy and i snatch at them and then i settle down to a nice consisitant tempo. on the course i find it hard to get the same tempo going. would like to add i went for 9 with my girlfriend over the weekend and i was trying some "inside game of golf" coaching on her as she is just a beginner and generally just trying to to stay relaxed so she would be relaxed as it was only her second time on course and what do ya know i settled into a nice tempo and my irons were flying great,i was not even paying attention to my game.i also seem to find this tempo when im tired or even hungover :S ?? iv placed tempo on the top of my thing to improve on list recently anyway its obviously really important ....

[MJP]

I think people simply need to have good rhythm. Tempo is the speed of your rhythm. Some people have a faster tempo and some much slower. But it needs to be rhythmic and feel smooth or you won't strike the ball well.

Case and point, my tournament round yesterday. 16 strokes worse than round 1. Round 1 I had 37 putts as well, so realistically it could have been 6 strokes better at least. I couldn't figure anything out yesterday, but within 20 minutes of the round completing I knew the tempo I was using on the course was nowhere near my good ball striking tempo. I was feeling tense as a result of starting the round poorly and not controlling my mental game. It was my first tournament though, and I didn't have any lost balls. Still, my tempo was causing so many pull shots it was UNREAL. Quicker tempo than your good ball striking tempo will almost always result in pulls.

[nokmond]

All this talk about tempo clicking has just clicked with me - my practice swings are always inside to outside with a nice straight brush of the turf, my swing when i'm playing badly is out to in, severely sometimes.

Could this be purely down to rushing my swing at the top?

[allin]

How do you work on tempo? is it just a matter of getting rid of tension and trying not to rush the downswing?

The difficult thing is tempo is the glue that allows you to consistently have your movements happen in the right order. For me trying to slow down makes things worse. Feeling as if I am swinging back and transitioning to downswing at a consistent pace works most of the time.

[Clambake]

Tempo and rhythm have been critical for me, and focusing on them have resulted in marked improvements in my swing and scoring. I use the "Tour Tempo" book and tones from John Novocell, and found them to be immensely helpful, especially for improving my consistency. Prior to working with Novocell's methods, I was around a 12 index with a lot of variability, and typically only hit about 50% fairways and less than 60% GIR. It took about a month of practice to figure out my best tempo and then lock it in, and since then my index dropped to 6 with about 75% fairways and GIR. Most noticable is my consistency - I'm a 6 index but have never scored better than 75, but I don't really go high anymore (my last 10 rounds were all between 76-79 on a variety of courses). Now for more short game practice!

[McGolf-Doggie]

I guess that all answered that question. Good stuff. Thanks very much folks.
Happy tempo rhythms to you all.