Finding Our Tempo

The best tempo for us to swing the club at is apparently something very personal. It relates to our temperament, state of mind and health, and to our physical capabilities. Just as one person habitually walks slower than another, so that same person is likely to have a slower golf swing tempo than the other.

How, then, do we discover our unique and natural tempo? Once again The Swing Factory has something to help. It suggests the following exercise:

• Assume the correct address position
• Extend both arms horizontally in front of you with palms facing each other. The distance between your hands should be the same as the width of your shoulders
• Move both arms upwards together to just above head height and bring them down again.
• Repeat this motion several times, first without a club in your hands, and then with one
• be sure that the motions is smooth and easy, without any undue (or forced) effort being required
• Be sure the motion is a genuine swing of the hands and the arms from the shoulders

THE SPEED YOU MOVE YOUR ARMS IN THIS EXERCISE IS THE SPEED AT WHICH YOU SHOULD SWING YOUR HANDS AND ARMS IN THE GOLF SWING ITSELF. (p. 204)

Transferring this tempo - rate of action - to your natural golf swing is something that requires disciplined effort. It's an exercise we need to repeat over and over, and then deliberately apply it to our swing.