APPROACH · DRILL GUIDE
Approach Tempo
Three tones for every approach shot, at takeaway, the top and impact, at one of six tempos, with a wave on screen to swing along to, so every iron, hybrid and wood into the green has the same rhythm.
Free in your browser. Also on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
WHY IT WORKS
The problem, and the fix
Into the green the swing often rushes from the top or slows down to steer it, and a change of tempo changes the contact and how far the ball carries.
The goal: One rhythm for every approach: change the club, never the tempo.
An uneven rhythm makes the carry a guess, so the right club still comes up short or long.
How it works
Five steps from opening the drill to your first logged result.
- 1Pick a tempo with the slider or a quick-set button under it: they stop only on six tempos, 24/8 (the slowest) to 14/5 (the quickest), the backswing and the downswing in video frames at 30 a second. The keyboard button types any backswing in frames instead. It starts at 18/6; the ratio starts at 3 : 1 and can be changed in Settings, where your choice is kept.
- 2Press Play. The wave scrolls toward the line: it rises to the top, falls to impact, then dips through the finish.
- 3Start the club back on the first tone, reach the top on the second and strike the ball on the third. The top tone can be turned off in Settings.
- 4Set up the next ball during the pause (longer or shorter in Settings). Press Pause between sets: each set is logged with its tempo and how many strokes it lasted.
- 5Press Finish when you’re done, and write down how the tempo felt.
SEE IT IN ACTION
On iPad, iPhone and the web
Approach Tempo looks the same everywhere: in your browser on a phone, a tablet or a computer, and in the iPhone and iPad app.
Coaching tips
No fixed length — most sessions run 5–15 minutes. Finish whenever you like: a session saves itself from the first reps.
Hit 100 approach shots with the metronome. Every badge is a coin on the drill’s Progress page.
No phone? Print the practice sheet. Add up the Strokes column for your total. The tempo you circled Smooth most often is your tempo.
Questions
What do I need?
Irons, hybrids or fairway woods + balls, any range or net.
How long is a session?
No fixed length — most sessions run 5–15 minutes.
How do I score it on the practice sheet?
Add up the Strokes column for your total. The tempo you circled Smooth most often is your tempo.
Which badges can I earn?
5: First session, 100 strokes, 1000 strokes, Steady set and 3 days in a week. Each one lights up on the drill’s Progress page.
Can I use it hands-free?
Yes. Turn on Hands-free in the drill and say each result out loud, and “undo” or “finish”. It works in browsers with speech recognition, such as Chrome and Safari, and in the iPhone and iPad app. You can always tap instead.
Do I need an account?
No. Practice as a guest and your sessions stay on that device. Sign in with Apple, Google or email to keep them in your account, on the web and in the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch app.
Ready for Approach Tempo?
Open it in your browser and log your first rep. Practice as a guest, or sign in to sync with the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch app.
By David Golfs · Questions? david@davidgolfs.com