If you might be in that camp, you are missing the point entirely.
I’ve rooted for and watched Fleetwood grind for years. I’ve studied his swing frame by frame. I’m convinced what separates Fleetwood isn’t some secret sauce — it’s discipline most golfers won’t commit to. There are three specific things he does that you can steal, regardless of your handicap.
Master the Art of Tempo & Transition
What Tommy Does:
That backswing transition? Pure silk. Fleetwood never rushes, never jerks, never lets adrenaline hijack his rhythm. Doesn’t matter if it’s Thursday’s opening tee shot or Sunday’s back nine with everything burning down around him.
Watch him with the wind howling and you will see the exact same tempo he uses on the range warming up. That’s not natural talent — that’s trained discipline.
How You Can Apply It:
Your problem isn’t likely swing mechanics. It might be, but it’s more likely that you think golf requires violence.
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To dial in your tempo, learn to count beats as you swing; three going back, one coming down. That 3-to-1 ratio will feel impossibly slow at first, but stick with it. You will find out soon enough why this is so incredibly important to solid, consistent ball striking.
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Start with practice swings first, really trying to feel this new tempo. Then start to hit balls matching that practice swing tempo exactly. Start with wedges and work up to the driver without ever abandoning that rhythm.
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When you’re nervous over a crucial shot, and you have this idea and feel for a 3-to-1 ratio down, you can thank me via email.
I’ve clocked guys swinging “slow” at 80 percent effort, gaining 15 yards while hitting every fairway. Speed comes from proper sequencing, not effort
Develop Unshakeable Body-Arm Synchronization
What Tommy Does:
Everything moves together. Period. His arms don’t freelance or try to help. They’re along for the ride while his body does the work. Zero independent action, zero last-second compensations.
That connection repeats itself whether he’s hitting a 7-iron or trying to cut a 3-wood around trouble. This may be boring golf to watch, but one thing that you can’t deny is how efficient and effective it is.
How You Can Apply It:
Body leads, hands follow. No exceptions.
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To work on this aspect, make slow-motion swings where you start your downswing with a tiny hip bump toward the target. Let your arms respond naturally. Don’t force anything.
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Better yet, practice with your feet together. Sounds ridiculous until you realize it eliminates every bad habit at once. You can’t muscle it, can’t flip it, can’t throw your hands at it. Rotation becomes your only option.
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Feel that triangle between your arms and shoulders? Keep it intact. Once you groove that connection, you’ll wonder why you ever tried anything else.
3. Embrace the Power of Controlled Aggression
What Tommy Does:
Compact swing, short follow-through, clubhead stays in front of his body longer than most tour pros. Looks different because it is different. But check his dispersion patterns — tighter than a drum.
He hits controlled draws when he needs them, but never tries to overpower what the hole is asking for. Tommy makes a strong case that smart golf beats strong golf every time.
How You Can Apply It:
Distance is overrated. Control wins tournaments.
Most amateurs swing like they’re trying to impress someone. What impresses is the scores on your card, and that comes from consistent ball striking. How you get that done is irrelevant. Focus on center-face contact first, everything else second.
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Perfect strikes beat a pretty swing every time. With that in mind, practice hitting the sweet spot of the clubhead rather than hitting it far. What you’ll discover is that solid contact produces distance automatically.
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Pick one shot shape — draw, fade, straight — and own it completely. Having a reliable ball flight is critical in pressure situations. It takes all the guesswork out and allows you just to do what you do naturally.
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Balance is critical, so learn to hold your finish for three full seconds after every swing. If you can’t do it, you’re swinging too hard or in the wrong sequence.
Tommy shows up every week with the same fundamentals, the same process and the same commitment to doing small things correctly. That’s why he’s always in contention, even without the hardware to show for it yet.
The win will come. Good golf eventually gets rewarded.
These three principles don’t require athletic gifts or expensive lessons. Smooth tempo, connected movement, controlled aggression — you can build these habits on any driving range in America.
Most golfers chase the perfect swing. Smart golfers chase consistent execution. Your scorecard doesn’t care how pretty it looked
