Most golfers have too many swing thoughts. Elbow here, wrists there, hips this way, head that way. By the time you’ve run through the list, your rhythm has gone.
One of the neatest solutions we’ve come across is from coach Rob Akins, who built a set of swing cues around tempo itself.
The idea: three words back, one word through
In a Golf Digest piece called “Better Tempo, Better Swing”, Akins starts from John Novosel’s research in the 2004 book Tour Tempo: that virtually all good golf swings are built on a 3-to-1 ratio, with the backswing taking three times as long as the downswing.
To help golfers groove that rhythm, Akins came up with phrases of three words for the backswing and one word for the downswing. Saying them to yourself naturally sets a 3:1 rhythm, while also giving you something useful to think about.
He mentions that Nick Faldo used to think “Wind it up” as he turned back, and that Jack Nicklaus told himself “Low and slow” to start the swing.
All credit for these cues goes to Rob Akins, and for the 3:1 ratio to John Novosel and Tour Tempo.
Akins’s cues
For the downswing, Akins recommends one word for everyone: “Finish.” And he says not to stop until your body is facing the target.
For the backswing, he suggests choosing a three-word cue based on your typical miss:
If you fight a slice: “Drag it back”
Akins explains that many slices start with a takeaway that goes too far inside, which leads to re-routing the club outside on the way down. “Drag it back” (or “Push it back”, if you feel more lead-hand oriented) helps improve the path.
If you drive it short: “Relax the wrists”
Akins says soft wrists let you swing the club like a whip, hinging and unhinging naturally rather than holding tension.
If you hit it fat or thin: “Turn in place”
This is the one we find most relevant to what we measure. Akins warns against letting your body sway away from the target on the backswing, because it makes it harder to shift back and hurts impact. “Turn in place” keeps the lower body stable while the upper body winds against it.
Why simple cues work
A good swing cue does two jobs. It gives your conscious mind something simple to hold onto, which stops it interfering with everything else. And, in Akins’s case, the rhythm of the words matches the rhythm of the swing.
It’s also a great tool under pressure, because nerves tend to speed up the backswing. Three slow words are hard to rush.
How to find your cue
Step 1: Identify your main miss or habit
If you know your miss, start with Akins’s matching cue. If you’re not sure, a few swings on camera will usually tell you whether sway, posture or tempo is the main issue.
Step 2: Test it for one session
Hit 20 balls with one cue only. Say it in your head on every swing, three words back, “Finish” through.
Step 3: Measure the effect
Compare your swings with and without the cue. Did your tempo settle? Did your hip sway improve with “Turn in place”?
Step 4: Keep it or swap it
If it helps, keep it for a few weeks. If not, try another. Your cue doesn’t have to be one of Akins’s, as long as it’s three words back and one through.
How DE-SHANK helps
DE-SHANK is ideal for testing swing cues, because you can focus entirely on the cue while the app keeps score. Say “record” before each shot, swing with your cue, and our voice coach will talk you through the result. You’ll see tempo, head movement, hip sway and posture change scores from 30 to 100.
If “Turn in place” is working, you’d expect your hip sway score to improve. If “Finish” is helping your rhythm, your tempo score should become more consistent. See all our features. DE-SHANK is free during the beta. From launch it will be £12.99 a month for UK customers, with a 14-day free trial and no card needed; see our pricing.
DE-SHANK gives estimates from one camera view. It’s designed for practice feedback, to help you spot habits and track trends.
Common mistakes
- Using more than one cue. One cue per session.
- Saying it too fast. The words should match a smooth backswing.
- Stopping at impact. Akins is clear: keep going until you face the target.
Our take
Three words back, one through is one of the simplest tempo tools we know. It costs nothing and it travels well from the range to the course. More drills are in our Coaching Tips.
Try DE-SHANK free
Test your swing cue with real feedback. Try the free DE-SHANK beta. It’s free during the beta.
