Stop Overthinking Your Golf Swing: Brandon Bauman’s Simple Keys to Better Golf

In this episode of On The Mark, Mark Immelman is joined by golf coach and content creator Brandon Bauman, known online as @coach_bauman, for a practical and entertaining conversation about simplifying the golf swing and playing better golf with clearer intention.

Brandon shares his approach to mental resets, swing balance, tempo, timing, leg action, speed, wind management, and playing smarter golf. His coaching style is simple, direct, and easy to apply, making complex golf concepts easier to understand for players of all levels.

The conversation begins with one of the most important parts of scoring: how to reset mentally after mistakes. Brandon explains how he breaks a round into three-hole matches, uses physical restart cues, and “reintroduces” himself on the tee to create a fresh start during competitive rounds.

From there, Mark and Brandon dive into the four pillars of the golf swing: timing, tempo, rhythm, and balance. Brandon explains why tempo does not mean slow, why a balanced finish still matters, how relaxed arms can create more speed, and why golfers should stop forcing speed with tension and handle drag. They also cover practical drills for better sequencing, improved leg action, more efficient speed, and better wind strategy.

If you want to simplify your golf swing, reset your mind, and play with more conviction, this episode is packed with takeaways you can bring straight to the range or course.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How to reset mentally after a bad shot, hole, or stretch of holes
• Why Brandon plays six three-hole matches during a round
• How physical reset cues can help you start fresh mid-round
• Why golfers need to learn how to “plug in” and “plug out” mentally
• Why balance remains one of the key pillars of the golf swing
• What a good finish position can tell you about your swing
• Why tempo does not mean swinging slowly
• How your personality can influence your ideal swing tempo
• Why handle-dragging can actually slow the clubhead down
• How timing and sequence can improve with a simple pause drill
• Why relaxed arms can help you swing faster
• How to use leg action correctly for power
• Why "sitting down" in the backswing can hurt your downswing sequence
• How one-handed swings can improve speed and release
• Why throwing the club can help golfers understand the “slot”
• How to adjust properly for wind, and
• Why golfers should play to carry numbers, not total distance.

Key Takeaways:

1. Mental resets are a skill, and they can be trained.
2. Breaking a round into three-hole matches can help golfers stay present.
3. Physical cues like changing gloves, changing tees, or marking the scorecard can signal a fresh start.
4. You cannot stay fully “plugged in” for four or five hours, so learn when to focus and when to relax.
5. The four pillars of the golf swing are timing, tempo, rhythm, and balance.
6. Tempo does not mean slow; it means the club and body are working together efficiently.
7. Your swing tempo should fit your personality and natural pace.
8. A balanced finish is still one of the best indicators of an efficient swing.
9. Speed comes from sequence, leverage, release, and relaxation — not brute force.
10. Pause drills and one-handed swings can help golfers find better timing.
11. The legs should work in the correct order: load, move down, then extend through impact.
12. Into the wind, the ball loses more distance than many golfers expect, and Downwind does not help as much as the wind hurts into you.
13. Playing to carry numbers instead of finish numbers can improve decision-making and scoring.

This episode of the OntheMark Podcast is loaded with simple, beneficial and easy to learn and apply golf-improvement insights.  Share it with your friends and watch it on YouTube to see some of the demonstrations.  Search for and subscribe to Mark Immelman.