“THERE’S ONLY ONE FAST MOMENT IN A SWING” says Mr. 59

GOLF WITH GEIBERGER

THERE’S ONLY ONE FAST MOMENT IN A SWING

Use It When It Counts!

By Al Geiberger

 

The relationship between tempo and timing was neatly expressed by a friend of mine named Dave Evans. He contended, and I’ve always agreed, that you have only one fast moment in each swing, and you had better use it when it counts.

 

That simply means if you use your one fast move too soon (very seldom, if ever, does it come to late), it won’t be there when you need it as you swing through the impact area.

 

If you take away the club from the ball too fast, or if you start down from the top of your swing too fast, all you can do from there is decelerate. Not only will you lose clubhead speed and distance, you also will lose accuracy, because those too-fast movements early in the swing will throw you out of control and keep you from striking the ball squarely.

 

If your swing is too fast, too soon, there are some keys that will help you slow down:

1. Think of trying to strike the ball before you reach your maximum speed. Feel that your one fast moment in your swing is coming after you strike the ball. You’ll also gain greater accuracy because it keeps the clubhead going down the target line longer.
2. Swing more slowly and easily at the right time, which is during the stages of the swing you can control, namely the backswing and the start of the forward swing, fully realizing that distance comes from clubhead speed. By thinking of swinging more slowly, you will save your fast moment for the right time.
3. Don’t mistake an easy swing for a patty-cake swing. There must be power and force in the golf swing for it to be effective.  When I get everything collected in good position at the top and get started down properly, I have a feeling of acceleration, of power, as I swing through the shot. There is no sudden burst of power. There is a gradual build up of centrifugal force on the clubhead until it is, hopefully, traveling at maximum speed when it contacts the ball.

 

Al Geiberger, with 11 PGA Tour victories and 10 Champions Tour wins, is the first golfer to ever shoot 59 in an official PGA Tour event. Al is available for lessons at The Golf Club at La Quinta; call him at (760) 771-0707.
Photo caption: The Original and first ever “Mr. 59” — Al Geiberger