Consistent Swing

Golf Swing Instruction - How the Correct Swing Tempo Builds a Consistent Golf Swing for Duffers
by Wayne Hudler

Discover the little known connection between a consistent golf swing and good swing tempo. Learn how you can improve your handicap by controlling the tempo of your golf swing.

Learning the golf swing normally comes in phases. We begin with basics like grip and stance. Then we move on to swing mechanics focusing on things like takeaway and shaft angle.

Once we have a good understanding of those things a successful golf swing is all about the execution. Can we execute consistently over an entire round? Round after round?

When we fail to swing consistently, we often examine our basics and mechanics to correct our swing fault. When that happens to you and there is no obvious fault with either your basics or mechanics then I submit you may want to consider this key: swing tempo.

They say timing is everything. My life experience supports that thought as well and it applies to the golf swing as well.

Dooley Duffer taught me something about this aspect of a solid golf swing thing this fall. During the summer he was swinging better than ever. His drives were long, extra long, and under control. He was confident that he would find the short grass from the tee box nearly every time. His scores certainly reflected his good play. Our group was impressed.

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But as the summer changed to fall he "lost it" so to speak. He became inconsistent and erratic. He often had that puzzled look on his face after a shot. You know the one that says, "What just happened here?"

The guy began chasing his swing fault by checking his grip, stance and alignment and shaft angle at the half-way point of the back swing. Nothing worked to fix his swing.

Dooley was no different than most of us. He turned to mechanics to correct a problem in his golf swing. Truth is not everything that happens is the golf swing is mechanical.

Then at the start of a round back in October he came to the first tee grinning. His mood was very up. He stepped up and nailed that first tee shot and followed that up with a solid second shot. His shot making had returned, at least temporarily. The rest of us were just waiting for him to "lose it" again but he kept it up all day.

Dooley's swing instruction recommendations

So on the way from the 15th green to the 16th tee I asked him about his recovery.

He told me, 'I have a song in my head now." I must have had a blank stare because he went on to explain that he had learned from an eBook about good swing rhythm.

Dooley said the eBook emphasized how many different body movements had to nearly perfectly coordinated to deliver the club face squarely back to the ball. The key they said to making it work correctly was timing and that timing was controlled by the tempo of the swing. That's how all the movements stay synced.

He said he followed that up with a few range balls where he put his swing to the beat of a song.

He began to sing, "One and Two then Three and Four" and explained that each number represented a certain point in his golf swing.

One was takeaway, two was when the club reached the top of the back swing, three was impact and four was his finish position. He said he had been singing that song to himself all day.

Dooley's swing instruction recommendations

I just couldn't believe that he had fixed his ailing golf swing with a simple little song. He even demonstrated his swing as he sang it out loud. It helped me see the connection he was making. And by the way, don't ever ask Dooley to sing, ok?

I left that conversation with a chuckle only to watch him lace another tee shot off of the 16th. So his issue at the beginning of autumn had not been so much about basics or mechanics but poor golf swing tempo.

Once he returned to the proper golf swing tempo he returned to a more consistent result on the golf course.

All I know is that whatever Dooley learned from that eBook sure did fix what ailed his swing. He still uses that little song when he notices things getting out of whack again. It has made him a better player.

Dooley's swing instruction recommendations

If your thinking your swing could benefit from good swing tempo you might want to check out the eBook Dooley is always talking about.

Find your golf swing help here: Dooley's swing instruction recommendations

Wayne Hudler is an avid golfer of over 30 years and golf writer. He has been recognized as an expert by the leading online article directory.

Dooley Duffer Golf is devoted to helping ordinary golfers (duffers) improve. Are you a duffer? Visit Dooley Duffer Golf where you will find an ever growing collection of improvement resources.

www.DooleyDuffer.com

Contact Dooley: dooley@dooleyduffer.com