Ben Crenshaw shares 8 keys to a smooth swing tempo
Golf instruction is always changing, but the best advice is timeless. In GOLF.com's Endless Tips, we highlight the greatest tips that teachers and players have dished out in the pages of GOLF Magazine. This week, we look back at our October 1978 issue where Ben Crenshaw shared eight keys to success.
There is no better compliment that your teammates can give you than saying “you have a good swing.” Silky smooth movements – a la Fred Couples or Ernie Els – are not only aesthetically pleasing, but functional, too.
But while these smooth transitions may look without effort, there is something else. A smooth tempo is developed over years of practice, and honing it takes time to achieve.
Ben Crenshaw is a good example of this. And back in the October 1978 issue of GOLF Magazinethe two-time Masters champion shared eight keys to developing a smooth swing tempo. Check it out below.
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Crenshaw keys for a smooth tempo
Every golfer has done it. You rush one shot, then another, before you can recover, make bogey, double bogey or worse. How can you get your tempo back? The first adjustment is psychological.
To slow down, tell yourself, ''Golf is a recreational game. What's the point of the chase? The ball isn't going anywhere — only I can move it.''Secondly, remind yourself of the good shots you hit; you didn't chase them, did you? Decide to swing the same way on your next shot.
Now that you're in the right frame of mind, here are some strategies, not all of which will work every time you have a super fast swing spell. But they do make for a handy checklist, and I'll bet that, at any point in time, a few of them will do the trick for you.
1. Don't rush your pattern
The first place to look when chasing your shot is before you prepare for the ball. You can fall into the habit of going faster than usual between shots, then setting up too quickly. To slow down, take a deep breath. He took a deep breath. As you breathe in, imagine the tension leaving your body. Try it; it works for me.
Another point: Go through each step of your normal address-taking pattern. Do not shorten your pattern; you can speed up without realizing it. Swinging and exercising can also help. I really like the ''half practice swing.'' You swing slowly backwards, then in the middle. This does wonders for your tempo.
2. Speak to the addressee
Once you've hit the ball, check the speed of your waggle. The faster it is, the faster your regression will be. Also check your grip pressure. A quick pullback often results in a very tight grip, especially with the right hand.
Another requirement for a smooth backbend is a slight push forward with the right knee – usually a natural movement. If you're in a hurry, though, you're ready to leave it out; you may need to think carefully about the treadmill before it becomes a habit again.
The fourth most common error at address is pushing the club into the ground behind the ball. Invariably he will compensate by swinging the club back as quickly as possible. Let the club “hang” over your shoulders in the grass behind the ball, but slightly up off the ground. It makes slow, smooth starts in turns much easier. I do it and Jack Nicklaus does it, so you'll be in good company.
3. Come back down again slowly
One of the best ways I know to slow down a relapse is to think “low and slow.'' When you think ''down,'' the left shoulder should move back with the arms and legs as one piece. Think ''slow'' and it's natural for your left leg to go earlier when you come back to match the upper body movement. Starting the big muscles of the shoulders and legs as soon as the backswing starts automatically makes you swing back at a good tempo, because these muscles cannot move quickly.
Conversely, when you swing back too quickly, it is usually the result of the small muscles of the hands and wrists working independently. They take the club quickly, and the big muscles give very little of late. You will never achieve a full windup in the hips, shoulders, arms, hands and club. Because of that, you throw from the top, come on the ball and quickly.
4. End the retreat
No matter which way you cut it, you'll never get a good reduction from an incomplete regression. However, that's exactly the problem when you turn back too quickly – you start over before you get hurt. That's why I like the idea: Swing the club back. The word “'all'' is key. Each of us has an optimal windup – optimum hip turn, optimum shoulder turn, long arm swing and good hand cock. You have to take the time to allow these things to happen.
Wait until you feel like your hands and the club have reached a good “'slot'' behind you. Chances are good that you're swinging back at a good tempo and that your hips, shoulders, arms and wrists are working well. You feel like you have all the time in the world to swing back. That's the feeling to have.
5. Wait for the 'pull'
Bobby Jones said you have to start from the bottom with a relaxed approach to the ball. I agree. The only place in the swing where the club should fly is from hip high in the downswing to hip high in the follow through. Start off too fast and you can still hit early and waste your energy long before you get to the ball.
That's why it's a good idea to wait for the “pull”. You feel this pull down action in the left arm, which results in allowing the left heel to come back down and the left knee to the left, the former moving in a right downward turn. Once you take the time to do this important lower body movement first, you can let it go safely, and, in Jones's words, “free wheel” the ball and go to the end.
6. Set your key
If you have a favorite tempo key, write it down where you can see it. One tour player I knew stuck a label with the word “Tempo” on his driver's decal. If I were to do something like that, I would use the words “one-two” — the small “one” to represent the low and slow back, and the large “two” to speed up the impact. Other places you can put the keys are on the back of your glove or stamped directly on your golf ball.
7. Choose the right club
One of the reasons you are rushing the shot may be that you are not taking enough of a club. If you tend to choose a club that you have to hit hard and hard to get the ball into the hole, then you are putting unnecessary pressure on your swing; you run the risk of rushing the gun every time. Try to take one more club than usual; you will swing slowly and easily knowing that you can get the ball up to the club. You may be behind a few greens, but most of the time you will hit the ball the right distance.
8. Take off your shoes
If you're running out of steam and nothing you've tried works, here's my foolproof solution. Go to the practice area, take off your shoes and hit shots on your stock feet. Without spikes to hold you steady, you'll lose your balance if you swing too fast. But live with it. After more shots, you will begin to slow down your swing and connect the ball more firmly. Put your shoes back on and continue swinging at the same time. I think you like the results.
