If you have never before worked specifically on the tempo of your golf swing, you have been missing out on a big opportunity to improve the quality of your ball striking. Tempo is one of the most important elements within the golf swing, and playing well without a good tempo is nearly impossible. While you are free to use whatever tempo is comfortable and natural for you, it is crucial that you keep that rhythm consistent from shot to shot and round to round. The best players in the world are all extremely comfortable with the tempo they use in the swing, and you should follow that lead.

In many ways, golf is what you might call a ‘copycat’ game. What does that mean? Basically, it means that players tend to copy one another when they see something that is working for another golfer. You probably are familiar with this concept, and you have probably tried it out for yourself. If you see a golfer on TV who is playing great, you may take something from their swing and test it out in your own game. Sometimes that move will work, and many times it won’t. There is nothing wrong with this method of trying to improve your game, and you can actually become a significantly improved player over time if you are willing to experiment regularly.

However, that copycat method of playing the game should not extend to the world of tempo. When it comes to the rhythm of your swing, you need to do what comes naturally to you. Copying the tempo of another player is never a good idea simply because there are so many variables that play into what the right tempo will be for your game. Some players succeed while swinging the club rather quickly, while others do better with a slow and deliberate rhythm. There is no right or wrong option when it comes to tempo – the speed that works best for you is the one you should use. This is a point that is proven by watching golf on television, as you will find a variety of tempos represented among the world’s top golfers.

Tempo can be a difficult thing to learn largely because it is such a difficult thing to teach. It is hard to tell someone how to have rhythm in their swing, so each player is mostly left to their own devices in order to figure out this part of the game. There can certainly be tempo tips offered up by an experienced teacher – such as the tips that will follow in the content below – but the player bears most of the responsibility in this process. If you are willing to invest some time in the task of working on your tempo, you should be able to improve your consistency and find a rhythm that can carry you through even the most difficult rounds.

All of the content below is based on a right handed golfer. If you happen to play left handed, please take a moment to reverse the directions as necessary.