Choppography:
Take a practice swing first. Then, on the second swing, try and hit the ball.
When I get a jumpy meter, I start looking to take more practice swings (letting the meter swing through). It seems to be smoother the second time through.
Of course the ultimate tactic is to take enough (2) practice swings! Then, WGT puts up their Hey, dummie! CLICK MOUSE WHEN GREEN [ >|< ] BAR GETS HERE sign - which acts for a great visual cue.
That emphasis indicator on the ding line stays there until a split second before meter reaches ding ... concentrate on hitting right when the sign winks off, your reaction time will give you the ding.
CAUTION: 'off-ding' fans use at their own risk, lol.