FROM THE TEE

Black Magic Timing

If it helps, add some swing to your swing

Thinking back a few years ago, at the Willow Point Country Club Men’s Club Championship, I was in the middle of the first fairway, preparing to hit my first approach shot, when suddenly, I could hear the song Jessica by the Allman Brothers Band playing. I thought it was coming from a car driving into the club, so I backed off the shot and waited a moment. The volume of the song didn’t change, so I asked the players in my group, “Do you guys hear the Allman Brothers playing from somewhere?” One of my fellow competitors proudly spoke up and said, “Oh yeah, I love them. It’s coming from my Bluetooth speaker.”

I said, “They’ve been one of my favorite Southern Rock bands since 1971, and I would be delighted to listen to them between shots, but I really need for you to pause it while I’m preparing to hit a golf shot.”

He understood and didn’t waste any time complying with my request. There were no hard feelings, and we had a great time playing together that day.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I cannot play golf when music plays in the background. It possibly influences me more than some people because I was a drummer for many years. If a song is a smooth tempo, I’m going to swing smooth, and if it’s a fast tempo, I’m going to swing fast.

The fact of the matter is, I swing and/or think at the same tempo of the song that I hear playing.

When I was in school, from the seventh grade until I graduated high school, I played drums throughout the school year and then played golf all summer long. During the school year, there were all sorts of parties my band would play at during the fall and winter. I played golf on the junior and high school teams, but it wasn’t as demanding of time back then as it is today, and I could still play with the band throughout spring. Summertime was all about golf, but still, there was a lot of time dedicated to music in my youth.

One summer day, while practicing golf, I discovered that the song Black Magic Woman, by Santana, was the perfect song to play in my head while playing golf. It allowed me to maintain a good tempo, especially the keyboard intro of the song, so much that I figured I was doing well because of the music. I then thought, maybe I could be more productive listening to music while I practiced. The next day, I brought a transistor radio to practice and tuned into my favorite radio station, and began to hit balls. After about six songs, I was spraying the golf ball all over the range

and not hitting the ball solidly at all. It was then that I realized I was swinging to From the One quick plug about Central Alabama Community College Golf: the tempo of each song, and it caused my swing to become very inconsistent. Tee The boys are presently preparing for the national championship, which

A great way to practice rhythm, will be played at The Rawls Course in especially putting, is by downloading a Lubbock, Texas. The team is in the same metronome app to the phone. Tune the position in the polls as we were in 2019 metronome to a pace that allows for a when we won this championship, fifth smooth putting stroke. I first saw this in the country. when watching Lee Williams practice at In 2013, CACC Golf won the National Willow Point years ago. The first time I Championship in Lubbock. I know the saw him using the metronome, my mind course reasonably well – but so do the wandered back to Black Magic Woman. other coaches, especially those in Texas.

Several of my golf team members We’ve got a good chance, especially and many other good golfers practice with Hayden Carner, our freshman. He while wearing earbuds. I often ask the is ranked third in the country and has guys what they are listening to, and sometimes I’ll ask to hear the song. If Dave Jennings finished in the top five in every event of the year, along with two wins. We also they listen to their earbuds while hitting have Tanner Guthrie, who just posted a balls and begin to spray their shots, the 64 at our district championship. If the first thing I tell them is to do is: put the music remainder of the team steps up, we’ve got a shot at away. After a short explanation, they buy into it the Trojans bringing home national championship and complete their day of practice without the number eight in May. Go Trojans! music.

I prefer to listen to what nature is playing rather ~Dave Jennings is the men’s golf coach at Central than Sirius Radio; however, if music is required, Alabama Community College. play it, but please be courteous to everyone else on the course and in your group.