I am a newbie on here. I did a search for info on Tour Tempo and came up with a few older threads, but wondered if anyone was experimenting with Tour Tempo currently? I am - started yesterday - having devoured the book in short order.
by way of background I am 47, 6' 1", 180lbs and have kept in reasonable shape despite a dodgy back and an old knee injury. I now stretch regularly and work out some. In the last three years I have listened to Dr Bob and Dr Karl and am mentally much more together. It must be said also that I am not normally one for "snake oil" solutions and am normally in the Hogan camp - dig it out of the dirt, one swing at a time. This approach has served me well I think, as I am now able to self-diagnose on the fly if I am having a poor day. Also I have kept round stats for a few years and this has enabled me to focus on those areas of the game where I need to focus additional practice. I am not a long hitter but I am pretty straight and have a tidy short game. I have been fitted for my clubs to optimise distance. So to summarise: Equipment, fitness, flexibilty, focussed and targeted practice, mental game - all works in progress obviously, but nevertheless at least I have addressed all of the obvious routes, right? Result? I play off 4.5 and that is my lowest handicap ever.
But I know I can go lower...
So why experiment with Tour Tempo? Like everyone (except Bubba, JB, Alvaro etc maybe) I would like to be a little longer - not just off the tee but with my irons too - and consistency can always be better for all of us. I have always been a smooth swinger but how to find more (straight!) yards? I recognised a little while ago that swinging longer ie. more width pulled my not-so-supple frame out of alignment and resulted in greater inconsistency. The only thing I hadnt dared mess with was timing - my swing repeats well, hence the consistency, and it has always been one of my sacred cows; everything else is up for negotiation, but not the timing. But I got to thinking - what if the timing IS part of the problem?
The Tour Tempo book is fascinating on the subject, so I looked at my timing on a V1 video analysis I had done in December and voila! There it was - I am too damned slow!
SO ipod chirping away in my ear it was off to the range for me last night. Drills first without a ball to find my prefered tempo (24-8) for about ten minutes until I got reasonably comfortable with it then the moment of truth. Six iron.
Now at this point I would like to tell you I watched it soar away into the distance. I would like to, believe me. But no - a top, followed by a shank, followed by another top. I found myself racing the clicks, and still fighting technical thoughts. So I relaxed and tried again. And again. After another 15 mins I was settling into my new tempo and was ripping the ball. Genuinely ripping it! I tried a wedge and blew it over my target green. Hmmm. AFter another few wedges at the new tempo I was controlling the distance pretty well.
The acid test - Driver. I can honestly say I have never hit my driver better: Straight, good flight and....wait for it.....drum roll please......LONGER!:clapp::blob: What can I say? The guy in the booth behind me summed it up for me. "Mate? Whatever it is on your ipod, make me a copy will you? It seems to be working whatever it is!". I turn around and see a guy in his 20s with a good swing, testing an R11. He tells me he is off 2 and would love to be able to swing as consistently as me one day...when I told him I was off 4.5 (5) he observed that with a swing like mine I must be an awful putter (cheeky 'stard).
I cannot wait to get to the course on Friday night...still some bedding-in, I know, but I am so excited!
Any other tales of joy (or woe) about the Tour Tempo?
by way of background I am 47, 6' 1", 180lbs and have kept in reasonable shape despite a dodgy back and an old knee injury. I now stretch regularly and work out some. In the last three years I have listened to Dr Bob and Dr Karl and am mentally much more together. It must be said also that I am not normally one for "snake oil" solutions and am normally in the Hogan camp - dig it out of the dirt, one swing at a time. This approach has served me well I think, as I am now able to self-diagnose on the fly if I am having a poor day. Also I have kept round stats for a few years and this has enabled me to focus on those areas of the game where I need to focus additional practice. I am not a long hitter but I am pretty straight and have a tidy short game. I have been fitted for my clubs to optimise distance. So to summarise: Equipment, fitness, flexibilty, focussed and targeted practice, mental game - all works in progress obviously, but nevertheless at least I have addressed all of the obvious routes, right? Result? I play off 4.5 and that is my lowest handicap ever.
But I know I can go lower...
So why experiment with Tour Tempo? Like everyone (except Bubba, JB, Alvaro etc maybe) I would like to be a little longer - not just off the tee but with my irons too - and consistency can always be better for all of us. I have always been a smooth swinger but how to find more (straight!) yards? I recognised a little while ago that swinging longer ie. more width pulled my not-so-supple frame out of alignment and resulted in greater inconsistency. The only thing I hadnt dared mess with was timing - my swing repeats well, hence the consistency, and it has always been one of my sacred cows; everything else is up for negotiation, but not the timing. But I got to thinking - what if the timing IS part of the problem?
The Tour Tempo book is fascinating on the subject, so I looked at my timing on a V1 video analysis I had done in December and voila! There it was - I am too damned slow!
SO ipod chirping away in my ear it was off to the range for me last night. Drills first without a ball to find my prefered tempo (24-8) for about ten minutes until I got reasonably comfortable with it then the moment of truth. Six iron.
Now at this point I would like to tell you I watched it soar away into the distance. I would like to, believe me. But no - a top, followed by a shank, followed by another top. I found myself racing the clicks, and still fighting technical thoughts. So I relaxed and tried again. And again. After another 15 mins I was settling into my new tempo and was ripping the ball. Genuinely ripping it! I tried a wedge and blew it over my target green. Hmmm. AFter another few wedges at the new tempo I was controlling the distance pretty well.
The acid test - Driver. I can honestly say I have never hit my driver better: Straight, good flight and....wait for it.....drum roll please......LONGER!:clapp::blob: What can I say? The guy in the booth behind me summed it up for me. "Mate? Whatever it is on your ipod, make me a copy will you? It seems to be working whatever it is!". I turn around and see a guy in his 20s with a good swing, testing an R11. He tells me he is off 2 and would love to be able to swing as consistently as me one day...when I told him I was off 4.5 (5) he observed that with a swing like mine I must be an awful putter (cheeky 'stard).
I cannot wait to get to the course on Friday night...still some bedding-in, I know, but I am so excited!
Any other tales of joy (or woe) about the Tour Tempo?
