Golf Swing versus Golf

[Sean]

I haven't been playing any golf due to the closing of all courses in Massachusetts, but I have been thinking about it. One thought I had was about consistency and why so many of us struggle with it. For me I finally figured out that I have been playing golf swing versus golf. By constantly tinkering with my swing (or even overhauling it), I never give myself the opportunity to develop a consistent golf swing. I now have a swing that works for me and I can practice that swing instead of constantly changing things up.

For example, I have a decent short game and have a chipping "swing" I never tinker with. Instead, I simply work on mastering that "swing" and the results have been good.

 

[paul_golfs]

Consistency is key, especially with muscle memory...and a fundamentally sound swing.

 

[tahoebum]

Many bring too many thoughts from the range or their last lesson to the course. Zero or one swing thought when over the ball always results in a lower score than when my brain is less quiet.

 

[Scorp]

That's a good finding! I don't tinker with my swing much. I find out what it's doing and just go with it...

 

[DataDude]

I have been working on my swing a lot this winter and I still was able to stop playing golf swing during playing rounds because I focused on one swing change at a time and grooving that thought before getting to the next step. I think trying to mess around with a swing during the round can be catastrophic to scoring. My main swing though during rounds has become don't decelerate at the ball. That causes early release and a wide variety of misses.

 

[TCB2010]

you can really screw yourself up, i watch a lot of videos just to visualize and keep things fresh. But when you get to the range and youve got 5 different things going through your mind you can really start to screw things up. keep it simple!

 

[pattyboy21]

I try to limit my swing thoughts to a total of 1 and that usually ties to tempo. My swing has flaws no doubt but is good enough to hit quality shots and score. When tempo and timing is bad, that's when results are bad.

If things start going funky and I have to make adjustments during a round, I can usually fall back on to a couple of "band-aids" to get me back on track. But yes, I definitely have moved more toward a "play golf" mode instead of trying to perfect a swing.

 

[strawboater]

I struggle to get those swing thoughts out of my head when I am on the course. Anyone got any tips to help you ‘clear’ your head of it all?

 

[Wildcat]

I always try to golf with the swing that brought me to the course. Swing thoughts and changes are for between rounds.

 

[robrandalgz]

I'm playing way to much golf swing, lately, and my scores are reflecting it. I need to get out of my own head and play golf.

 

[Wildcat]

I struggle to get those swing thoughts out of my head when I am on the course. Anyone got any tips to help you ‘clear’ your head of it all?

I try to have one swing thought in my head as to what I want to do. The rest of the swing is on its own and hopefully I can pull it off.

For instance lately it has been to pull through with my left hand. It’s all I consciously try to think of.

 

[BigMac]

I'm playing way to much golf swing, lately, and my scores are reflecting it. I need to get out of my own head and play golf.

I know that feeling all too well! I play my best golf when I just turn it off and hit the ball, I play my worst golf when I have too many swing thoughts and try to play swing doctor during the round. It really is true that the longest distance in golf is the distance in between your two ears.

 

[dthrog00]

Once the season starts I think there's something to be said for just playing with the swing you've got.... constant tweaking = golf frustration

Tweaking for me is either swing thoughts or equipment changes.

Dave

 

[Reframmellator]

Going into last year I realized I was trying to adjust the upcoming swing to correct for the result of the last one. I also realized I wasn't consistent enough to be correcting for every shot. I focused on making a consistent swing and guess what? My shot results were noticeably more consistent. I've told it here before, but this story about America's greatest 20th century philosopher, Yogi Berra, applies well here:

They tell a story about Larry “Yogi” Berra, the New York Yankees’ new No. 1 catcher and his Manager Bucky Harris. Yogi is known as a bad ball hitter and Bucky decided to do something about it.

“Think when you get up there,” he told Berra. “Make the pitcher come in with the ball. Don’t be too eager. Make him get it over. Think. Think.” Berra went to the plate and took 3 called strikes. He walked to the dugout and sat down.

“How can anybody think and hit at the same time,” he mumbled.

 

[Luchnia]

I think one of the biggest things I see is when some folks have a mishit, or several mishits, they immediately think something needs to be fixed in their swing. I topped the ball 3 times the other day before my swing settled down. The thing is I did not start "fixing" something. They were simply bad hits and nothing more.

For me, I had to get the mishits somethings wrong out of my mind and stick to my guns, move to my next shot, and for the most part leave fixing my swing alone. Stick with what works. That concept has helped me a lot in my game. I am not super consistent in my game and needs work so some bad hits are to be expected. The goal is to reduce those mishits and increase what works to repeat the good hits.

 

[Gus R]

In my opinion the only thing with the golf swing is can you keep the ball in play. If the answer is yes then all you really need is a good short game and putting. They say to learn the game start at the putting green and work back to the driver. The swing does not have to be perfect look at the guys back in the 50's, 60's and 70' s. Many of those guys had funky swings and yet the played on tour and most of them won as well. Miller Barber, Ray Floyd, even Arnie's swing was not perfect.

 

[DG_1234]

I struggle to get those swing thoughts out of my head when I am on the course. Anyone got any tips to help you ‘clear’ your head of it all?

Don't have swing thoughts, ever.
Effective swings are born from address technique fundamentals (grip-posture-alignment) , so there is no good sense reason for a player to have "swing thoughts".

 

[Luchnia]

I think it was Manuel de la Torre basically says for the most part swing the club and forget the rest, simply allow the rest to respond to the swinging of the club. He said "don't fight the motion of the club...the whole body must be responsive...to the swinging of the club..." It is amazingly simple and need very little thought process.

 

[Sean]

I think it was Manuel de la Torre basically says for the most part swing the club and forget the rest, simply allow the rest to respond to the swinging of the club. He said "don't fight the motion of the club...the whole body must be responsive...to the swinging of the club..." It is amazingly simple and need very little thought process.

I have been using his method with some success and then the virus hit. For me he really simplifies things. That isn't to say you don't have to work at it, but overall I find it much simpler than other swing methodologies.