Find Your Golf Tempo By Going For A Walk

“Take the club back slow and low.” We’ve all heard this common phrase more times than we can remember when it comes to tempo in the golf swing. This week we’re going to talk about a different way to think about tempo.Let’s start by thinking about a couple of well-known swings on the tour.

First is Ernie Els, aka “The Big Easy”. In his swing, there’s no doubt that the club goes back slow, followed by a smooth transition at the top and effortlessly swings down firing the ball down the fairway.

Nick Price, however, swings the club in an entirely different fashion, yet gets similar results. From the address position, he zips the club to the top in the blink of an eye and immediately returns it down to the ball and into his finish.

Why is it that these entirely different tempos have both been extremely successful for these two entirely different players? The two-part answer is that the tempo of the backswing matches the tempo of the downswing and the overall tempo of the swing matches the natural tempo of the player.

The most common mistake I see in tempo is the player who makes a nice, slow backswing that is immediately followed by a violent lash at the ball on the downswing. These players would have more success by either swinging slow back and down or fast back and down. The key factor is that the tempo of the backswing matches the tempo of the downswing. Therefore, a slow backswing is not correct for every player.

So How Do You Find Your Natural Tempo For Your Swing?

The best way to determine this is to think of yourself out for a walk. Are you the type of person that strolls along taking in the scenery that’s in no real hurry to get to your destination, or are you the person zipping along whose only thought is getting from point A to point B? The answer to this question will tell you what your natural tempo is and how you should swing the club.

Next time you’re out on the course pay attention to how you go about moving around the course and see if your natural tempo matches both your backswing and your downswing. This piece of advice will result in more consistent shots and better enjoyment of the game.

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Emmett Brantly

Emmett Brantly has been a Class “A” member of the PGA of America since 2003. He graduated from Campbell University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Golf Management. He has worked in Public, Semi-Private, Private, and Resort golf facilities in Raleigh and Pinehurst North Carolina. He has also worked in various retail settings, as well as holding positions of PGA Teaching Professional at various academies including the Pinehurst Golf Academy. Emmett has a strong passion for growing the game of golf by displaying his extensive knowledge in club-fitting, teaching, fitness, and product knowledge.