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| David Toms - infectious tempo | |
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| Half speed | Feet together |
Swing sins - Part two
Speed and tempo
By Hugh Marr PGA
The speed you swing the club plays a major role in your ability to hit the ball well. A large number of golfers are never achieving their true distance potential because they believe that keeping the swing slow holds the key to better golf. This theory has always amazed me, as the object is to swing the club as qucikly as you can control. The secret to good swing tempo is to ensure the swing is slow in the correct areas, which in turn will allow you to hit it harder when it matters: in the impact zone.
The swing can be divided into quarters. The slowest part of the swing should be the top left (transition zone) and top right (finish zone). This is where the swing should be changing direction SMOOTHLY. A good focus would be to feel the forward swing starting at the same speed as the backswing finished.
1. Transition zone - the swing should be at its slowest here. You should change direction slowly.
2. Speed zone - the club should gradually pick up speed and be moving quickest between the right hip and the left hip.
3. Impact zone - do not slow at impact but maintain speed beyond the ball to left hip height. Slowing here would result in deceleration and mishit shots.
4. Finish zone - the swing should slow down naturally in the follow-through as energy is released. Concentrate on maintaining your balance in order to achieve a full follow through position.
Power zones
A lot of players ask me why slowing their swing is a bad move. My answer is that it will help with control but you'll lose distance. Ask yourself this question: Would the world's best be able to hit the ball over 300 yards if they were swinging slowly? Obviously not, the difference is that the best players in the world are applying their maxmium swing speed through impact. This is where you will gain those extra yards.
Tip 1
Hit full shots at half speed. Set up with a 6 or 7 iron and start making full swings trying to hit the ball half of its normal distance. This will help you focus on how you apply trhe speed throughout the swing. Remember - the transition is the slowest part of the swing and the club accelerates most from right hip height to left hip height.
Tip 2
Hit balls with your feet together. This is an old drill that can be used to improve many aspects of the swing, including maintaining balance. Work on making a smooth transition from back to forward swings. If the change in direction is quick you will lose control. Remember you won't be able to control swing speed with bad balance.