You're Correct!

Tempo, timing or rhythm is something that all great golfers display. Good tempo can cover up a multitude of technical swing issues for players, but good technique will never cover up poor tempo.

There is no one correct tempo that you should aim to copy. If you watch the best players in the world today, you will notice that they all swing at different tempos. Ernie Els has one of the most lethargic looking swing styles around, whereas Sergio Garcia has one of the fastest tempos. There is no correct swing tempo that every golfer should follow. What you need to ascertain is the tempo that works best for you as an individual and then once you have identified this tempo, repeat it and keep it constant whenever you play.

Individual tempo can possibly best be seen if you watch how different people walk. Some people amble along very slowly whereas others army march along the fairways. How people walk tends to reflect the pace of life that they tend to live at and it is this natural pace that you need to identify and use as your tempo when you play golf.

A great way to work on tempo is to count to yourself when you play your golf shots. Simply counting one and two and so on, will allow you to experiment with your tempo when you are next out practising. Take up your address position ready to play a shot and start counting. Decide on the number you are going to swing back on, two or three maybe and then when you reach this number as you count begin your back swing.

If you are going to swing with a quick tempo, you will be at the top of your back swing very quickly, so by the time you say the next number you will be at the top. If you are going to adopt a slower tempo it may take you two more numbers to reach the top of your back swing. However, whichever you attempt, if you hit well and produce good golf shots, you will know the tempo that you need to follow. If you do not hit well, then change the tempo of your swing. Either speed it up or slow it down and try again, until you work out the best tempo for you to produce great golf shots from.

If your tempo is too fast, you will always struggle to play great golf shots. Swinging the golf club away from the ball and then back down towards it too fast will result in you snatching at the golf ball with the golf club and a mis-hit shot is inevitable.

If your tempo slows down as you swing the club head through impact, then you are decelerating the club and you will hit the shot short of your intended target. Better tempo would see you swing the club towards the ball three times faster than you moved it away.

Whether your own individual tempo is fast or slow is irrelevant. You swing at a tempo that suits your own style. What is important though is that your tempo is constant. If you have a quick tempo, it should always be quick. If it is a slow tempo, it should always be slow. Ensure your tempo is constant and do not let it vary.