Keeping tempo

Understand the tempo of your golf swing and use it throughout your set of clubs. Everyone has a slightly different tempo. You might think that having a slow tempo is best for everyone, but that is not the case. Most golfers’ tempos are going to be similar to the way they do things in their everyday life. For example, if you walk at a brisk pace, your tempo will likely be on the faster side. If you walk at a slow pace, your golf swing tempo will most likely match that.

The important thing is that you are aware of the tempo that feels the best and works the best for your golf swing. A good way to figure out if you have a fast or slow tempo is to count during your swing. You can do it out loud or in your head. Start saying “one” as you begin your backswing, you want to finish at the top of your backswing. When you get to impact, say “two.” If the “one” felt fast and you got to “two” quickly, your tempo is on the faster side. If the “one was smooth and felt slow and you didn’t get to “two” very quickly, your tempo is on the slower side.

The best way I have found to create consistent tempo throughout your set is to get three clubs

ready to hit on the driving range. You want a short iron, a middle iron and a hybrid, fairway wood or a driver. Mix it up now and then. Try your pitching wedge, seven iron and hybrid for 10 minutes, then use your nine iron, six iron and fairway wood. By mixing it up you will get valuable practice with a wide variety of clubs.

Once you have picked the three clubs, you want to hit three balls with the short iron, three balls with the middle iron and three balls with the long club. Your goal is to have the same tempo with each club. We are all tempted to try to hit the longer clubs harder because they are supposed to go farther, right? The longer clubs are designed to go farther based on the length, loft and design.

As with tempo, grip pressure varies from player to player. A player with a faster tempo will tend to have a firmer grip pressure than a player with a slower tempo. In either case, the most important aspect of your grip pressure is that it doesn’t change throughout your swing.

If you are on the firm side, you don’t want to be so firm that your wrists cannot hinge in your backswing and re-hinge in your through swing naturally. If your grip pressure is on the soft side, you don’t want to be so soft that your wrists get floppy or the club moves in or separates from your hands.

Watching the best players in the world in slow motion is easier than ever these days. You can see a lot of them on YouTube or by using your DVR on your own television. Watch some swings at regular speed at times also to see what their tempo is. Slow motion is great for seeing positions and sequence, but you really can’t see tempo in slow motion.

If you are struggling with any part of your game or you just need a tuneup, come see me at Vista Valencia GC. You can contact me at vistadoi@gmail.com or (661)-253-1870 ext. 2.

Our next two junior summer camps are at capacity, but we have four camps with availability starting in July.

To see the camp schedule and register your child, please visit www. ussportscamps.com.