Why is it important to have good rhythm and tempo in your golf swing? We’ve all seen that uncle on the dance floor with terrible rhythm…not easy to un-teach that! But it can be done. Watch “Charles Barkley old golf swing vs his new one” on YouTube.
Rhythm and tempo work together in the golf swing, but they are different. We need to understand what they are to learn the importance of each.
Definitions:
Rhythm – a strong regular repeated pattern of movement or sound.
Tempo – the rate or speed of motion or activity; pace.
To achieve good golf rhythm we need to master a strong regular repeated pattern of movements. This is where golfers work with coaches on fundamental positions and movements necessary to hit a good golf shot. You cannot achieve effective golf swing-rhythm without working on the movements, and as you learn to repeat this pattern, the consistency in your ball striking abilities improves.
Professional dancers, like professional golfers spend an incredible amount of time working at specific movements, which in turn allows them to achieve great rhythm in their craft. When we see these pros perform, we can see how seamless, fluid and easy their movements look.
We can interrupt our rhythm with a thought. This happens when we consciously try to add this or that into the golf swing – i.e., keep your left arm straight, keep your head down, turn hips faster, hit down on the ball, etc. Just like when you overthink your movements on the dance floor. Practice the movements and then let the music take you there.
Tempo is the “pace” of your golf swing. In golf we modify our “tempo” so we can hit shots a different distance, especially in pitch, chip and putt shots. When working on your tempo, you have to be confident in your movements. This is where you learn to trust your own movements. Trust your rhythm and marry to the most effective tempo for the shot.
Visualize a pendulum swinging back and forth. Visualize your golf swing having the same fluid characteristics. To understand tempo, I recall my teacher Martin Allred having me swing the club back and forth to a metronome. My focus was completely on the tempo (pace) and the fluidity of the club swinging to the tempo, and trusting my fundamental movements. Note: you can access a metronome on your smart phone.
When we watch the PGA and LPGA pros golfers, we can see their excellent rhythm and tempo. They have worked at repeating their pattern of movement and then they experience at what tempo the pattern is most effective. They do this for every type of shot from the driver to the putter.
Improve your swing rhythm (movements) and learn at what tempo (pace) your golf shot is most effective. You can’t be taught this. You have to learn and experience it!
mckenziemeadows.com/academy/golf-tips for more info.
