Last week, I wrote about the training aids golfers are buying right now. Most of them are about setting up a place to practice such as nets, mats and putting setups. My advice was to build feedback tools into your process, too, because reps without feedback just groove whatever you already do.
The TempoKing Swing Trainer was sent to me to test and I’ve been working with it consistently. It’s absolutely a feedback tool that you can use with or without a golf ball.
What it is
TempoKing is a patented swing training club built to improve tempo, timing, sequencing and release through immediate audible feedback. A built-in piston travels down the club and clicks as you swing so you can hear and feel your timing. It needs no electronics or apps and you can hit real golf balls with it. The click also tells you something. A click that comes too early usually means you’re throwing your arms without your body and a late click usually means you’re holding on and then rushing.
Matching the head to your game
The iron head TempoKing offers isn’t one-size-fits-all which I haven’t seen on similar aids. TempoKing comes in four versions: Classic, Offset, Professional and a left-handed Offset. Offset heads are generally the most forgiving, built for golfers who want help squaring the face, similar to game-improvement irons. The Professional version is aimed at better players who want more feel and are comfortable with a head that rewards a pure strike. The Classic sits in between. The idea is to pick the one closest to the irons you currently play so what you feel carries over to your own clubs.
It’s also good to see a left-handed option since many training aids are right-handed only.
What I like
Hitting real shots is the big one. Having an actual club in your hand makes it much easier to take what you’re learning to the course.
The feedback is strong. The first time I hit a shot, I thought I’d broken the club and I half ducked. Within a few swings I liked it and I started wanting to make that sound (at the right time) on every swing which I think is the point.
I also like the reset. After each swing you turn the club over so the piston falls back and that forces you to reset yourself, too. You can’t just rake over another ball and go again. I think that pause adds to the mental benefit of the training.
The weight feels right for slowing me down and it works on tempo and release together. Does it work? For me, absolutely.
How I’ve used it
An injury this summer got me into a bad habit of letting my backswing get too long and I’ve been working to control it again. With TempoKing, my focus moves from where the club is at the top to feeling the weight of the TempoKing and just trying to hear that click at impact.
I’ve used it just as much without a ball as with one. It’s a good warm-up before heading to the course and even a daily club to swing if you’re gearing up for a winter of not being able to play.
What I don’t like
It’s loud and there’s a small learning curve before you stop flinching. The club is also a little long for me so I’d like to see a shorter version. At $199.99, you have to decide whether you’ll use it enough to justify the price.
Other tools I’ve tried
I’ve used similar tools including the ONE Club and Lag Shot. I didn’t like the ONE Club. It’s more complicated than it needs to be and I didn’t find it helpful. Lag Shot is a great tool but the feedback isn’t quite the same. It’s feel only, not feel and sound. The tools are different but TempoKing gets the edge for me.
Verdict
If you want feedback you can’t ignore on real shots and in simple daily swings, TempoKing is worth a look. Let me know if you have other questions I can answer about this training aid.
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