In December 2015, I wrote a Tip titled "T&T." Tempo and timing–tempo of the swing and timing of the trigger pull. I’d like to re-visit that Tip and expand on it. Why? Because patiently building the correct swing speed is nothing less than vital to increasing our X count and our consistency.

From the T&T Tip: ".....synchronizing of the muzzle and target creates a swing with precision, putting the muzzle on the right line and at just the right speed. Tempo - matching gun speed to bird speed - is the purest form of gun control, putting the muzzle into the right place at just the right time."

It is difficult for me to remember a student who arrived with too little gun speed. Everyone is moving their gun too fast. Much too fast. Requests are made for 50%, 60% and more swing speed reductions. There are a number of important reasons for this:

Slowing swing speeds, on purpose, greatly increases both gun control and precision.

The very first few inches of muzzle movement should be slow. This will allow, a) the eyes to visually guide the gun, and b) thus create a punctual muzzle/target intercept and alignment at the very beginning of the swing. While folks commonly believe the last third of their swing is the most important - and it may be - starting the swing correctly in the first few inches of muzzle movement - creating the critical bird/barrel intercept - greatly increases the odds the swing will finish correctly!

It is because a slower swing contains fewer errors that it is more efficient and therefore actually faster.

A slower swing is not only easier to see and control, it is so much easier to duplicate. This is the home address of "consistency."

Top shooters fully understand the need for precision in their swing, and explains why they are so smooth and deliberate with their movements. Not careful, but definitely precise. Consider slowing your swing so you can watch what you are really doing, especially way over there in the very beginning of your swing.

Be safe and I hope to see you out on the course.