Swim golf is a challenging and insightful swimming drill designed to improve a swimmer's stroke efficiency and overall speed by combining two key metrics: time and stroke count. The objective is similar to traditional golf: achieve the lowest score possible.
Understanding the Swim Golf Score
The core of swim golf lies in its unique scoring method. To calculate your swim golf score:
- Swim a designated distance for time: Typically, swimmers complete 50 yards or meters as fast as they can.
- Count every stroke: During this distance, meticulously count every stroke taken with both the left and right arms as they enter the water.
- Add time and strokes: Your total number of strokes is added to the time taken in seconds to yield your swim golf score.
For example, if you swim 50 yards in 35 seconds and take 40 strokes, your swim golf score would be 75 (35 seconds + 40 strokes). The lower the score, the more efficient and faster your swim.
Why Practice Swim Golf?
This drill is highly valued by coaches and swimmers alike for several reasons:
- Promotes Efficiency: It forces swimmers to find a balance between speed and stroke economy. Simply swimming fast with many strokes won't yield a good score, nor will swimming slowly with few strokes.
- Develops Pacing: Swimmers learn to feel their stroke and pace themselves effectively over the distance.
- Enhances Awareness: It makes swimmers more conscious of their technique, body position, and the power generated with each stroke.
- Identifies Areas for Improvement: By tracking scores, swimmers can pinpoint if they need to work on reducing their stroke count (improving glide and power) or increasing their stroke rate (improving tempo and speed).
How to Incorporate Swim Golf into Your Training
Adding swim golf to your routine is straightforward and can provide valuable insights into your swimming performance.
- Warm-Up: Begin with a thorough warm-up to prepare your muscles and cardiovascular system.
- Choose Your Distance: While 50 yards/meters is standard, you can adapt it to 25 yards/meters for beginners or 100 yards/meters for advanced training.
- Focus on Technique: As you swim, concentrate on maintaining good form, a strong pull, and an efficient glide. Avoid rushing or thrashing.
- Accurate Counting: Ensure you accurately count every stroke (each arm entry). Some swimmers use a hand tapper or have a coach count for them.
- Record Your Time: Use a stopwatch to get a precise time for the chosen distance.
- Calculate and Log: Immediately calculate your score and record it in a training log.
- Analyze and Adjust: Review your scores over time. If your score isn't improving, consider what adjustments you might need to make to your stroke technique or pacing.
Example Score Comparison
| Swimmer | Distance | Time (seconds) | Strokes (count) | Swim Golf Score | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 50 yd | 35 | 40 | 75 | Good balance of speed and efficiency. |
| B | 50 yd | 30 | 50 | 80 | Faster but less efficient (too many strokes). |
| C | 50 yd | 45 | 30 | 75 | Efficient but slower (could increase tempo). |
Note: Swimmer C's score is the same as Swimmer A, illustrating different paths to efficiency.
By consistently practicing swim golf, swimmers can develop a more powerful, efficient, and faster stroke, leading to improved performance in both training and competition.
