{"id":697773,"date":"2026-05-27T19:45:07","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T19:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/697773\/"},"modified":"2026-05-27T19:45:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T19:45:07","slug":"ben-crenshaw-shares-8-keys-for-a-smooth-swing-tempo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/697773\/","title":{"rendered":"Ben Crenshaw shares 8 keys for a smooth swing tempo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In\u00a0GOLF.com\u2019s\u00a0Timeless Tips, we highlight some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of\u00a0GOLF Magazine. This week, we look back at our October 1978 issue where Ben Crenshaw<\/a> shared eight keys for a smooth swing.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no greater compliment your playing partners can give you than saying you have a \u201csmooth swing.\u201d A silky smooth move \u2014 a la Fred Couples<\/a> or Ernie Els<\/a> \u2014 is not only aesthetically pleasing, but quite effective, too.<\/p>\n

But while these smooth swings may look effortless, they are anything but. A smooth tempo is crafted over years of practice, and honing it takes time to achieve.<\/p>\n

Ben Crenshaw is a prime example of this. And back in the October 1978 issue of GOLF Magazine, the two-time Masters champ shared eight keys for developing a smooth swing tempo. Check it out below.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

“><\/p>\n

Crenshaw\u2019s keys for smooth tempo<\/p>\n

Every golfer has done it. You rush one shot, then another, before you can recover, you\u2019ve made a bogey, a double bogey or worse. How can you recover your tempo? The first adjustment is a mental one.<\/p>\n

To slow down, say to yourself, \u2018\u2018Golf is a leisurely game. What\u2019s the point of rushing? The ball is not going anywhere \u2014 only I can move it.\u2019\u2019 Second, remind yourself of the good shots you\u2019ve hit; you didn\u2019t rush them, did you? Decide you will swing the same way on your next shot.<\/p>\n

Now that you\u2019re in the right frame of mind, here are some other techniques, not all of which will apply every time you have a spell of swinging too quickly. But they make a handy checklist, and I\u2019ll bet that, at any one point in time, a couple of them will do the trick for you.<\/p>\n

1. Don\u2019t rush your pattern<\/p>\n

The first place to look when you\u2019re rushing your shots is before you set up to the ball. You can fall into the habit of walking faster than normal between shots, and then of setting up too quickly. To slow yourself down, take a couple of deep breaths. Breathe in deeply. As you breathe out, imagine the tension draining out of your body. Try it; it works for me. <\/p>\n

Another point: Go through each step of your regular pattern of taking address. Don\u2019t cut your pattern short; you can speed up without noticing it. A practice swing also can help. I particularly like a \u2018\u2018half practice swing.\u2019\u2019 You swing slowly half way back, then half way through. This does wonders for your tempo.<\/p>\n

2. Take it easy at address<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019re over the ball, check the speed of your waggle. If it\u2019s too fast, your backswing will be too fast. Also check your grip pressure. A fast backswing often results from too tight a grip, especially with the right hand. <\/p>\n

Another must for a smooth backswing is a slight forward press with the right knee \u2014\u00a0normally an instinctive move. If you\u2019re rushing, though, you\u2019re apt to leave it out; you may have to think consciously of a forward press before it becomes a habit again.<\/p>\n

A fourth common fault at address is pushing the club into the ground behind the ball. Invariably you will compensate by jerking the club back too quickly. Let the club \u201chang\u201d from your shoulders in the grass behind the ball, but up slightly off the ground. It makes a slow, smooth start to the swing much easier. I do it and Jack Nicklaus does it, so you\u2019ll be in good company.<\/p>\n

3. Go back low and slow<\/p>\n

One of the best ways I know of slowing down the backswing is to think \u2018\u2018low and slow.\u201d If you think \u2018\u2018low,\u2019\u2019 the left shoulder has to move back with the arms and clubs as one piece. Think \u2018\u2018slow\u2019\u2019 and it\u2019s natural for your left leg to move early in the backswing to coordinate with the upper body movement. Starting the larger muscles of the shoulders and legs as soon as the backswing gets underway automatically makes you swing back with good tempo, because these muscles cannot move quickly.<\/p>\n

In contrast, when you swing back too fast, it\u2019s usually the result of the smaller muscles in the hands and wrists working independently. They pick up the club quickly, and the larger muscles contribute too little too late. You never achieve a full windup in the hips, shoulders, arms, hands and club. As a result, you throw from the top, come over the top of the ball and soon.<\/p>\n

4. Finish the backswing<\/p>\n

Whichever way you cut it, you\u2019ll never get a good downswing from an incomplete backswing. However, that\u2019s exactly the problem when you swing back too fast \u2014 you do start down before you ever get wound up. This is the reason I like the thought: Swing the club all the way back. The word \u201c\u2018all\u2019\u2019 is the key. Each of us has an optimum windup \u2014 an optimum hip turn, optimum shoulder turn, optimum length of arm swing and optimum wrist cock. You\u2019ve got to give yourself time to let these things happen. <\/p>\n

Wait until you feel that your hands and the club have reached that good \u201c\u2018slot\u2019\u2019 behind you. The chances are good that you will have swung back with good tempo and that your hips, shoulders, arms and wrists have worked properly. You feel you have all the time in the world to swing back. That\u2019s the correct feeling to have.<\/p>\n

5. Wait for the \u2018pull\u2019<\/p>\n

Bobby Jones has said that you should start down in a leisurely fashion toward the ball. I agree. The only area in the swing where the club has to fly is from hip high in the downswing to hip high in the followthrough. Start down too quickly and you can still hit too early and dissipate your power long before you reach the ball. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s why it\u2019s a good idea to wait for the \u201cpull.\u201d You feel this pulling down action in the left arm, which results from allowing the left heel to return to the ground and the left knee to move to the left, the first moves in a correct downswing. Once you\u2019ve given yourself time to make these essential lower body moves first, you can safely let it go and, in Jones\u2019 word, \u201cfree-wheel\u201d through the ball and on into a full finish.<\/p>\n

6. Set your key<\/p>\n

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 \u201cTempo\u201d across the decal of his driver. If I were to do something like that, I would use the words \u201cone-two\u201d \u2014 a small \u2018\u2018one\u2019\u2019 to represent low and slow back, and a big \u2018\u2018two\u2019\u2019 for the acceleration through impact. Other places to put keys on would be the back of your glove or stamped directly on your golf ball.<\/p>\n

7. Pick the right club<\/p>\n

One reason you\u2019re rushing your shots may be that you\u2019re not taking enough club. If you\u2019re habitually selecting the club you have to hit hard and solid to get the ball to the hole, then you are putting unnecessary pressure on your swing; you risk rushing the shot every time. Try taking one more club than usual; you\u2019ll swing more slowly and easily knowing you can get the ball up to the stick. You may be on the back of a couple of greens, but most times you\u2019ll hit the ball the right distance.<\/p>\n

8. Kick off your shoes<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re rushing the swing and nothing you\u2019ve tried works, here\u2019s a cure I use that\u2019s infallible. Go to the practice tee, kick off your shoes and hit some shots in your stocking feet. Without spikes to hold you firm, you\u2019ll lose your balance if you swing too fast. But stay with it. After a few more shots, you will begin cutting back on the speed of your swing and meeting the ball solidly. Put your shoes back on and continue swinging at the same tempo. I think you\u2019II like the results.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In\u00a0GOLF.com\u2019s\u00a0Timeless Tips, we highlight some…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":697774,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[443],"tags":[49,48,622,82],"class_list":["post-697773","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-golf","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-golf","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697773","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=697773"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697773\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/697774"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=697773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=697773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=697773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}