Why Slower Was the Breakthrough
The Day I Stopped Trying to Swing Fast
Settle in. Let’s talk golf.
I thought swinging harder meant swinging better.
For months, I attacked the ball.
Fast takeaway.
Quick transition.
Everything aggressive.
It felt powerful.
And sometimes?
It was.
But more often:
• I yanked it left
• Blocked it right
• Lost my balance
• Finished cramped and off-center
I wasn’t swinging.
I was rushing.
The Problem I Didn’t See
My swing felt athletic.
But my tempo was chaotic.
Back and down happened almost at the same speed.
1:1.
Or worse.
There was no rhythm.
No space.
No sequence.
Just effort.
The 3:1 Discovery
I came across research from John Novosel that said elite players — regardless of how far they hit it — swing with nearly the same tempo ratio:
Three parts back.
One part through.
3:1.
Not slow overall.
Just slow going back.
That detail changed everything.
What It Actually Felt Like
At the range, I tried something simple.
I counted:
“Slow… Calm…”
“Go.”
That’s it.
Slow back.
Calm at the top.
Then commit through.
The first few swings felt ridiculously slow.
Like I was losing power.
But something unexpected happened.
Slower Created Speed
When I slowed the backswing:
• My transition stopped being rushed
• My arms stopped collapsing inward
• My body stopped spinning out
•My balance improved
And then…
The ball started flying straighter.
And farther.
Not because I tried harder.
But because I sequenced better.
The club was accelerating at the right time – not all at once.
Why This Works
When you rush the backswing:
• You lose structure
• You rush transition
• You compensate with your hands
• You swing out of order
When you add rhythm:
• You create space
• You allow natural sequence
• You extend through impact
• You finish tall
Tempo fixes more than most people realize.
Try This
Next range session:
Hit 10 balls with a deliberate 3-count backswing.
Don’t swing harder.
Don’t think mechanics.
Just commit to rhythm.
Then look at:
• Contact
• Start direction
• Finish position
You might be surprised what changes.
The Bigger Lesson
I wanted speed.
So I tried to manufacture it with effort.
Turns out…
Speed shows up when effort is applied in the right order.
Golf is rhythm.
Not violence.
The Next Shot
Your next shot doesn’t have to be perfect – just intentional.
Start with rhythm. The rest follows.
Have you ever tried slowing down and felt like you’d lose distance?
Try it – and tell me what happens.
Real Talk. Play Better.
Effort builds results.
