elvis14 46 Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 For quite a while, I've been working on slowing down my back swing. I've always assumed that my tempo was bad because I'm just too quick back. A couple of weeks ago when I went for a driver fitting, I told a friend of mine that I had hit enough balls to know that my swing speed was about 93. His response was "yeah, but did you tell the guy that it's 93 back and 93 forward". As I've been playing more, I've been doing a better job (sometimes) of slowing down my backswing and trying to smooth things out. Where I'm currently failing is in transition. No matter how much I slow down my back swing it seems like the end of my backswing and the start of my down swing gets quick and violent. Sometimes I don't even realize I'm doing it. Playing weekly with a good friend, he'll just say "transition" to me. So I'm willing to hit the range and put in work to correct this issue. Anyone have advice on drills and or techniques to use and try to smooth out my transition and tempo? Sometimes I convince myself to take a 'half speed swing' and it helps (although I logically know I'm swinging more than half speed). I should probably try that more often but it's tough for a guy that played decades of softball where attacking the ball is right thing to do. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chisag 12,272 Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 ... Play a practice round and use 2 more clubs than you need but take a full swing. If you hit your 7 iron 160, use a 5 iron from 160 but take a full swing. It forces you to slow down your tempo/transition or you will hit the ball too far. Of course with a better transition you may still hit the ball too far and in some cases even farther than a "normal" swing, but correct distance isn't the goal. 4 Quote Driver: TaylorMade SIM2 Max ... Diamana Limited 60R Fairway: Cobra SZ 14.5* ... Atmos Blue TS 7S Utility: Callaway Super Hybrid 17* ... Diamana Limited 65R TaylorMade DHy 19* ... Diamana Limited 65R Irons: 4-Pw Cobra King Tour MIM ... Nippon 950gh r-flex Wedges: Cobra Snakebite 50* ... Nippon 950gh r-flex Mizuno T20 58* ... Nippon 950gh r-flex Putter: Cleveland Hunting Beach Soft 11S 33.5" Ball: TaylorMade TP5x (2021) Link to post Share on other sites
elvis14 46 Posted August 3, 2020 Author Share Posted August 3, 2020 1 hour ago, chisag said: ... Play a practice round and use 2 more clubs than you need but take a full swing. If you hit your 7 iron 160, use a 5 iron from 160 but take a full swing. It forces you to slow down your tempo/transition or you will hit the ball too far. Of course with a better transition you may still hit the ball too far and in some cases even farther than a "normal" swing, but correct distance isn't the goal. Interesting idea. I'm willing to try it. I have played rounds in the past where I've gone up a club and it worked out well. My concern is that my most common miss right now is long and left but I think some of that is from being overly aggressive so clubbing up x 2 might help with that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alfriday101 971 Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 Chisag once again offers sage advice. Here are a few things to try on the range. 1. Develop a tempo "mantra," a phrase tied to your desired tempo that you use on every shot--every shot. Some people use "1,2,3", in waltz tempo, or "tick-tock". Personally, I use "to the target." Start out saying it out loud on the range as you swing to really get it down. Then move on to saying it in your head. Did I mention to do this on every shot? 2. Practice hitting clubs to less than full distance (similar to what was mentioned above.) For example, take your driver and hit the first ball to the 100 yard marker, the next shot to 125, then 150, etc until you get to full distance. Take a full swing each time. You can use any club in the bag. 3. Hit balls with your eyes closed on the range. Set up, take a practice swing, then step up to the ball and close your eyes and hit to your target. You will quickly feel your tempo and find out if you are too ball bound. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
elvis14 46 Posted August 3, 2020 Author Share Posted August 3, 2020 48 minutes ago, alfriday101 said: Chisag once again offers sage advice. Here are a few things to try on the range. 1. Develop a tempo "mantra," a phrase tied to your desired tempo that you use on every shot--every shot. Some people use "1,2,3", in waltz tempo, or "tick-tock". Personally, I use "to the target." Start out saying it out loud on the range as you swing to really get it down. Then move on to saying it in your head. Did I mention to do this on every shot? 2. Practice hitting clubs to less than full distance (similar to what was mentioned above.) For example, take your driver and hit the first ball to the 100 yard marker, the next shot to 125, then 150, etc until you get to full distance. Take a full swing each time. You can use any club in the bag. 3. Hit balls with your eyes closed on the range. Set up, take a practice swing, then step up to the ball and close your eyes and hit to your target. You will quickly feel your tempo and find out if you are too ball bound. Thanks. I've tried a version of #1 lately "1, 2, wait, swing". Sometimes it works, sometimes I forget to use it, sometimes the wait gets skipped. Sounds like I need to be a little more diligent on that front. I may need to get rid of the 'wait' swing thought, however because I find myself hitting 'wait', kinda slowing or stopping before the end of my back swing and then jerking back/forward with a quick transition. I've done #2 in the past when my driver gets inaccurate. Haven't really tried it lately. Usually I think of using #2 when my driver path gets goofy moreso than the tempo but it could be that it was my tempo all along. Have to admit, that I've not even thought about #3 but I'll have to give it a try just out of curiosity (and I can 'see' where swinging with my eyes closed might help me be less aggressive or quick). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
xOldBenKenobiX 4,131 Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 8 hours ago, alfriday101 said: Chisag once again offers sage advice. Here are a few things to try on the range. 1. Develop a tempo "mantra," a phrase tied to your desired tempo that you use on every shot--every shot. Some people use "1,2,3", in waltz tempo, or "tick-tock". Personally, I use "to the target." Start out saying it out loud on the range as you swing to really get it down. Then move on to saying it in your head. Did I mention to do this on every shot? 2. Practice hitting clubs to less than full distance (similar to what was mentioned above.) For example, take your driver and hit the first ball to the 100 yard marker, the next shot to 125, then 150, etc until you get to full distance. Take a full swing each time. You can use any club in the bag. 3. Hit balls with your eyes closed on the range. Set up, take a practice swing, then step up to the ball and close your eyes and hit to your target. You will quickly feel your tempo and find out if you are too ball bound. That is interesting and I'm going to take it to the range. 1 Quote Cut Draw Giveaways 2020 Bag Boy Chiller Cart Bag Official tester MGS Hard Rock Challenge 100 swings challenge MGS Fantasy football league Unofficial - Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme Unofficial Review - Honma TR21 4 Wood by xOldBenKenobiX Work in Progress... Stix Golf - Woods and Putter set unofficial review. Instagram tagging contest Crew Driver - Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme 10.5, UST helium 5 Wood - . TR21 4 Wood, Vizard 20-60 shaft. Hybrid - T-MB 716 3 Iron, Hybrid - T-MB 718 4 Iron, Irons: - AP1 714 5 to PW, Wedges: SM4 48*, Oil Can 52*, SM5 56* and SM6 58*, Putter: Deadcenter SP-209, Ball: ProV1, Smart Sensors Shoes: a couple A couple of A couple of Adidas , Yeah I have a shoe addiction. Right Handed, Southeast Michigan Honk If you see these plates around. I'm always driving around Michigan. The Ohio and Pennsylvania's turnpike as well as around Baltimore, Maryland. Grip it and rip it my friends. Link to post Share on other sites
elvis14 46 Posted August 6, 2020 Author Share Posted August 6, 2020 On 8/3/2020 at 11:26 AM, chisag said: ... Play a practice round and use 2 more clubs than you need but take a full swing. If you hit your 7 iron 160, use a 5 iron from 160 but take a full swing. It forces you to slow down your tempo/transition or you will hit the ball too far. Of course with a better transition you may still hit the ball too far and in some cases even farther than a "normal" swing, but correct distance isn't the goal. Played yesterday. I went up 1 club instead of 2 and focussed on 2 things: slowing down swing/transition and finishing to the hole (too many pull/hooks). I didn't play great but I feel like I finally was able to smooth out a lot of my swings. I was really trying hard not to care about anything other than those 2 things. That includes the scorecard and distances. Irons and hybrids (clubbed up) went pretty well. In fact I'd say that I got more distance from my hybrid (solid strikes). Irons were shorter but straighter (except that one pure'd 8 iron that flew a green). Driver was goofy (couldn't club up there) but shortening my backswing helped there. Overall, a much more enjoyable, relaxed round. Still want to find time to hit the range and put in some real work (course where I played doesn't have a a driving range). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alfriday101 971 Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 have you ever tried the Ben Hogan, a/k/a the perpetual motion drill? You can do this at home in the yard or the house, if you have a high ceiling and an understanding spouse. Hogan reportedly did the drill 30 minutes a day. If it's good enough for Hogan... Here is an update with a bit more explination: Shawn emphasizes the balance aspect of the drill, but it also helps with transition and tempo. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TexasFullSend 38 Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 Good thread. I wonder if when taking a practice swing. If closing your eyes will help find tempo before you actually set up to the ball. I've heard about putting with your eyes closed but never swinging with your eyes closed. Quote Driver: Taylormade M4 3 Wood: Taylormade M4 Hybrid: Taylormade Gapr Irons: Taylormade P760 KBS C-Taper Lite Stiff Wedges: Vokey Jet Black 52/56/60 Putter: Taylormade Spider X Link to post Share on other sites
chisag 12,272 Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 27 minutes ago, TexasFullSend said: Good thread. I wonder if when taking a practice swing. If closing your eyes will help find tempo before you actually set up to the ball. I've heard about putting with your eyes closed but never swinging with your eyes closed. ... If you are a feel player, swinging with your eyes closed can be very instructive. Not so much for technical player but it never hurts to try. 2 Quote Driver: TaylorMade SIM2 Max ... Diamana Limited 60R Fairway: Cobra SZ 14.5* ... Atmos Blue TS 7S Utility: Callaway Super Hybrid 17* ... Diamana Limited 65R TaylorMade DHy 19* ... Diamana Limited 65R Irons: 4-Pw Cobra King Tour MIM ... Nippon 950gh r-flex Wedges: Cobra Snakebite 50* ... Nippon 950gh r-flex Mizuno T20 58* ... Nippon 950gh r-flex Putter: Cleveland Hunting Beach Soft 11S 33.5" Ball: TaylorMade TP5x (2021) Link to post Share on other sites
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