Golf Tips

  Tempo: Your Key to a Reliable Swing
By: Ryan Carfara, The Island Golf School and Junior Players Golf Academy

Golfers are always looking for more consistency in their golf games.  At The Island Golf School and Junior Players Golf Academy (JPGA), that is the number one reason why students say that they attend our schools.  What they do not realize is that they have already achieved a high level of consistency.  They consistently swing the wrong way!

Instead of building a consistent golf swing, you should be striving to achieve a reliable golf swing.  The best way to ensure that your golf swing will hold up under pressure is to establish and maintain good tempo. 

Tempo is the rate at which you make a golf swing.  In musical compositions, the tempo is what allows the music to flow.  It is this fluidity that you should strive for in your golf swing.  Think of yourself as the composer of your golf swing.  If you cannot maintain proper tempo, the musical masterpiece that is your golf swing will surely fall apart and sound more like a grade school recital!

If you look at the players on the PGA Tour, you will find a variety of swing tempos.  Some players like Nick Price have a rather quick tempo.  Ernie Els, on the other hand, is a great example of a golfer with a slower tempo.  No one tempo is right.  However, each tempo fits each golfer.  Price walks and talks fast, while Els is more laidback.  They have each developed a tempo in their golf swings that mimic their personality and mannerisms.  When the pressure of winning a golf tournament is on the line, it is their tempo on which they rely to keep them in their comfort zone.

If you are not sure as to what kind of tempo will work best for your golf swing, seek out a PGA Professional for guidance.  He or she will be able to evaluate your current tempo and help you determine if that tempo is appropriate for you.  Once you discover the proper tempo for your golf swing, you will find that your swing will be more reliable even under the greatest pressure situation.