Today's question has to do with tempo and timing. These are actually two different aspects that must work together to build consistency. Whether you are an aggressive player who likes to play fast or a slower player who grinds on every shot, your routine must remain the same.
John Williams went as far as to time himself because he felt his backswing was very slow. He wants to know if there is a general rule of thumb that can apply to all golfers when it comes to tempo or whether it is based on each individuals' swing.
Don,
Recently I was having a not so stellar day on the course and a friend commented that I did not have consistent tempo in my swing and that my backswing was very slow compared to my forward upswing. I took note of that and realized that no matter what club, my backswings are very slow, in the 2.5 second range before I transition to the forward upswing and that (for me) is too much time which can induce unnecessary brain and muscle activity.
What is a good rule of thumb for the tempo of the backswing vs. the transition to the forward upswing? Tempo is a huge factor in the golf swing and I've noticed that in the beginning of all of your videos, you are at about 1 second when you're transitioning to the forward upswing and you are at about 1.5 seconds when you strike the ball and 1.75 seconds to the T-Finish. Is tempo relative to the player or is there a rule of thumb and if so, what is a good practice strategy for tempo of backswing versus forward upswing?
John Williams
I think I'm actually a little faster than what John timed me at and it's because of the 3/4 vertical swing. The time it takes me to strike the ball is quicker than a lot of tour pros, but it's because they take much longer backswings.
Tempo is important in golf because it creates consistency, but timing is just as critical. So what exactly is the difference between the two? Well, timing is the proper sequential movements of the parts of the body, while tempo is the speed or pace of your swing. Your tempo needs to be relatively consistent, which is why you hear the term "routine" a lot when it comes to professional golfers. Use some sort of a counting system in your mind to help generate your consistency.
Both timing and tempo need to be fine tuned because you can't have consistent timing if your tempo is off. One isn't more important than the other; the key is to figure out your personality and the way in which you play golf. Next, develop a routine that will get you the results you want.
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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Comments
Just for fun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKWqjN2jVIk
With a regular LH club it would be easier. Ha ha!
nice tempo
Now that some left side rhythm!
I do find that tempo is a very personal thing that we have to determine through lots of play. Mine is a medium pace that requires just a 'one, two'. I'm slower than Surge but not as fast as Nick Price. The assistant at Golf Galaxy said my cadence was a the same as Luke Donald's. They have a program that measures swing speed and tempo for Getting fit for shafts with Mizuno.
On that subject, has anyone purchased one of those small gadgets that measure things like swing speed and tempo? Some also show swing path and more. They are starting to get better quality and affordable but I haven't picked one yet. Not high on my list but it is one of the fitters toys on my short list.
Hypo & Tempo
For me, I need to work hard on tempo and being a "HYPO" it create allsorts of issues for me. Last year when Doc was in Australia he told me that I need to change my aggressive waggle/takeaway sequence which Iv'e been working on over the past few months. At the moment I waggle above the ball, then set the club on the ground behind the ball and kickstart the takeaway with a slight press, I believe this action allows me to absorb my body energy and start the swing from a constant action, which is starting to work.
Speaking of Mizuno
Hi Robert.
It's time for some new irons and I wanted to get real-life input.
Mizuno JPX 800 HD Hybrid iron set is on sell at GG, and thought of
you for some honest feedback.
Would love a custom fitted/built Doc set, but afraid that cost is out of reach.
Edit: Also have Ping G 15's on the radar. GG does do a fitting of sorts with Pings. Not sure if they do the same kind of "fitting" with Mizunos, which BTW, have some great science behind their product.
I love applied metallurgy, and Mizuno clearly has got that going on. How all that, and the bells and whistles translate to true playability /performance....
that is the real question for me.
Interestingly, I had my best swings at GG with a set of Lady Cobras.
I'm 6'1" 195, and customers looked at me as if to say "you poor little loser."
Really, I could care less. I'm about enjoyment, improvement, and results.
I'll even swing a pink polka dot club if it works. Ok....reluctantly, but I would.
Mizunos
Simply Golf,
Sorry so late in getting back to you. Yes I have the JPX 800's. They are not the HD Hybrib set.
Like these
mizuno jpx 800 http://www.edwinwattsgolf.com/Mizuno-JPX-800-Mens-Iron-Sets-Steel/10024144/Product?ad_id=%20MA_Google&zmam=28332759&zmas...
I do like them quite a bit and would recommend them. Do you have a Mizuno dealer in your area? Here in Las Vegas our Golf Galaxy carries many varieties of the Mizuno irons. If possible you should try them out first. Although it is not any thing like a true fitting experience, it is pretty cool as they will quickly change out shafts until you find the optimal fit. with their cart they can switch out heads and shafts in a few seconds. I tried the JPX Pro and then the regular JPX 800's and chose the later. However I bought them after a detailed search over a few months period on E-Bay. I was looking for the right price and combination. as you've seen, you can get them with hybrids or not. I went for the straight up 4-gap with no hybrids as I am happy with my Adams V3 22 degree and go with a 3 and 5 wood also from Adams, the Speed 11's
So after my trial at Golf galaxy i knew I wanted the Project X 5.0's as my shaft.
Finally bid on the near new used set on E-Bay for the JPX 800's and then after receiving them I put the PX5.0's on in my garage. of course i added the grips of my choosing too:) They feel good and when I am on I get solid performance out of them.
Now, although I didn't buy the HD hybrids nor did I get to try them out they do look really good and I am fairly certain you'd be pleased with them too.
If you are not determined that they must be new, E-Bay baby, E-Bay!!
Don't know if i answered your question but if you would like to know anything else feel free to ask pal any time.
Hey on the Lady Cobras, who gives a darn, if you hit them the best by all means play them.
Edit: Just thought of something else. I hit these irons really high and far (for me). So I think they do live up to the hype.
Mizuno Irons
Hi Robert. Thx for your thoughts. Ya, Golf Galaxy has the GPX 800 hybrid set on sale, under $500, and I do like their hybrids. For the level of my game, it may be a match.
No pun intended, but I don't want to get shafted. My Adams A3 are just too light, setup with their stock Grafalloy ProLaunch Red shafts, regular flex.
I really don't feel them at the top, and I often get way ahead of the clubhead.
Thinking both Mizuno or Ping will provide some fitting options on site at Golf Galaxy. Passing on the Lady Cobras as they are hundreds more $ than either of these other sets.
Found it interesting that one intuitive employee at GG saw & got my modified PPGS swing and moved me to the shorter shafts of the Cobra. BTW-Cobra's men's iron set felt pretty good too, but I especially liked their fairways & drivers.
Swing Speed
I have add one of the basic radar detectors for several years now. It's a nifty and handy device for measuring your club head speed, but that's all it does.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Swing-Speed-Radar-Sports-Sensors-Check-your-golf-swing-speed-/251278852899?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0...
It seems that there are many more small compact devices available now which give you a little more bang for your buck though.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Ernest-Sports-ES12-Digital-Golf-Assistant-Portable-Launch-Monitor-/370821093605?pt=LH_Defaul...
Thanks T
Yes those are a couple of cool options. There are several others too, some that you attach to the golf club. All seem to have merit. I'll pull the trigger at some point. Still looking........ and drooling.
Need to time it for both money and the right deal.
Swing Speed Radar
Evening RM. I also have one of the basic radars - a "Swing Speed Radar" made by Sports Sensors, Inc. I really like it and use it whenever I go to the range. Very handy, simple to use, easy to read and the measurements seem to be accurate. It helped me find and maintain a good tempo and gives me a pretty good indication of clubhead speed. I tried one of those units that clamp on to the club shaft but didn't like it as it seemed to change the "feel" of the club and the measurements were all over the map.
If you'd like to try it out for a few weeks, I'd be happy to send it over to you. I'm not using it much right now as my swing is right where I want it to be. Get my e-mail from Doc Griffin and let me know your address so I can get it to you. Take care, R2
radar
R2, thank you so much for your generous offer. You're too much buddy! I will ask Doc to send you my e-mail and we can talk about it by e-mail. Thanks for even offering it. Talk to you soon,
Robert M.