Tempo work--how to practice

Practice
#21

I’ve practiced with the Tour Tempo tones and it’s important to note for those not familiar with it…

…the underlying principle is a 3:1 ratio of time of the backswing to time of the down swing and through swing…

But…

…the actual speed of each part may vary - and will for different golfers - so different sets of tones are provided for you to test your swing against and find your best fit.

There are also full swing tones vs short game and putting tones which are based on a 2:1 ratio.

Re: Orange Whip
The OW Trainer can help you develop your tempo but does not itself inherently teach tempo … you have to listen to the Tour Tempo tones or other cadence to sync your swing to get a proper rhythm.
(Hope I explained that ok?)

Re: counting on your head
I like to swing doing that … noting again that I’ve practiced in the past with the TT tones … and count off my own “onnnne … and … TWO” rhythm.

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#22

There is another device that you wear on your glove made by zepp. I think it comes in just under $100. It pairs with an iPhone not sure about android. That’s along with Tour Tempo as everyone else had said are great keys to success.

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#23

yes, Zepp was a neat little device, but I’m not sure they are in business anymore. You might be able to snag one on the secondary market, but the “swing analyzer” category I believe is officially dead.

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#24

Say it ain’t so!! I have one still just haven’t used it in a while.

#25

I think people thought that category would explode when the wearable craze started 5+ years ago. They quickly found out that the market wasn’t as robust as they predicted in golf. A lot of companies make that mistake - they just assume because golf is a multi-billion dollar industry with people who have a lot of “disposable” income and that getting a small sliver of it will lead to riches.

It is hard to crack into this industry, that’s one thing I’ve learned over the last 5+ years evaluating products and getting to know a lot of companies involved. There’s a big graveyard of failed concepts.

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#26

I’ve played golf with Barney Adams… one of the things he told me was “The easiest way to become a millionaire is be a multi-millionaire and start a golf company!”

I think tech in golf is a hard sell, overall… mostly because it’s hard to show immediate impact from technology…

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#27

Not related to tempo …

…but Adams’ BGT putter shaft is a great example of an unquantifiable benefit…

#28

The Shot Scope seems pretty compelling–if I’m reading the benefits right, it charts every shot with distances and accuracy, and then can give you trend, spread sheets… Automatically. In the old days I used to do fairways, greens, and putts, and if really ambitious, left or right misses. I always thought that was a pain in the ass to collect and analyze, and I felt more like a bean counter than an athlete playing a game.

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#29

I swear by it. Took about a year to bite the bullet to buy the V2 as no one around here had one and it was like an absolute brick on your wrist. Like a mobile/cell phone from the mid 90s. Then they released the V3 this year, which is a much much improved watch.

But the stats are awesome. You’re paying for that insight plus the GPS/yardages in-round.

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#30

Finally overcome my Scottish tightness and spent the cash to download Tour Tempo tones. Seems a lot for a few sounds. If it works though… number 1 conclusion from my last round (and many others from 2020) is I need to work on tempo. Will report back

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#31

I think you’re going to get a lot of value out it, let me know how it goes!

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#32

@jon just wrapped your first “unnamed” podcast with @Adamyounggolf. Really enjoyed it! Regarding tempo, I too purchased the Tour Tempo app a couple summers ago. I admit, however, that I’ve not been consistent in practicing with it. My intent is to change that this year! One area for me to focus on is using the 3:1 tempo as part of my pre-shot routine for consistency. I demoed it in the basement after your podcast. Aligning the club face and then my feet to the 3:1 ratio seems quick, but perhaps if I work on it? Do you use the tempo beats as part of your pre-shot routine as the app suggests? Thanks!

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#33

glad you liked the episode!

When I first started using the beats years ago, I had them “playing in my head” while I went through my routine. As I got my tempo closer to 3:1 it’s become more ingrained in my swing so I don’t do that anymore, but I think it’s a good idea for those who are starting to work with them

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#34

I do. I run through 3 cycles of the 27:9 track in my head from stepping off to striking the ball. My pre-shot routine wasn’t resilient. I was constantly tinkering and it didn’t hold up under pressure. I’m mildly confident the Tour Tempo will help.

Something along these lines I posted in another thread:

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#35

Thanks @jon and @JohnM. I think with a little practice at home and this spring on the range, I can figure out the best number of tempo beat repetitions for me so that I’m always consistent. I want the same shot routine, like John stated, for every shot on every hole.

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#36

I’m completely musically-challenged so I don’t feel I can accurately replicate the correct rhythm & tempo in my head (I’m using 24/8), so fyi for anyone else who can’t carry a tune :wink: – what I try to do is sync … as closely as I can while practicing … a “word-count” of Back …Step … THROUGH! (where the “Step” is a reminder to shift the weight onto the front foot)

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#37

I think it’s Tom Watson who uses Edelweiss. It’s a song from the sound of music. However it’s a three syllable word that you can make into a perfect tempo of 3/1 by breaking it down

Ed el Weiss. Instead of thinking so much about a swing or the mechanics or when to do what, your body knows, you can sing a tune in your head.

Here is the song. It’s very old but it work:

http://www.songlyrics.com/the-sound-of-music/edelweiss-lyrics/

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#38

I also found Edel Weiss in my 2019/20 research quest to find a way to get my tempo under control. Edel Weiss didn’t work for me then, but now I have Tour Tempo tones I can envisage how it may work. Seems my brain needed to hear the actual tones in the correct 3:1 tempo before it would register! Eureka!

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#39

Yes, it is! Forgot about that … it’s on his DVD, “Game For A Lifetime”.

Will have to re-watch that!

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#40

Once you know the song it really makes a difference too. It’s a great drill.

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