Anyone heard of Back.....Hit ?

[SMD]

Apparantly all the best players have the ability to go blank mentally when taking a shot. If they do have any thoughts it will be about the target or ball flight, not swing thoughts like higher handacappers. I know I usually have a few rattling around my head. Now I read somewhere how difficult it is to go truly blank, most mortals have to have their brain occupied my something. So the tip was to say out loud (embarassing) or think "back" when your clubhead has reached its limit in the backswing, then time saying / thinking "Hit" as you strike the ball. This ties up your consious brain and allows your unconscious self, which apparantly knows exactly what do to, to take over. Well I tried it the other night, felt strange to start with, hard to "let go" but it worked, my game was much improved. Anyone else tried it?

 

[RGDave]

i.i.r.c. this was one of the main ideas in the "inner game" books. Simple thoughts in the mind instead of complicated ones.

I don't have complicated swing thoughts, I just turn and hit...

I'm not entirely convinced that lots of players have lots of thoughts at one time. Most i.m.o. seem to take one thing onto the course and leave it at that. Maybe I'm wrong?

 

[roccokj]

I thought all pros had one swing thought? Tiger certainly had one, which was "shake hands with the target"

 

[TWM]

I have heard of it. I tried it without saying it out loud as it would break my breathing pattern. I will pluck up courage to say it out loud when I am out of earshot of the others.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I've heard of people saying different things through their swing to help with tempo but not to block the conscious brain out. I'm a great fan of Bob Rotella's books and he talks a lot of picking specific targets and focussing on that during the swing. Also, and perhaps his key fundamental is the brain doesn't recognise the word don't so if you stand on the tee and think don't go in the water the brain actually focusses on the water in the beleif that is the target. This is why when you stand there with these don't thoughts in your head the ball invariably goes exactly where you didn't want it to go.