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SWOLF
Rating
SWOLF (swim + golf) is a swimming efficiency metric: the time in seconds per pool length plus the number of strokes over the same segment. As in golf, the lower the total number, the better.
In detail
SWOLF allows you to separate pure speed from technique efficiency: you can swim fast but inefficiently (many strokes, high SWOLF) or slower but more economically (lower SWOLF). Most sports watches with a swimming function calculate SWOLF automatically.
How to use it
Don't chase the lowest SWOLF at any cost — an artificially drawn-out, infrequent stroke aimed at a nice number may actually be slower in a real swim; use the metric as a guide to technique, not as the sole goal.