Hints For Better Tempo

As Surge said, holding your breath tightens up your muscles. I caught myself holding my breath when I was swinging, especially with the driver and if I focus on taking a breath at set up and exhaling in my back swing I have lot better success hitting the ball accurately regardless of the club I'm using.
Doc Ed

I have to put my 2 cents about tempo. I got a book called “Tour Tempo” and it talks all about the tempo of the tour players, how consistent they are, and how most tour players have a faster tempo than the average golfer. I applied the tips in the “Tour Tempo” book and the music DVD and it was a great improvement in my game. I think because it helped to get rid of the overwhelming amount to swing thoughts I was going through. I have some info about it on my website www.TheRolferGolfer.com if want to look it over.

Robert my freind

I like all the groups you mentioned one of my favorite songs from the God father of metal rock IMO Jimmy Hendricks  Purple Haze. I like some country also.
 I what I generally do when playing full swing or putt is take a deep breath and exhale and take the shot. This what works best for me.

Rodger

I am new to the surge swing and still have trouble getting it verticle with my woods otherwise its all been good. Anyway, I actually like to listen to my itouch when playing. I find it quite relaxing as I play the music style I want. To each his own I guess.

Don B.

Thanks Steve,I think I know where your coming from,my best shots in the past have been when i have dropped my hands near to my right pocket and tried to keep my shoulders from turning first.Cheers

I agree. It was an enjoyable movie and in my DVD collection.

How about an i-Pod. You could use it while you practice!

Funny. This is one of those things where we're all a bit different. I MUST have something like a tune to keep my conscious mind busy so it stays out of the way of me doing the swing. I also seem to swing better when I'm having a conversation or telling a story. Movement can distract me, and if my brain latches onto something like a person walking by, I have to step away from the shot or the swing is going to hit something other than the ball. But I play best when I'm not focused on my performance or anything other than the image of the shot and my tempo song.

Bruce
I have the down load for my iphone for "Tour Tempo" It is great help to me. I listen to the tempo that is best for my swing tempo while hitting balls on the driving range. I especially like the tempos with the subliminal sounds in the back groud that get you into the zone for your game of the day. Also there are tempos for the short game as well as the long game swing.

Dick H

This is probably one of those things where you're getting in your own way, physically and mentally. Probably not getting the weight shifted forward properly, which could be from a reverse weight shift or something else. Go back to the basics. Preload right, nose at ball, ring the bell and shift the weight forward to transition, let the arms fall and swing up to the finish.

Don:  Welcome to the blog!  If you are having trouble with your woods, it may not be you but the "tools" you are trying to use.  They may be a bit too long for you.  Next time you visit the practice range, try moving your hands down the grip about 1/2" at a time with each wood and see if your ball striking improves.  If so, mark that place with a rubber band or piece of tape for future reference.   I was working with a student this week that was having a horrible time trying to hit his 3-wood consistently.  After he moved his hands about 1-1/2" down the grip, suddenly his problem went away and he was striking the ball consistently and actually gained some distance!   You can play the clubs without shortening them, or take them to a qualified club fitter and have him shorten them to better fit your swing.  Good luck and hit 'em straight!  R2 

D, you will come in September and you will play some great golf at Paiute with Me and who knows who else. Certainly Robert F. and perhaps a bunch of other happy Surgites. I'll look forward to hanging out with you and yes it is really very very worth while. The weather will be perfect and the 3 courses at Paiute are amazing Pete Dye layouts.

I'm with you Surge, my heads gotta be clear and focused. Bill obviously is a natural, his golf
mechanics must be so repetitive that all he has to do is stay on tempo. There are lots of us
who have taken the game up much later in life, so the mechanics are difficult to maintain.
Iv'e been through countless coaching lessons with little success, which proves that I have
little natural ability, but things are slowly changing, compliments of the Surge.    
I carry only one thought during the swing and it's usually "left hand dominant" If I don't, then
the right hand takes control and turns over the ball.     
  

Roger, rock on dude! That is my music too. I'm a classic rock fan to the bone. Though I'm a 70's guy, I am married to an 80's chick so I have grown to appreciate Def Leppard, the Scorpians, Metallica (saw them last year, awesome) and other great ones from the 90's and more recent stuff too. But I'm always drawn back to LZ,Pink Floyd, Van Hallen,Hendricks, Yes and other older groups.
As far as on the course, A quiet mind suits me best. The rythym that helps me best on course is "one and, two"or "stable.. re lease", with my mental swingrite release point at the "ea" part of release.
I think a good one from Zep would be "Lady, you the love I want, oh baby baby walk a while with me. You got so much..... so much"

I had some tremendous results using a tempo. I got a book “Tour Tempo” that talks about the similar tempo the tour player’s use, and how it is usually a bit faster than the average golfer. I think part of its success was due to the fact that focusing on the music (DVD) helped to get rid of all the mechanical swing thoughts that I was plagued with at the time. I have some info about it on my website www.TheRolferGolfer.com you can check out, it really helped me.

Certainly, if you go over the Surge putting videos, he's not a fan of getting your eyes over the aiming line for much the reason you express as to why it wasn't working for you.

For the fixes, it's often easier and more consistent to change your setup location than to change where your arms hang at address. If it's working for you that far from the ball, go with it for now.

SGW:

    AMEN Brother --- Amen!! I did not go out for the past two days. When I went to my car this morning I was surprised to find it covered in dust -- about 1/8 inch on hte windshield and rear window!

    What ever happened to the Monsoon Thunderstorms?

     Amos

Quick game report after playing Snow Mountain at Paiute. Awesome conditions as usual. I basically played bogie golf shotting a 91. I both putted better and yet missed a couple of key putts for par that made me less than happy. Had a front 9  44 and then the rain and wind came and although I hit some good shots and made several putts of 6-8 feet. most of them were for bogies or worse(had two doubles on the back.) Finished with a 47 on the difficult and windy back nine. Only 30 putts with 13 on the front that included 6 one putts, 2 two putts and one ugly 3 putt after hitting the 155 yard par three 8th and the running my 55 foot putt only 3 feet by but missing it only to make another 3 footer coming back. Ugh!! I am putting better but had two shots in the desert and one in a lake. I'm telling you guys, these are seriously challenging yet beautiful Pete Dye layouts that can reward or bite you. The rough is thick but the fairways are smooth with primo greens that are pretty fast.
Never happy shooting over 90 but I hit enough good shots to see improvements on the horizon.

Hey T and all interested in the mental game:
In addition to the Bob Rotella book (The 15th club) another great book is entitled "The Inner Game of Golf", by W. Timothy Gallwey.   Talks all about that "getting out of your own way" kind of thing.  Talks about the consious (S1) vs subconsious (s2), and how the subconscious KNOWS what to do, IF the conscious part will allow it!  And then gives you helps.  Great stuff.
I am one of those that MUST have something to occupy my brain during the swing in order to stop analyzing, which is deadly, as most of you know.   I have also been told "you just need to get out of your own way."    Easier said than done.

Tina B

p.s. to T, sounds like we're shooting for Saturday to meet with John.  He's bringing some lighter shafts for me to try;  my fitting is still a work in progress, hopefully Saturday will be it and I can get clubs ordered.

I've thought about it, though as Surge often says, I like to hear the sound of impact. I wish they would shut off the outside speakers at the restaurant is all. ;-)

Today I stopped at a different range, which does not have music playing, and was striking the ball much better overall, right through the sudden rain shower that decided I needed to be cooled off. It was funny to see everyone else running for cover.

Rain is living in a rain forest for three years on the noth Oregon coast. 10 FEET a year. I played golf with golf gooloshes with spikes. Rain never stops my game unless there's lightning.
 

 
Sorry about this duplicate comment, I didn’t think the last one posted. The Rolfer Golfer

Robert

I was having swing trouble at the end of last year begining of this year after takeing a few rotational lessons and decided to give up and come back to the surge swing and was still strugleing a little and went and took a lesson from a young lady that teaches vertical not exactly like the surge swing but she new were I was trying to get after talking to her. She watched me hit some shots and said that I was doing everything I told her that I wanted to do if I would just let it happen instead of trying to force it all the time your main problem is not your swing its between your ears you think to much. Just swing the club back and up and through the ball down the target line and up to the finish.

She was correct about clearing the mind I do not try to fix every bad shot on the course anymore I make sure my posture, alignment and ball position is correct and if I am still off a little I deal with it at the range. I have started playing a lot better since taking this approach and I gave up on getting upset over bad shots the more you worry about it the worse it gets.

The great Jack Nickualus said on time you have to learn how to play with what you have that day and fix whats wrong later.    

Rodger

Surge Nation:

    I was at San Marcos (Chandler Az) once again today. The weather was hot and dry (what else in Phoenix ?) but comfortable.

    12 of 14 Fairways, Driving average was my usual 168 yards! LOL
     Only 1 GIR, but at least 5 or 6  "very near misses"
     11 one putt greens, 0 three putts -- I became a "chipping machine" -- that is my 2nd best ever -- a year or so ago I had 12 one putts.  So 25 putts -- I'll take that every time!! LOL
      2 Bunkers, 1 Sandy
      For the first time, I tried noting the "length of putts made" figure -- turns out to be about 60 feet - with the longest being 8 feet, 2 at 6 feet, 1 at 5 feet, 1 at 3 feet -- the rest varied from 3 inches to 18 inches.
      6 pars, 9 bogies, 2 doubles and 1 triple. The doubles and the triople wer all on the more difficult front nine -- I had 4 pars and 5 bogies on the back nine, with pars on 17 and 18 (both par 5's)

     Score: 47 + 41 = 88 -- about my average score.

     The only down side - for some reason I hit all of my wedges "just a little bit chunky" -- just enough to turn a PW into a "good looking SW" shot - and so on down to the LW. A bit disapointing fro one whe normally hits "pure crisp" wedge shots.   Oh well, Monday is another day! LOL

     Keep hitting them STRAIGHT and LONG

     Amos

Great Booger, glad to hear you got your clubs. It's like Christmas and your birthday all at the same time ain't it? YEEEEhaaaaaa!!!