So far, we have built a consistent address posture by creating muscle memory for remaining erect while addressing a golf ball. A major flaw of many high handicappers is that they slump over the ball and do not transfer enough energy into it at impact, but not any longer for those of you that performed the exercise. We have also developed a consistent technique for lowering our body to the ball that will create the space needed to swing freely. The next step is to develop a rhythmic swing.
As a disclaimer, I realize that the method I will explain in the following paragraphs is only one of a goodly number of swing theories, but recall that I am sharing the techniques I used to reduce my 18 hole score from 148 to 72. Give this a try, and if you find it’s not working as well for you then substitute another strategy until you see more positive results.
The term rhythm means “movement with a patterned relationship to time”. To break this down, we want to create a movement that has the same ratio of time both backward and forward. How that time is measured is unique to you. I cannot emphasize this enough. For an illustration, consider the swings of Arnold Palmer and Bob Murphy. While Palmer’s swing, especially in his prime, was a violent rapid motion, Murphy apparently called time-out for a coffee break at the top of his backswing. But when their swings are analyzed as halves - from start to pause at the top of the backswing, and from start of the downswing until impact - you will note as I have a striking similarity: the ratio of time (or beats or counts as divisors of time) spent getting the club into position to the time from the start of the downswing to impact through the ball is almost exactly the same.
That ratio, which holds for those swings or those of modern players such as Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, is 5 to 2 or 2.5 to one. No matter what the tempo of a player’s swing, there are two and a half counts from start to pause, then one count from restart to impact. Whether the pause is miniscule as with Palmer, or exaggerated ala Murphy has no effect upon the ratio of time spent in each of their swing components. Now what to do with this insight?
Not being burdened by theory when I first took up the game, I applied a musical cadence to the swing. My first consistent shots in golf were built upon this cadence. The sequence I used was “1-2-3”. Too simple, you may think, but for me and I believe for most of you it works. You will need an open space as you will be swinging a club at your full speed. Longer clubs such as metal woods or long irons give better feedback for this. Begin by doing 10 repetitions of the wall exercise from Day 1, then 10 repetitions of the hinging exercise from Day 2. You now have a strong stable address posture, with the club head hovering just above the ground and just behind the spot where you imagine the ball to be.
Loosen up by swinging the club back and forth like a pendulum ten times. Start this exercise by saying the number sequence aloud, and fit the tempo to your swing not vice-versa. If you swing fast, then speed you numbers up to match. When you say “one” you begin to move your club back into position. When “two” has been sounded, you should be paused at the end of the backswing. As you say “three”, your downswing begins, and you’ll notice that if you are swinging freely, the “ee” sound will still be audible as the club passes through the point that your imaginary ball occupies. This puts you right at the 2.5 to 1 ratio, whether you have completed the full swing in less than 2 seconds, or have taken 4-5 seconds.
Repeat this 20 times, until you hear the number sequence mentally and no longer have to say it aloud. You now have created a rhythmic swing tempo that is in alignment with the great players of the game. There’s four more days of practice ahead, and for the Day 4 lesson you will need wiffle practice balls. Enjoy the improvement!
Next: Day 4: Solid impact
Prev: Day 2: Address position
