Does anyone use the tempo feature of the “Sports Sensors Swing Speed Radar with Tempo Timer” (the red version of their radar product)? It looks like it just times the swing from takeaway to impact. Since it can’t give a ratio is this not helpful for tempo training? I want to get one of these for speed training and am really just wondering if the red version “with Tempo Timer” is worth paying extra for.
Hahaha. I’ll see if I can find all of the items…
Looking at Amazon reviews, it does just give a time of swing (vs a tempo ratio) but I think you can use that and the measured speed to find a consistent temp… It’s less about getting to exactly 3:1 and more about having a consistent swing around that speed… It might be best used in conjunction with a metronome app of some sort, to figure out the correct total time of a swing + speed, but once you know that a 100 mph swing should take you 3 seconds (All numbers made up) you can use that information to see what a 110 mph swing should look like (less than 3 seconds)
Probably not an ideal training aid for tempo, but some added feedback. Not sure the price difference.
Thanks for the input. The one with Tempo isn’t a lot more expensive but I think I’ll just get the regular one since the tempo feature doesn’t seem ideal.
Edelweiss, Edelweiss - is the downswing on the first syllable of the second 'Edelweiss" ? I’ve been looking for an appropriate song to hum or think, there are SO many songs (from the 60s and 70s rock, and many classical and pop songs) I know. - OK, admitting I’m over 60, LOL. Want to keep it simple, I’ve never addressed tempo up to now.
3 Likes
I guess it’s something like Edel to top of backswing then Weiss for downswing to impact.
I recommend Mike’s @Fit_For_Golf podcast episode where he discusses with John Novosel the Tour Tempo Tones. What surprised me was they play the actual tones so you can hear and understand the concept.
I posted a link here:
2 Likes
Thanks for the reply- listening to it now. Sounds like something to try on the practice range! I don’t have a problem with distracting thoughts while I swing on the course. Have no idea if my tempo is good or not…going to find out!
3 Likes
Adam Bazelgette at SGA has a tempo app on the Scratch Golf Academy app. All you need is sign-on and password.
2 Likes
@jon Jon, I accidentally posted a question as anonymous but was asking a question about any recommendations for what tempo you’d set a metronome in 3:1 if 100-110 driver swing speed? Anyone already done that work?
If not I’ll do some testing and repost in the future.
Found this free app that has various tempo tones https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dartdroid.lunchcode
Tempo, is born with and/or grooved into a habitual pattern.
To ask a fast talking walking person to slow down on the golf swing with a slower/smoother tempo, is asking the person to something unnatural.
Rather than asking a person to change the natural pace the person is comfortable doing all their life with every facet of their life. A good golf instructor will tailor to the individual’s need.
All there is the matter for the golf swing on the going up is to set the swing, no need to be parallel at the top if the person physically not able to do so. All it matters on the going down and through is to accelerate through the impact.
Tempo is a very personal thing. Can it be changed? Of course, but why change the golf swing tempo against what’s natural with the person?
A strong person who has little flexibility will normally have a quick and jerky golf swing. It is okay for this person to only lift his elbows to chest height as long as his arms and wrists are set. Same thing as for a smooth talking and slow waking person who can demonstrate a long and graceful golf swing but seemingly lack the power of “hit” through the impact. I would just encourage/emphasis the acceleration through the golf ball instead trying to change his tempo to a faster one.
So may examples from top players who had a great career and then decided their golf swing was not perfect; seeking out changes to their tempo, swing path … guess what? Never see their names on top of the leaderboard again.
Some of the inside story which was not reported to the media was, the injury was one of the major reason why these top golfers tried to change their proven golf swing. To prevent further injury and prolong their career. By changing what brought them to the top, they lost the winning edge because a total revamp of a lifetime habit is not impossible but very few would have enough time and the ability to make the transition.
Jack Nicklaus did it, after his injury and the double hip replacement.
If there is a simple way to change a person’s tempo of golf swing; please, share, because the application of it could be much wider and huge benefit/profit will be involved.
This is a digital age, so loads of us wish to achieve the “perfect” tempo, swing path… Some goal would be unreachable.
Same as the numbers from a L/M, everyone is chasing the perfect launch angle and the spin rate. Without the speed to go with those numbers, it means little for the result.
Bring the game to the golf course. I had been beaten by a golfer who had a really short and choppy golf swing, being strong as he was, he had bad knees. His short and choppy golf swing out distanced most of us who played in the group, a few single digit golfers scratched their heads and could not understand why such a choppy golf swing would work.
Or, we could spend the time looking into the full length mirror holding on to the ballet rail to practice a perfect tempo and golf swing.
It’s not the duration of the tempo that the training is supposed to hone, Dewsweeper: it’s the relative proportion. You can be Nick Price or Fred Couples, but both of them—allegedly—exhibit that 3:1 backswing:downswing ratio.
1 Like
Love the analytical mind which has to put a value on everything we do.
I get it. Next time I’ll bring a stop watch to the driving range.
Sometimes it happens just because the acceleration through brings close to 1:3 ration to the up swing does not mean it’ll work for everyone.
I’d bet more than half the golfer could not come close to the “ideal” 1:3 speed ration unless they bring the back swing unnaturally slow for them. Which in that case will interrupt the their natural “tempo”.
Anyway, what do I know; let the kids have fun with the numbers, because they want to quantify everything in life.
If a golfer who has a slower swing speed, by achieving the “ideal” launch angle and spin rate, I’d bet he will not have his maximum distance for his game.
What is good may or may not be good for everyone.
Fred Couples’ golf swing supposed ( been told that) to have a 1:3 down swing : back swing ratio. Would that work for someone who could not generate the club head speed like he does ?
It’ll be interesting to find out. Wouldn’t it ?
Go take a look at the research behind it. It was one of those things that was stumbled upon, IIRC, by somebody doing film or video editing. The person behind the theory didn’t reason their way to it; it was just something noticed when cutting swing clips for a telecast.
It’s weird, I agree.
Not a whole lot of different than the "accelerate through impact!
trying to quantify something which can not be standardized with population is a paradox with the modern digital thinking. Works on theory but not always in practical sense.
I had known a few renowned scientists/internet/cyber tech , their doctorial theses were perfect from top research education environment. However, they also failed in putting theory into practice.
Not at this time. Mostly the hardware could not match up with the theory ( software).
Same as golf, theory could make perfect sense, if human body can be calibrated. Not only we’re build differently, process our thought /logic track differently, there is the tangibles of injury, distraction…
Would it be more correct for me to have a 1:2 ration instead of the “ideal” 1:3?
If I must quantify, most the good local golfers I had the pleasure sharing time on the golf course are more 1:2 ratio range.
Simplify the numbers by the old school teaching of “accelerate through impact” still holds true without any argument of whether it’ll work for most of the golfers.
I recall in one of the video interview from Ben Hogan , who is not a large person but was one of the longer hitter during his prime, question was, how does one hit it longer? His answer was simple. Accelerate through impact. Pretty certain that he learned that from someone else and proven by his own practice.
The point is not to dispute what you had brought up; it is barely my personal opinion that trying to make sense by quantifying everything in life will probably not going to work well.
I’ve been doing some tempo training with my putting… it’s helped a ton…
I played around with BPM until I found one that seemed to match my natural gait… then i took it to the putting green…
It’s been very promising.
The solution isn’t for me to be perfect on my tempo, but just to have it guide me into a more consistent putting stroke.
Tempo work isn’t creating a perfect tempo, it’s about finding consistency in movement.
One beat back, one beat to impact, one beat to stop… it allows me to focus on the pendulum movement and keeps my putter swing tight… I’m not exactly on the beats, but it gives me a good framework to follow.
The tempo thing is weird, but it does seem to work. Most sports do require some sort of timing/rhythm to maximize potential of whatever the motion. I’ve used Tour Tempo and it does work for me. You get to react to the tones though. I think part of what makes golf hard is that it is not reactionary which is why many have no issue hitting a baseball pitch, but can’t hit a stationary golf ball.
The Tour Tempo tones can be a crutch like a swing aide so you need to alternate using them and not using them…at least for me.
3 Likes
You’re also not trying to control the direction of the baseball…at least I was never good enough too 
I feel like I had more ability to control where I hit the baseball than where I hit the golf ball lol.
I remember taking a lesson probably 20 years ago and the pro told me I was getting “ball bound”. He stood off to the side and rolled balls at me and I flushed almost every one. He never asked me to hit it high, low, left or right, but I wonder if I could have lol.
1 Like
I’ve got ye olde slowwww back swing, so my Tour Tempo is 27:9. Tried 24:8 which worked on the range but not on the course.
I love TT for a different reason…gives my mind something to fill it besides “swing thoughts.” I just hum the track 
1 Like