Find the sweet spot every time with this 3-club drill

Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a GOLF.com series where the game’s brightest minds share their tips to help you, well, shave strokes! Today, GOLF Top 100 Teacher to Watch Adam Smith teaches you how to boost your tempo and improve your contact with his three-club drill.

Many amateur golfers make the fatal mistake of over-swinging in an effort to generate more distance. But, longer swings actually work against you because they reduce control and result in off-center strikes that kill your power.

Fortunately, getting your swing under control is easier than you think. All you need to do is throttle back and focus on tempo. 

Swing at 75 percent

I always say: Tempo isn’t how fast you swing, it’s how you swing fast. And, a great trick for developing a swing that is powerful and controlled, is to hit shots at about 75 percent. 

It might sound counterintuitive, but, reducing your swing force improves your delivery and produces more efficient, center-face strikes, which means higher ball speeds and more distance. 

Want to experience the benefits of a smooth-tempo swing? Boost your contact and consistency, and even add a few yards back onto your game with my three-club drill.

Short Game

My 3-club drill for tempo 

For this drill, it’s best to start with a target that’s 100 yards away. Next, grab the club you would typically hit from this distance as well as the next two lower-lofted clubs in your bag. For example, if you usually hit a 100-yard shot with a pitching wedge, grab that, plus your 9-iron and 8-iron. 

Now, imagine a green around your target. Your goal is to land as many shots on this “green” as possible. You’ll get 10 attempts with each club, hitting your highest lofted option first. As you track your progress, pay attention to your ball flight and distance control for each club. 

Once you’ve finished, tally up your total. You might be surprised to find that you were more consistent with the lower-lofted clubs. That’s because, unlike the highest lofted option, these clubs required a switch with less effort, which in turn, smoothed out your tempo. 

And, you can use this drill from any distance. Try it with long irons and even your woods to inject a bit of rhythm back into your game.