A core golf workout that produces a power golf swing is one that focuses on rotation. The primary movement in the golf swing is rotating your upper body back, then rotating it through to the finish. That is why it is critical you implement exercises that involve rotational strength and flexibility.
There is a lot of confusion with golfers on what to focus on when trying to improve power in the golf swing. Your power comes from your core. Just like in any other sport, your core is the engine to the swing.
Participating in a core golf workout for more power in your golf swing does not take fancy equipment or for that matter a lot of time. Getting creative with what you have laying around your house or even your office will do just fine.
A good example is at your office. Your sitting in your chair in front of your computer and your back gets stiff. Don’t just let it get stiffer, do a rotational stretch right there on the spot in your chair. Reach around the back of your chair with one hand, and leverage the other hand against your thighs to rotate as far as you can. Hold it for 10 seconds and go to the other side.
How simple was that? Try it right now as you’re reading this article!
That would be considered one exercise for your core golf workout that will improve your power golf swing. Do this several times a day, and try to rotate farther each time you do it. You’ll notice you can go much farther the more you do it.
How about a strength exercise for your core?
Get creative. Grab anything you have in your home or office that you can hold in your hands. While sitting or standing, extend your arms straight out in front of you and while looking straight ahead, rotate with your arms as far as you can to the right holding this object. Now rotate to the left. Do this a total of 20 times.
You’ll notice you will be able to rotate farther and farther after each rotation!
How hard was that? No gym. No fancy equipment. Just a can of soup, or even a half gallon of milk. If you’ve got some hand weights gathering dust, that’s even better. Try to increase your weight as time goes on. Hopefully you’re getting the idea of what a core golf workout is that will improve your power golf swing quickly.
As a golfer, always pay attention to the physical requirements of the golf swing. What position your body is in. What movement your body goes through. And at what rate of speed.
When you approach your golf exercise and golf stretching program with this mindset you’re on your way to a power golf swing that will be the envy of your foursome.
You won’t have to wonder what is a core golf workout for a power golf swing.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Some Tips To Improve Your Golf Swing
So, your golf swing needs improvement and you know it? Here are some tips in making better golf swings.
Tip no. 1. A great golf swing does not mean you have to swing with arms.
Behind your back, put your golf club while you turn your back to your target. It is like taking your club back as you hinge your arm at your shoulder.
You could also practice the drill known as no arms.
Tip no. 2. You should not forget cocking wrists.
Do not forget cocking your wrists. This might be difficult at first, but it will be natural to you with enough practice.
Tip no. 3. You should let the left arm clockwise slightly when you start the back swing.
It is not really something that you actually should remember. It naturally happens if you would just allow it. This just means that you should not resist this movement that is just natural. You might not notice it, but you might have been resisting this movement because this causes the head of your golf club to go open slightly when you swing it. Just allow it to happen.
Tip no. 4. Plant your feet firmly on the ground.
You might have copied this from baseball. That is, letting your foot heel in front to come above the ground when you swing your golf club back. Some people think that by doing this so, their back swing feels more huge.
It is something that seems lifting the front heel can easily make the body coil and for the tension to build that much harder. Letting the foot roll freely to the inside is fine. However, one should keep that foot on the ground to make golf back swing well-anchored.
Tip no. 5. From the bottom golf down swing. Assuming that you accomplish all the drills correctly – from the golf stance, the golf grip you have, and your golf back swing. But you can still ruin everything if you begin the golf swing that you have with the shoulders. You might want to use a swing trigger to begin the golf down swing that you have with the lower part of your body.
Tip no. 6. And again, on your golf down swing. You should turn the belt buckle to your target.
Try turning your hips as powerful and fast as possible when you do your golf down swing, it works.
Golf Instruction - Finding The Perfect Swing
When someone first makes the decision take up the game of golf, and is looking for the fundamentals of golf instruction, one of the first questions becomes "Where the heck am I going to practice?"
In most cases, the best place for a beginner to refine their golfing skills is at a driving range. It's an easy place to examine your swing and begin your golfing career, without having to worry about expensive golf course memberships and losing equipment. At a driving range, you can hit a load of golf balls anywhere within reason and nobody around will mind if your shots are completely off the mark.
Most driving ranges also have practice putting greens, chipping areas, and sand bunkers; all excellent practice areas for the beginning golfer. It's also a great way to brush up on nearly every aspect of your game.
If you feel your golf swing is out of shape and would like to practice in private, there's always the option of practicing your swing in your own backyard. But when you are in your yard, it's probably best to leave your golf balls in your bag. They are best reserved for the open areas where you have room to drive, without taking off your neighbor's head with a golf ball.
When you feel ready to play a game, don't try to jump into the deep end by booking the next flight to St. Andrews. You will get there eventually, but you've got to get some practice in first.
Try some par-3 courses; they usually consist of 9 holes. This is perfect for practice games because you can practice your swing and get in some heavy putting practice. Don't feel discouraged starting on a par-3; even the best of the best on the PGA Tour had to start somewhere.
You must hone your skills to become a master of the game and the only way to do that is through practice.
Now, if you think you're ready for the 18 hole experience, ask for some recommendations, because you'll need a lengthy course but without all the obstacles that can ruin any golfer's experience. Look around for the best lengthy, wide open courses. These courses will provide you with the most enjoyable experience while boosting your confidence and improving your overall game.
In most cases, the best place for a beginner to refine their golfing skills is at a driving range. It's an easy place to examine your swing and begin your golfing career, without having to worry about expensive golf course memberships and losing equipment. At a driving range, you can hit a load of golf balls anywhere within reason and nobody around will mind if your shots are completely off the mark.
Most driving ranges also have practice putting greens, chipping areas, and sand bunkers; all excellent practice areas for the beginning golfer. It's also a great way to brush up on nearly every aspect of your game.
If you feel your golf swing is out of shape and would like to practice in private, there's always the option of practicing your swing in your own backyard. But when you are in your yard, it's probably best to leave your golf balls in your bag. They are best reserved for the open areas where you have room to drive, without taking off your neighbor's head with a golf ball.
When you feel ready to play a game, don't try to jump into the deep end by booking the next flight to St. Andrews. You will get there eventually, but you've got to get some practice in first.
Try some par-3 courses; they usually consist of 9 holes. This is perfect for practice games because you can practice your swing and get in some heavy putting practice. Don't feel discouraged starting on a par-3; even the best of the best on the PGA Tour had to start somewhere.
You must hone your skills to become a master of the game and the only way to do that is through practice.
Now, if you think you're ready for the 18 hole experience, ask for some recommendations, because you'll need a lengthy course but without all the obstacles that can ruin any golfer's experience. Look around for the best lengthy, wide open courses. These courses will provide you with the most enjoyable experience while boosting your confidence and improving your overall game.
The Four Basics of Any Golf Swing
When we think about the basics of the golf swing, we usually think about ball position, stance, grip, and so on. In other words, we think about the swing's physical mechanics. That's only natural, because its what most golf pros focus on in their golf lessons and what golf magazines highlight in their articles on the golf swing. It's what I write about the most in my golf tips as well.
But not everyone agrees that these are the true basics of the golf swing. For many, the true basics of the swing are something quite different, something that has nothing to do with the physical mechanics of the swing. For these people, a swing's true basics are four components-plane, centering, radius, and face. Golf instruction sessions focusing on these concepts are as helpful as golf lessons on the swing's mechanics, maybe even more helpful.
Plane:
Most golfers have heard of the concept of plane, but are confused as to how it applies to the golf swing. Plane is defined by the angle your club creates when it is ground at address. To master accuracy, the club must remain on this plane, especially while it approaches the ball on the downswing. (Actually, two planes-one formed by the takeaway and the other by the downswing-are involved in swinging a club, but the second plane is key.) This plane is the most powerful and direct route to the swing, as I discuss in my golf tips. Coming back to the ball above or below this plane results in pulls and slices.
Centering:
Every swing has a center to it, a foundation defined by your head and your spine. If you want to hit accurate golf shots, this foundation must remain steady. Watch Tiger or any of the pros on TV and you'll see how steady their heads and spines remain throughout their swings. This foundation has two angles to it. One is the angle your spine creates with your hips at address. The other involves the lateral movement of your head. Focus on preventing both your head from moving unnaturally one way or the other and your spine from moving up or down, and you will produce better results.
Radius:
Radius is the distance between the lead shoulder and the clubhead. You must keep radius intact, if you want to hit good quality shots. The key is releasing your wrists at the right time. Most amateurs release their wrists early, forcing the shaft ahead of the lead arm before impact. An early release causes you to hit the ball thin, or even worse, mis-hit it altogether. If you execute the proper sequence of movements in the downswing, you'll maintain radius.
Face:
The ball travels in the direction in which your clubface is pointing at the moment of impact, minus the effect of sidespin. You must attain the same clubface position at impact that you establish at address, which is why you need to align your club properly. The key to doing this is matching the position of your hands at impact with the position of your hands at address. If you grip the club on the right side of the shaft, your hands must be on the right side of the club when you hit the ball; otherwise, you'll mis-hit.
Conclusion:
Is one basic more important than another? Not really, as I tell players who take my golf lessons. They all must be executed properly, if you want to achieve a powerful, repeatable swing. Now that you are aware of them and how they contribute to your swing, try filming yourself some day and see how well you maintain them during your swing. Also note how well you hit the ball. Plane, centering, radius, and face-these aren't the usual basics you talk about when discussing the golf swing, but they are critical. While the physical mechanics of the swing, like ball position, stance, and grip, are key, so are these four components. Master both sets and you'll achieve accuracy and consistency every time, lowering your golf handicap in the process
But not everyone agrees that these are the true basics of the golf swing. For many, the true basics of the swing are something quite different, something that has nothing to do with the physical mechanics of the swing. For these people, a swing's true basics are four components-plane, centering, radius, and face. Golf instruction sessions focusing on these concepts are as helpful as golf lessons on the swing's mechanics, maybe even more helpful.
Plane:
Most golfers have heard of the concept of plane, but are confused as to how it applies to the golf swing. Plane is defined by the angle your club creates when it is ground at address. To master accuracy, the club must remain on this plane, especially while it approaches the ball on the downswing. (Actually, two planes-one formed by the takeaway and the other by the downswing-are involved in swinging a club, but the second plane is key.) This plane is the most powerful and direct route to the swing, as I discuss in my golf tips. Coming back to the ball above or below this plane results in pulls and slices.
Centering:
Every swing has a center to it, a foundation defined by your head and your spine. If you want to hit accurate golf shots, this foundation must remain steady. Watch Tiger or any of the pros on TV and you'll see how steady their heads and spines remain throughout their swings. This foundation has two angles to it. One is the angle your spine creates with your hips at address. The other involves the lateral movement of your head. Focus on preventing both your head from moving unnaturally one way or the other and your spine from moving up or down, and you will produce better results.
Radius:
Radius is the distance between the lead shoulder and the clubhead. You must keep radius intact, if you want to hit good quality shots. The key is releasing your wrists at the right time. Most amateurs release their wrists early, forcing the shaft ahead of the lead arm before impact. An early release causes you to hit the ball thin, or even worse, mis-hit it altogether. If you execute the proper sequence of movements in the downswing, you'll maintain radius.
Face:
The ball travels in the direction in which your clubface is pointing at the moment of impact, minus the effect of sidespin. You must attain the same clubface position at impact that you establish at address, which is why you need to align your club properly. The key to doing this is matching the position of your hands at impact with the position of your hands at address. If you grip the club on the right side of the shaft, your hands must be on the right side of the club when you hit the ball; otherwise, you'll mis-hit.
Conclusion:
Is one basic more important than another? Not really, as I tell players who take my golf lessons. They all must be executed properly, if you want to achieve a powerful, repeatable swing. Now that you are aware of them and how they contribute to your swing, try filming yourself some day and see how well you maintain them during your swing. Also note how well you hit the ball. Plane, centering, radius, and face-these aren't the usual basics you talk about when discussing the golf swing, but they are critical. While the physical mechanics of the swing, like ball position, stance, and grip, are key, so are these four components. Master both sets and you'll achieve accuracy and consistency every time, lowering your golf handicap in the process
Practice Your Basic Golf Swing
Today, if you step into a bookstore and look around, you will be surprised that there are lots of books and videos that will teach you how to play golf better, such as the correct body posture, golf equipment, etc. Now, if you seriously want to improve your golf swing, let me give in on a simple tip. Practice! Yup, that's it... Practice, and plenty and plenty of practice! It is most effective way to improve, and it cost you nothing at all.
Practice make perfect, that's right! There is no denying of that. If you are a newbie in golf, fret not! You just need to have some guidance that show how do you carry out a perfect golf swing. From there onwards, you just have to practice on a consistent basis if you want to see improvement in your golf. For the rest of you that have been playing golf on a regular basis, you just need to remember to make the right adjustments to improve your golf swing during your game.
Even though I have emphasize that practicing is important, many newbies fell into the trap of playing "catch up" with the latest trend. They will just follow any new methods in an attempt to improve their golf swing when they actually possess the most basic and yet powerful skillset in golf. That is to how to hit a golf ball correctly. By deciding to practice and pay attention to how you are carrying out your golf swing, you will be able to see for yourself how small adjustments can have a great effect on how well you play.
Even professional golfers know this. One of the most key factors to improve their game is practice. The same apply to average golfers too. It will not make any sense to be trying system 'X' of improving your golf swing for this week, and next week you are already trying out system 'Y' that promise to allow you to improve your golf swing in a shorter time! Don't be caught with your pants down! Remember there are just that many ways to swing a golf club.
Therefore, next time if you got some useful instructions or feedback on your golf swing, tell yourself that only by practicing will you be able to see the improvement. Playing golf does not work just by reading a book or watching a video. You got to apply what you had read or watched. Although you might be felt uncomfortable initially, you will soon get over it and give yourself a pat in the back as you see for yourself how you have improved over the time with your determined dedication to consistently practice your golf swing. Congratulations!
Practice make perfect, that's right! There is no denying of that. If you are a newbie in golf, fret not! You just need to have some guidance that show how do you carry out a perfect golf swing. From there onwards, you just have to practice on a consistent basis if you want to see improvement in your golf. For the rest of you that have been playing golf on a regular basis, you just need to remember to make the right adjustments to improve your golf swing during your game.
Even though I have emphasize that practicing is important, many newbies fell into the trap of playing "catch up" with the latest trend. They will just follow any new methods in an attempt to improve their golf swing when they actually possess the most basic and yet powerful skillset in golf. That is to how to hit a golf ball correctly. By deciding to practice and pay attention to how you are carrying out your golf swing, you will be able to see for yourself how small adjustments can have a great effect on how well you play.
Even professional golfers know this. One of the most key factors to improve their game is practice. The same apply to average golfers too. It will not make any sense to be trying system 'X' of improving your golf swing for this week, and next week you are already trying out system 'Y' that promise to allow you to improve your golf swing in a shorter time! Don't be caught with your pants down! Remember there are just that many ways to swing a golf club.
Therefore, next time if you got some useful instructions or feedback on your golf swing, tell yourself that only by practicing will you be able to see the improvement. Playing golf does not work just by reading a book or watching a video. You got to apply what you had read or watched. Although you might be felt uncomfortable initially, you will soon get over it and give yourself a pat in the back as you see for yourself how you have improved over the time with your determined dedication to consistently practice your golf swing. Congratulations!
Upper Body Stretches to Improve Your Golf Swing
Flexibility is such a key to improving the golf swing, that even Charles Barkley, while working with Hank Haney to solve his full swing yip, has focused his attention on stretching. At the same time, he has lost 30 pounds as well. It is no secret now that fitness is one of the big keys to improving your golf game!
With that in mind, in the coming weeks, I will continue to focus my attention on stretching the upper body. Below are descriptions of the primary stretching exercises I will utilize in improving my flexibility. If you want to improve your golf game, I suggest you work on these simple exercises as well!
Back Stretch - Twist Lay flat on your back, arms out to sides and palms down, with your knees bent and feet flat to the floor. Shift onto your left hip, keeping your back flat to the floor. Lower your knees to the left side, so that the left knee and thigh lay on the floor. Place your left hand on your right knee, and pull the right knee down to floor...at the same time your head should be turned to the right, facing your right hand. Hold for 30 seconds, then slowly switch positions to the other side.
Lying Down Shoulder Stretch While sitting on the floor, legs stretched out front, and back straight, interlock your hands on the floor behind your back. Slide your feet forward as far as they will go, feeling the stretch in the front of the shoulders. Hold that position for 30 seconds.
Trunk Rotations Hold a staff or a broomstick behind your neck, with your arms outstretched along the staff. At the golf course, you can do a version of this with your driver, with on hand on the grip, and the other down near the clubhead. Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, slowly turn your body as far to the left as possible, hold for a second, then slowly twist to the right, as far as possible. Repeat 10 times to each side, and each time try to turn a little further.
Elbow Pull Shoulder Stretch Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, or sitting in an upright position with your back straight, extend your left arm forward, reach under and slightly behind your left elbow with your right hand, then draw the left arm in toward your body and across to the right. You should feel this stretch in the back and side of your left deltoid muscle of the shoulder. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, then perform this same stretch with the right shoulder.
With that in mind, in the coming weeks, I will continue to focus my attention on stretching the upper body. Below are descriptions of the primary stretching exercises I will utilize in improving my flexibility. If you want to improve your golf game, I suggest you work on these simple exercises as well!
Back Stretch - Twist Lay flat on your back, arms out to sides and palms down, with your knees bent and feet flat to the floor. Shift onto your left hip, keeping your back flat to the floor. Lower your knees to the left side, so that the left knee and thigh lay on the floor. Place your left hand on your right knee, and pull the right knee down to floor...at the same time your head should be turned to the right, facing your right hand. Hold for 30 seconds, then slowly switch positions to the other side.
Lying Down Shoulder Stretch While sitting on the floor, legs stretched out front, and back straight, interlock your hands on the floor behind your back. Slide your feet forward as far as they will go, feeling the stretch in the front of the shoulders. Hold that position for 30 seconds.
Trunk Rotations Hold a staff or a broomstick behind your neck, with your arms outstretched along the staff. At the golf course, you can do a version of this with your driver, with on hand on the grip, and the other down near the clubhead. Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, slowly turn your body as far to the left as possible, hold for a second, then slowly twist to the right, as far as possible. Repeat 10 times to each side, and each time try to turn a little further.
Elbow Pull Shoulder Stretch Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, or sitting in an upright position with your back straight, extend your left arm forward, reach under and slightly behind your left elbow with your right hand, then draw the left arm in toward your body and across to the right. You should feel this stretch in the back and side of your left deltoid muscle of the shoulder. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, then perform this same stretch with the right shoulder.
Swinging the Golf Club
All of that being said, golf is not high jumping; an average person should be able to average 80 around a par 72 golf course with little trouble and a sound swing. Before you write me and tell me that you know people with good swings who cannot break 80, I will tell you that there is more to golf than a good swing. Most talented players, who cannot score, do not score well because they do not know how to play golf. In case you were not listening; swinging the club is not playing golf, it is an element of golf. So what is the first fundamental of the golf swing? The first fundamental of the golf swing is to understand how to use the golfing tool. Remember the golf range, and the folks scooping their way to bad golf? These people scoop, because the golf club looks like it is made for scooping. In reality, the club does resemble a big spoon. The club has loft designed into the head to lift the ball in the air, right? So the beginner thinks that he needs to get under the ball. In reality however, the golf club is a little more dynamic than it looks. In fact the golf club is quite an ingenious design of physics. The club is designed so that the user can use it by applying only one force; tangential force! I know you all have heard that the golf swing is all about centrifugal force and on and on, blah, blah, blah. Well I am not a physicist, but I did take physics in school and I know that centrifugal force is an imaginary force. What? Yes, you heard me, there is no such force of physics. Look it up, centrifugal force is an idea, a concept to explain appearances, not a real force! So since we have cleared that up, we can dismiss the idea of applying a non-existent force to the golf ball. I only mention this because the idea of centrifugal force actually puts the picture in our mind of a club flying around in a circle and merely picking the golf ball up at the bottom and lifting it on its way. If this is your picture of the golf swing, I recommend that you rethink the golf swing. The club head does not trace a circle; in fact the head does not really trace any geometrical shape, but if pressed I would say it traces somewhat of an ellipse. Now please, do not think that I am arguing circles or squashed circles to be a smarty pants. These concepts are very important to visual learners. Some people can do anything they can visualize; these people must be made aware that the golf club does not swing in a circle, constantly being pulled outward. First and most important, this is not what is happening, and second it is not the picture you want in your mind. Remember, if centrifugal force were a true force, and you really swung the club centrifugally, then if the club head flew off during your swing (based on centrifugal force) it would fly directly away from you. For example if it flew off right at impact it would fly right into the ground. Now anyone who has ever had a club head fly off at impact knows that it does no such thing, it in fact flies out in front of you, down the target line. Why does it do this? It does this because the force you are applying to the golf ball is tangential force, not centrifugal force. Simply put an object traveling in an arc will leave the arc on a line tangent to the arc. This means that tangential force will move the ball or the club head if it flies off, directly down your line of play. So it has taken me a while to get there, but what this means to you is that you only have to apply tangential force to the ball, meaning hit it flush in the back and the ball will travel forward. Your job is to apply this forward momentum to the ball. The clubs job is to apply trajectory and spin to the ball.
How to know if your golf swing is okay?
So how do you know if your swing is O.K.? If you are eating with a knife and fork and you are getting the food to your mouth in proper bits, assuming no bodily injury, then you are probably wielding the eating tools properly. I know, I have seen it too, the off person who holds their fork like a bicycle grip, but the food is consumed, and these folks are not losing weight, so they know how to wield a fork. The same is true of golf; we have seen many different swings, with different looks, but they cannot be called wrong if they produce the desired results. So the determining factor as to an efficient swing and a bad swing can be pared down to results. Does the swing in question produce good results? This is a simple concept, but some may argue what constitutes good results, and I must say this is an individual thing. A beginner may consider his swing a success if he can get the ball airborne. An expert would only consider his swing sound if he can consistently and on command move his shot as he has drawn it up in his mind. Ben Hogan said that he only hit about 3 perfect shots per round. Ben would move his ball toward the hole; if the pin was on the left he would draw the ball in, starting it at the center of the green and working it toward the hole. Likewise with a right side pin placement, Ben would fade the ball into the pin location, starting the ball in the center of the green and curving it toward the hole. If Ben decided to fade a ball into a right hand hole position and the ball ended in the middle of the green he would consider that a miss hit shot.
You are not Ben Hogan, but a good golf swing for the average player, needs to accomplish a few basic requirements;
You are not Ben Hogan, but a good golf swing for the average player, needs to accomplish a few basic requirements;
- • The swing must allow the player to hit the ball first and flush, meaning ball then ground.
- • The swing must allow the player to produce adequate distance.
- • The swing must allow the player to adjust and control trajectory and spin.
Can Anyone Learn To Swing A Golf Club?
Anyone can learn to swing a club, and play golf. Golf is like any other game; it is a compilation of a number of skill sets. One must learn to swing a club, to move the ball; one must learn to aim, to move the ball in the correct direction; and the object then becomes moving the ball proficiently around the hole and ultimately around the course. The object of golf is to score as low as possible. This article will discuss the swing itself, but do not think that a great swing instantly makes a great player. There are many skills to learn in playing any game, and golf is not different.
If you have been on a driving range, you must agree it is quite an interesting amusement watching all of the different methods people employ to move the golf ball. You have seen the “chop”, the “push”, the “scoop”, and on and on. It is amusing at least and excruciating worst, but entertaining none the less. Have you ever wondered why people swing the club the way they do? Are they mimicking a tour pro, or are they making it up on the go? The answer is that they do what they think is correct. This is not a characteristic only of golfers; this is a characteristic of anyone trying to learn a new skill. Boxing, lawn mowing, baseball, hammering, whatever the skill may be, there are different takes on how to do it. So as we watch the folks hit balls at the range, can we conclude that there are many different ways to skin a cat and one method is not better than the other? Yes and no; as long as the method employed allows you to move the golf ball from point A to point B efficiently, then yes. If you can consistently move your golf ball as you predetermined, then you are playing golf and your swing is O.K. However, if the method that you use is inconsistent, unpredictable, and limited, then no, your swing is not as good as it could be, or should be.
If you have been on a driving range, you must agree it is quite an interesting amusement watching all of the different methods people employ to move the golf ball. You have seen the “chop”, the “push”, the “scoop”, and on and on. It is amusing at least and excruciating worst, but entertaining none the less. Have you ever wondered why people swing the club the way they do? Are they mimicking a tour pro, or are they making it up on the go? The answer is that they do what they think is correct. This is not a characteristic only of golfers; this is a characteristic of anyone trying to learn a new skill. Boxing, lawn mowing, baseball, hammering, whatever the skill may be, there are different takes on how to do it. So as we watch the folks hit balls at the range, can we conclude that there are many different ways to skin a cat and one method is not better than the other? Yes and no; as long as the method employed allows you to move the golf ball from point A to point B efficiently, then yes. If you can consistently move your golf ball as you predetermined, then you are playing golf and your swing is O.K. However, if the method that you use is inconsistent, unpredictable, and limited, then no, your swing is not as good as it could be, or should be.
Golf Swing Tempo vs Golf Swing Speed
Are you told by your golf buddies that you swing too fast? Do you think Ernie Els swings nice and slow? The chances are that Ernie's smooth swing is WAY faster than yours. It's not the speed, but the tempo, that separate you from Ernie, because Golf Swing Speed and Golf Swing Tempo are fundamentally different.
Quite often a golfers swing can appear extremely fast, because they don't have the correct swing tempo. They usually have a very deliberate take away and back swing, where they are trying to 'Place' the club head in the correct position. There may even be a deliberate pause at the top. This is then followed by a rush, down towards the ball, trying to gain the momentum that was lost during the back swing phase.
The chances are that all of the PGA tour players swing faster than you. What separates them, from us, is that they do it with a swing tempo that is fluid not disjointed. They also swing to an exact tempo ratio. I've read many articles, allegedly about Golf Swing Tempo, that start to talk about components of the swing. Swing plane, take away, ball position, alignment. These are fundamentals and separate parts of the swing. These are the individual parts that you learn, which when combined, give you a complete golf swing.
Golf swing tempo, is the glue that holds all of these constituent parts together. In fact, the more you swing, with the correct swing tempo, the more stable all of those swing components become. So what is Swing Speed? Well it's simply the amount of time you take to get from the start of your takeaway to the point of impact. But let's say for simplicity sake, that for you, this takes 4 seconds. (And it better not! Otherwise you and I won't be playing together anytime soon!) If you take 2 seconds getting to the top of your back swing and then 2 seconds getting the club head to the ball, you really are not going to generate any club head speed.
So what is Swing Tempo? Let's take the same 4 second swing OK? This time you take 3 Seconds getting to the top, but 1 second on the way down, and what do you have? Well you have a very slow swing, but you have PERFECT Golf Swing Tempo.....Why? Because all PRO's swing at this exact tempo ratio. 3 To 1. So you can swing as fast as you like..Really! As long as you do it using the 3 to 1 ratio. Now all you have to do is achieve this tempo using one of the many training aids available. Most of which are audio cue devices. When you do what you will find (As I did), is that you will swing faster than you ever have, but with a tempo and a consistency, that is going to stay solid throughout your next round of golf. Also, when you use one of these aids, your mind tends to focus on waiting for an audio cue, which eliminates those mind games you tend to start playing when you are addressing the ball.
You know, the ones that get you all tensed up and anxious, the ones that took away any chance you ever had of a good smooth swing tempo. Your golf buddies will probably make comments like, "Wow, Your swing is so much smoother". They won't notice 'Faster'. Because as I said...Golf Swing Speed and Golf Swing Tempo are two different things. Whether you share this secret with them....Is up to you!
Quite often a golfers swing can appear extremely fast, because they don't have the correct swing tempo. They usually have a very deliberate take away and back swing, where they are trying to 'Place' the club head in the correct position. There may even be a deliberate pause at the top. This is then followed by a rush, down towards the ball, trying to gain the momentum that was lost during the back swing phase.
The chances are that all of the PGA tour players swing faster than you. What separates them, from us, is that they do it with a swing tempo that is fluid not disjointed. They also swing to an exact tempo ratio. I've read many articles, allegedly about Golf Swing Tempo, that start to talk about components of the swing. Swing plane, take away, ball position, alignment. These are fundamentals and separate parts of the swing. These are the individual parts that you learn, which when combined, give you a complete golf swing.
Golf swing tempo, is the glue that holds all of these constituent parts together. In fact, the more you swing, with the correct swing tempo, the more stable all of those swing components become. So what is Swing Speed? Well it's simply the amount of time you take to get from the start of your takeaway to the point of impact. But let's say for simplicity sake, that for you, this takes 4 seconds. (And it better not! Otherwise you and I won't be playing together anytime soon!) If you take 2 seconds getting to the top of your back swing and then 2 seconds getting the club head to the ball, you really are not going to generate any club head speed.
So what is Swing Tempo? Let's take the same 4 second swing OK? This time you take 3 Seconds getting to the top, but 1 second on the way down, and what do you have? Well you have a very slow swing, but you have PERFECT Golf Swing Tempo.....Why? Because all PRO's swing at this exact tempo ratio. 3 To 1. So you can swing as fast as you like..Really! As long as you do it using the 3 to 1 ratio. Now all you have to do is achieve this tempo using one of the many training aids available. Most of which are audio cue devices. When you do what you will find (As I did), is that you will swing faster than you ever have, but with a tempo and a consistency, that is going to stay solid throughout your next round of golf. Also, when you use one of these aids, your mind tends to focus on waiting for an audio cue, which eliminates those mind games you tend to start playing when you are addressing the ball.
You know, the ones that get you all tensed up and anxious, the ones that took away any chance you ever had of a good smooth swing tempo. Your golf buddies will probably make comments like, "Wow, Your swing is so much smoother". They won't notice 'Faster'. Because as I said...Golf Swing Speed and Golf Swing Tempo are two different things. Whether you share this secret with them....Is up to you!
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