Golf Tempo Drills (Try These When Your Swing Feels Off)

Do you ever hit a drive off the first tee and instantly know it will be a good day on the course? The secret? It could be your tempo. When your tempo is on, the game is just easier. The next time your tempo feels off, try one of my favorite golf tempo drills before frustration sets in. These drills will help you remember what easy golf feels like. 

What Is Tempo?

Tempo refers to the pace of your swing. The easiest way to think about “tempo” is to think of it as the “rhythm” of your swing. Although there is no perfect formula for good golf tempo, many great players have a 3:1 backswing-to-downswing ratio. 

What does that mean? Take three counts (1, 2, 3) to swing the club back and one to swing down and through. Players with great tempo keep it consistent regardless of the shot being played or the club in their hand.

Having said that, tempo can change slightly in the short game and many golfers find a 2:1 ratio effective for shorter shots. 

4 Golf Tempo Drills To Get Your Tempo Back 

I’ll give you four of my favorite golf tempo drills. I suggest trying each of these but, ideally, find one that becomes your go-to drill when things are not going your way. 

Two-Ball Drill

This is a drill I use not just for tempo but also when I’m struggling with takeaway issues in my swing. I usually start this drill with a pitching wedge but you can use any short or mid iron. 

Put two golf balls down in front of you. Place one ball about three inches behind the other. Set up to the first ball and you should knock the second ball out of the way on the backswing. When you come through, there is just one ball left and you’ll hit it pure. 

Why Does This Work?

The most important part of this two-ball drill is that you must slow down the backswing just a bit to hit the second ball. This will get the club on the proper path at the right pace. When your tempo is off, you are likely rushing the takeaway, which makes it difficult to recover. A rushed takeaway can leave you with clubface and path issues. Try this drill and you’ll see your overall tempo improve. I usually notice cleaner contact and better distance after working with this drill. 

“Pause At The Top” Drill 

One of the simplest drills for improving golf tempo is to pause at the top of your golf swing. This pause is not long; it just helps you establish a transition point from the backswing to the downswing. You can incorporate this at the top in practice swings or when actually hitting a golf ball. 

A lot of amateur players run to the first tee, grab the driver and swing incredibly hard and fast with no regard for rhythm and tempo. This drill and even the mental concept here help stop that feeling of being rushed. 

Why Does This Work?

The pause at the top of the swing helps ensure all the moving parts are able to do their job. Your lower body will turn, your shoulders will turn and you’ll feel what it takes to have a more controlled and deliberate tempo. 

Give it a try. You can even practice this using a training aid like the Orange Whip or Tour Feel. 

“Feet Together” Drill

I love using the feet together drill for young people learning the game. When you give someone a stick and a ball, their natural instinct is to go after it with all their speed. This isn’t a bad instinct. However, you must learn to do it the right way. 

For this drill, hit shots with your feet completely together. At setup, the ball will be right in the middle of your feet. To get solid distance and trajectory, you will need to make a turn where the body and arms work together. 

You’ll also have to ensure you stay on your feet; it’s hard to maintain balance when swinging like this. 

Rotate through towards the target on the downswing. 

Start with your wedges and then increase to mid irons. Although you can practice this with your driver, I find it most effective with the short irons. 

Why Does This Work?

Standing with your feet together simplifies the golf swing and makes it easier to focus on better tempo. You can do this as part of your pre-shot routine and it’s quite effective. 

Metronome Practice 

The three drills I’ve given you so far don’t require training aids or gear. If you want to incorporate more into the drill, you can use a metronome app as you practice. Set a beat that matches your ideal swing tempo and practice swinging in time with the beat. 

There are some golf tempo apps out there that let you set your tempo to match great players but a free metronome app will do. Experiment with a few different beats until you find yours. 

Remember, chipping, pitching and putting will be different from a full swing (3:1 for full swing, 2:1 for short game, 1:1 for putting).

Why Does This Work? 

Metronome apps give you an audio cue to know you are swinging at your ideal tempo. It’s a great thing to have set up on the driving range as you practice. 

Can I Just Slow My Swing To Get Tempo Back?

Poor tempo can make you feel like you are swinging too fast. However, slowing the swing is not the solution. In fact, when you slow things down, you will probably lose distance and maybe even keep the face open through impact. Instead, you want to work on your rhythm. 

Final Thoughts

With these golf tempo drills, you’ll feel more in control of your swing and hit consistent shots. The next time somebody tells you, “Just slow down,” take it as a clue that your tempo may need some work. However, simply slowing everything down will likely not help you perform any better. Take a few swings using these drills to get your tempo back.

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