Some golfers might mistakenly believe that swing speed alone is essential to hitting great shots, but having an appropriate swing tempo is equally vital. A good tempo should take you from backswing through impact without any sudden shifts in speed or direction.
Timing is of utmost importance during the transition from backswing to downswing, and many amateur golfers make mistakes during this phase, leading them down an early casting motion which can result in all sorts of complications.
Backswing
Backswinging is the keystone of golf swinging and it can have a profound effect on how your club travels down and through the ball. Mistakes at set up may cause poor backswinging which is easily remedied by adopting an athletic posture hinging from hips while letting arms hang naturally from them.
Your right arm, known as the “speed arm,” should remain close to your body during the backswing so as to help initiate and generate power for the downswing. Practice slow motion swinging by attaching a tee peg at the end of your right elbow – when at the top of your backswing it should point directly toward or slightly behind the ball; otherwise you could experience issues with lag in your downswing – an excellent way of feeling the proper tempo of swing.
Downswing
Timing is of utmost importance when swinging a club or hammer, as timing will determine your shot quality. If your arms or body mistime the downswing sequence, power will be lost at impact as compression of the ball reduces significantly.
To maximize speed transference from lower body to club, it is key to set your downswing at a slightly faster pace than your backswing. This enables your lower body to generate speed which can then be transferred onto it.
Ideal scenario, hips and legs would initiate the downswing before shoulders and arms start their downswings, yet many amateur golfers struggle with finding balance between body and arms – an issue which contributes to premature wrist extensions in downswings, which limits power.
Transition
Transition between backswing and downswing is the hardest part of timing a golf swing to perfect, requiring a rapid shift of weight from backfoot to frontfoot and rapid weight shift between hands during this transition. Many amateur golfers shift their body weight either up, down or sideways during this crucial part, which makes timing of downswing impact more challenging.
This shift should be initiated by large muscles of shoulders and arms rather than smaller muscles of wrists and ankles. A good way to accomplish this is by pressing down with your lead foot at the top of your backswing, instantly shifting weight onto your forward foot while encouraging hips, chest and arms to turn toward their target.
At the top of your backswing, taking a pause at the top can be beneficial in signaling to the gods that you’re ready for a downswing. This pause can be short or extended depending on your swing speed; just make sure that it respects this momentary pause so your lower body, torso and arm sequence move in sync.
Impact
At impact, body and club are essential in creating the desired results. Your hands should ideally be in a “hands leading the way” position at address, the top of backswing, and impact – with palm and back of hand facing towards target – palm pointing toward target with both palms pointing in an arc towards it. Furthermore, knees must retain some flex at impact to avoid thinned shots due to locking up knees at impact.
Tempo is the overall pace of a golf swing and closely associated with its timing. A good swing tempo should aid a smooth progression from takeaway through takeoff, transition and downswing. On the contrary, poor tempo could cause wrist hinge acceleration through impact that disrupts pendulum-like motion as well as interferes with gravity’s natural power of attraction that you rely on for powering your club swing.https://www.youtube.com/embed/pU5C4rfcJhU