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The golf swing is a very fast movement which creates up to 110 miles per hour with a driver depending on the player and efficiency of the swing.

The golf swing has a lot of moving parts and timing defects which a player needs to be aware of. Try to think about this during the swing which happens at less than one second.

The driving range is the best and should be the only place to implement a swing change or to focus on an area of the swing as the outcome of the shot is totally irrelevant. There are many drills for timing, there are many drills for changing your swing but there is also a great drill for allowing the timing and the swing change try to knit together and that is the pause at the top of the swing.

As a drill, pausing at the top of the swing can help create time and allow the player to process a swing thought which they are trying to implement, particularly on the down swing. A common swing thought is the transition from back swing to down swing and trying to keep the club on the inside path in relation to the ball for an in to out path and drawing shot.

Golfers will get to the top of the swing and try to initiate the down swing with their hips causing their shoulders and arms to go away from the body and cut across the ball. The pause at the top of the swing will help the player to still initiate the swing with the hips but also control the movement of their shoulders and arms to feel them come closer to the body. The hips move out of the way and allow the club to approach the ball from an in to out path with good extension though impact. The pause at the top of the swing allows for control rather than trying to hit the ball far. It would also be recommended to tee the ball up to help the strike whilst going through this process.

The pause at the top of the swing can only improve distance in the long term if the timing and the swing path improves but this drill is to help the player improve their path and improve their all round golf ability.

Pausing at the top of the swing will not improve your chance of a good strike necessarily unless it helps with your tempo and rhythm during the shot. Many players swing too fast during the transition and what feels like a pause generally isnt one. It can be a good swing thought but wont have an impact on improving strike.

If you are a player who needs to strike the ball well at all times, even whilst working on a part of the swing, then the pause drill isnt for you. Many players hate to see poor results regardless of a two to three second break at the top of the swing or even when they look away from the ball to check the club. You will need to find a drill where you can hit relatively good shots whilst changing the part of the swing you want to change. This will not be easy