Tempo-Rhythm - The Key for Golf Legends Past & Present

By: Bob Boldt


Thanks to the beautiful tempo and rhythm, the following legends have won over 400 tournaments, including major titles in the U.S. Open, British Open, Masters, and PGA Championship.

Sam Snead: 82 tour victories, seven majors, oldest player to win a PGA Tour event at age 52, oldest player to make the cut in a major, age 67.

I was playing a practice round with two other rookies at Quail Creek Golf Course in the Oklahoma City Open when we heard there was a contestant who was unpacking his travel bag and asking if he could join us on the back nine. We waited for him to arrive at the tee and, as he approached, we recognized it was Sam Snead. The conversation went something like this: "You boys playing for anything? Like to get some pocket change from an old-timer?"

I was in awe and couldn't believe I was going to be playing with Sam Snead. Thinking Sam just unpacked his travel bag and was placing a bet that I could possibly win - which would give me bragging rights forever - I agreed to a $10 wager including two-down presses. A $10 bet in those days was similar to a $100 bet today and I only had $30 in my pocket.

I teed off first, playing the 30 mph left-to-right wind away from OB on the left and hit it right down the middle of the fairway. I watched Sam line up to the right, aiming at the OB. I thought to myself: how is he going to play a hook into the wind aiming at the OB when he hasn't even warmed up? Sam hit a perfect draw away from the OB back into the wind with his ball landing in front of my drive. My first thought was, do I have enough money - with two-down presses - to get to my motel room?

After the round and $20 poorer, I asked Sam, "Why did you aim against a 30-mph wind and toward the O.B. when you hadn't even warmed up?"

"Listen rookie, never trust a man when he is unpacking his travel bag. If I was coming down from the range I wouldn't have gotten a bet from rookies, and remember this: if you don't learn how to hook the ball in Oklahoma and Texas you won't have enough money to get to the next tournament."

In parting, I asked Sam how his tempo was so smooth. "Rookie, next time you go the range take off your shoes and practice until you can hit the ball 250 yards without falling down. Once you can do this come see me and I'll take you as my partner."

Julius Boros: Two U.S. Opens, 18 PGA Tour wins, won the PGA Championship at Pecan Valley at age 48.

Boros was nicknamed "Mr. Oily" due to his having the slowest tempo of any professional ever recorded. It was once said a bird landed on his club in the backswing when he was in the rough during a PGA Tournament. The only modern-day professional near Julius's tempo would be Ernie Els.

I was playing with Julius in the Phoenix Open when I noticed he was humming during the start of his backswing. After the round, I asked him why he had been humming. Julius laughed and said it relaxed him and, "When I stop humming is when I start my downswing."

I didn't think much of what he said until I was giving a doctor friend of mine a lesson much later and told him about Julius's humming. During the lesson Larry said, "I know why he hums. You can't constrict your muscles while humming. If you take the club back too fast your muscles will tighten and you will not be able to hum."

Mr. Oily was so smooth that his shots actually looked like he was taking a practice swing. I remember when I was just a rookie, in my fourth tournament. I was playing with Julius and noticed that on the back nine his swing seemed to get even smoother, which I didn't realize was possible. I didn't think much more about it right then but after the round I remembered that Julius had been sipping regularly from a thermos, and I wondered if what he had in there might be helping him to swing so smoothly.

If so, maybe it would help me with my tempo. So I asked his caddie what he had in his thermos and the caddie said it was turkey and honey. I asked him, "How does he grind up the turkey, does he have a blender in his room for that or something? What does he do?"

The caddie looked at me bemusedly, shaking his head and said, "It's Wild Turkey and honey, you dumb rookie."

Golf Tip from Julius: Start humming during your backswing. If you take the club back too fast, when the backswing reaches the top the muscles will contract and you will not be able to hum.

Tony Lema: British Open, 12-time winner on the PGA Tour.

Nicknamed "Champagne Tony," Lema would buy all the reporters champagne after his wins. I had the good fortune to meet and play with Tony during my amateur days when he occasionally practiced at Orinda Country Club in California, which was the home course of my University of California golf team. Sadly, Tony died in a plane crash at age 32. He gave me his tip on tempo and the start of his backswing.

Golf Tip from Tony Lema: Start the takeaway with your arms moving first, as slowly as you can until you reach the point where your shoulder turn engages. This was Tony's version of the single-plane swing. I remember his words: "Watch [with your peripheral vision] your arms going back without moving your head as slow as you can, then move your lower body." This move is still being used by today's stars as "the one-piece takeaway."

"The Blur"

I can't remember who told me about the blur but I have been teaching this technique for over 40 years. I have had a 100-percent success rate using this flawless tempo method. It is similar to the beginning of Tony's move. At address, keep your eyes directly over the ball and watch the club head go back without moving your eyes off the ball. Your peripheral vision will see the club head go back. If your club head is a blur your tempo is too fast. If your peripheral vision can see the club head without it being a blur your tempo is correct.

Who Has the Best Rhythm & Tempo

Legends: Sam Snead, Julius Boros, Gene Littler, Al Geiberger, Roberto De Vicenzo

Modern-Day PGA Tour Professionals: Ernie Els, Chris Kirk, Ryan Moore, Freddie Couples, Kenny Perry, to name a few.

LPGA Professionals: The entire LPGA Tour.

Why do all the ladies have a perfect tempo? The ladies do not have the strength of the guys on the PGA or Champions tours and must use all the power they can generate from their bodies. Coiling the body completely behind the ball can only be accomplished by a slow, full tempo on the backswing.

Notable exception to slow tempo: Rickie Fowler - one of the reasons his scores are off the chart (both high and low).

A Pause at the Top

The transition from the backswing to the downswing has always been a slight pause at the top of the backswing by the world's best professionals, past and present. The most important factor in pausing at the top is a slow tempo and allowing the club head to set before starting the downswing. Another important factor is light grip pressure.

Tip: Standing upright, extend your arms directly in front of you, parallel to the ground with a loose grip. Move the club from the wrists directly in front of and back toward your head. You will feel the club head set your wrists with a loose grip, which is the proper setting of the club head on your backswing. If your grip is too tight you will not feel the club head set your hands. This a great way to feel what your grip pressure should be at address.

There are almost no exceptions to the pause at the top. Some players will pause longer than others, but every good player will have a pausing transition from backswing to downswing. This is not literally a stopping of motion, but a slowing down to allow the backswing and hand set to be complete.

Bob Boldt turned 77 in September 2014. Married for 31 years to Patricia, the father of two – including two sons, Rob and Jason, who are golf professionals and excellent players – played on the PGA and Champions tours for dozens of years, earning multiple victories in his amateur and professional careers.

Boldt, who attended Cal and became the Bears’ men’s golf coach, is a long-time native of Northern California and currently the director of golf at Vintners Golf Club in Yountville, where he is one of state’s most recognized golf instructors. He received the Northern California PGA Section Junior Golf Leader Award in 1999.