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Practice Swings on full shots. Bad or Good?

Kobey

Kobey

I'm a French model
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I was thinking today about how some of the guys I golf with take an average of two practice swings on every shot. After 18 holes, they are usually done for the day, while I can play 36 or more holes without feeling it too much, and I very seldom take practice swings. It dawned on me that they are swinging three times to my one, assuming that we are about the same ability.

I can see the necessity to take practice swings on partial shots, but is it really necessary on full ones? Do they really help? I know I can take two beautiful practice swings, then shank it into the woods. It seemed like such a waste of time and energy that I stopped doing it except in some cases like difficult pitches, chips and putts.
 
Necessary? Probably not. Not full bore rehersals, anyway. BUT, it's all about routine.
I step up, one practice swing/rehersal brushing the ground (2 if I chunk the practice swing, that's bad mojo), and hit. That's just what I do and it feels odd any other way. I have playing partners who take 2 or zero swings, that's what they like. Whatever you're comfortable with, within reason. 20 swings will make you NO friends.
 
If you're taking a practice swing just to swing, then no it probably doesn't help.

But if you're trying to give your brain a rehearsal of a particular feeling, it certainly can help.
 
I'm trying to get away from practice swings on regular swings. I try not to do it unless I'm in a trouble spot where I need to verify that the club will get through the grass or to make sure that I've choked up enough to not dig a trench through a hillside.

I do take practice swings for putts and chips where I'm trying to rehearse speed.

Now, if I'm waiting for someone else to hit their shot, and I'm in a position where doing so won't distract them, I may take some "loosen up swings", but these are just to keep me feeling loose and are neither at full speed nor in line with my intended shot.
 
It really helps me get everything together for the upcoming shot. I typically never take a full swing, but more of a take away and a follow through. Just to get the path right without the fatigue
 
In the fairway or the tee box I usually take 1 swing. This is just part of my routine to get my mind focused on swing thoughts and make sure I go through my mental checklist of what I want to do. I think it's very important when you're in the rough to take real good, actual swings. You need to know how the long grass is going to react with the club. It will definitely change how I play my shot and even my club selection.
 
Only time I do full on practice swings is when it's a partial swing type of shot, and that's mainly to get the feel for the shot.

On full swings I might take it back partially, but that's just to get the feeling of where I want to be on my take away.
 
I take one practice swing, do a little bit of prancing (for lack of a better word) and swing.

Of course I don't care really what you do, but we have this one guy in our league that literally will stand over the ball 30 secs doing all these adjustments, and he duffs the ball 4 out of 5 times. That can make a round extremely frustrating. Then you get to the end of the hole and he's like "Yah, I got a 6." :angry:

At least if I duff it, it doesn't take me 30 secs to set up to do it. LOL. Sorry for the rant, this thread just reminded me of him.
 
I hardly ever take a practice swing on full shots....get set...waggle, waggle, then hit it!

finesse Wedge shots are a different story...I might take a couple of practice swings on those.
 
dcbrad said:
I take one practice swing, do a little bit of prancing (for lack of a better word) and swing.

Of course I don't care really what you do, but we have this one guy in our league that literally will stand over the ball 30 secs doing all these adjustments, and he duffs the ball 4 out of 5 times. That can make a round extremely frustrating. Then you get to the end of the hole and he's like "Yah, I got a 6." :angry:

At least if I duff it, it doesn't take me 30 secs to set up to do it. LOL. Sorry for the rant, this thread just reminded me of him.
Click to expand...

I played with a guy in our league last night who would literally stand over his ball for a minimum of 60 seconds with his feet together trying to get "lined" up. I'd say about 80% of the time he hit a really low line drive type of shot that was nowhere near where he was lined up. He was lucky his partner was a good golfer or it would have been 1 ugly score.
 
I don't take them except on the putting green
I don't think it matters either way as long as you keep the same preshot routine
 
I think they're necessary to get the right feel for a shot. I do think that some people get carried away with multiple practice swings but I feel they 1 practice swing can be very good to get the feel of the right shot.


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I have some degenerated disc issues in my back, so I approach a round like I only have so many shots in my back. And extra practice strokes add up quick. The only time I take a practice swing is when I have a tough lie, just to get a feel for what I need to do. Plus, I have a generally type A personality, & am a feel player, so getting over the ball & thinking too much spells disaster for me!
 
I always take a practice swing and I'd say its at about 80%. My reasoning is to get the feel of the swing as well as the feel of the lie. If the ball is sitting down, I want to know how grabby that grass is going to be etc.

I think it comes down to each persons routine and what makes them feel most comfortable. I think thats why its considered a disadvantage to not ground your club in a bunker. Much information can be gleaned from a practice swing.
 
Practice Swings on full shots. Bad or Good?

dcbrad said:
I take one practice swing, do a little bit of prancing (for lack of a better word) and swing.
Click to expand...

We promise not to rag you about your "prancing" at the MC Brad.

Ok, total lie.
 
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I think for me a practice swing is part of my routine. It gives me the feel for what I want my swing to mimic. The speed, positions and tempo are all felt in my practice swings. I can tell you that I can play as many as I need to with my practice swing zapping my energy.
 
Practice swings must mean something and not just be swings. They are necessary to me. I look at the ground after the practice swing to make sure I'm aligned properly and that my grip position is correct. I also want them to be exactly the same as the real shot I'm about to hit. Same with practice putter swings. I do a couple to get a feel for what I want to do. I see guys all the time with a 3 foot putt taking big long practice swings. Makes no sense to me.
 
I currently just step and hit but I am going to try and slow down some and maybe add a practice swing to my routine. I'm fighting a bit of a grip issue and I think a practice swing will help me sort it out.
 
I will usually take a 50% practice swing, then another but LOOKING at the target to get feel for the shot and distance. Because once I'm over the ball I don't look at the target anymore, I have my lineup spot a foot or so in front of the ball. And once I'm over the ball it's a breath out, forward press and go. I don't think about what my left arm is doing, where my knee is, which direction my belly button is pointed, etc... 40 years of muscle memory and <mostly> confidence in my swing makes it possible.
 
I think everyone is different. For me, I rarely take full practice swings. I usually focus on one small thing like the feeling of the club on takeaway or just holding my hands on a follow through at most Ill take half a swing to get both feelings.
 
I need to take a practice swing to get comfortable. If it doesn't feel right I'll take a second. It definitely leads to better results for me.
 
No practice swings here. Unless on a severe sidehill/downhill/uphill lie. And if I do it's behind the ball trying to see/feel the shot in my mind. My routine is to see the shot from behind the ball. Pick an aiming spot about 6 inches in front of the ball. Step in and align myself to the spot 6 inches in front of me. Check posture and go.
 
I don't take practice swings. I don't stand behind the ball until I get a clear visualization of the shot. I don't line up putts from both sides of the hole. I don't plumb bob.

It's my little bleep you to all the very average or worse golfers who do way to much of the above and make those of us who play public golf all wait on nearly every shot in nearly every round of golf we play.

League nights on my local courses are almost unbearable. It's to the point that one golf course is timing league golfers and calling them out if they don't make the right splits. Problem is none of the golfers seem to care and just keep on doing what they do.
 
I practice swing 2-3 times a full shot. I like to work the ball around quite a bit and I pretty much do it by just changing my swing path swing right to go left and swing left to go right and down target line for straight my hand just naturally do what they are supposed to I guess. So this is something I take a few swings over exaggerated movement then step up and fire and most of the time it works out. Thinking less does more for me. Chips and putts and pitches I just see it in my head and walk up and fire. Putting the most, if I overthink a putt and second guess my read on speed and break I always miss.
 
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