Golf Swing Tempo - Slower is Better

Golf is truly a game of opposites. That is, to send the ball up you must hit down. To hook it left, you must swing through to the right. The opposites go on and on. In short, with golf the golf ball will often do the opposite of what the human mind believes it should while trying to impose what seems logical when swinging through the ball.

The tempo in which the golf swing is made has a tremendous affect on how well the golf ball is hit. Common sense would dictate that to hit the ball a long way, that one must swing harder and faster. That is true to a degree. However, swinging faster leaves little margin for error during the swing and increases the chances of mishits.

To hit the ball further, straighter and with more consistency, focus on swing tempo and let the length of the backswing determine the distance of the shot. A good tempo is one that is measured and is always even. Try counting in your backswing to develop a good tempo. Start your backswing; ONE. Halfway back; TWO. At the top of the swing; THREE. Halfway into the downswing; FOUR. Impact; FIVE. Finish position; SIX.

A good tempo will promote better ball striking and with golf being a game of opposites, swinging slower with an even tempo will actually send the ball further when the swinging action is slowed and not hurried.