Are swing thoughts counterproductive or just good practice?

[JohnnyDee]

I'm going through something of a torrid time of late with my irons.

I had a fitting last September and got Callaway X2 Hots. First night I took them out I hit them like a god. But since then they've been either OK, or more often and particularly recently, weapons grade rubbish.

I know it's not the sticks but the wazzock on the end of them, but I'm swinging them with two or three different swing thoughts in my mind now, desperate to find a fix, and my natural ability (such as it is) has taken a back seat.

I can't seem to play golf when my mind's cluttered by thoughts of "take it back this way, reach such and such a position, break the wrists here and follow through to..." and I long for the days of when I used to simply hit it, walk up to it and hit it again with no specific idea of swing thoughts as my handicap tumbled.

My driving is great (good length and pretty much arrow-straight) as is my putting, but my iron game is totally killing me and I need to get out of this rut. Beginning to doubt the clubs and even thinking of starting over with a new set. But I know that's just daft...isn't it?

So then, do you play relying on your inherent natural ability or do you follow a set swing plan each shot?

 

[Imurg]

I'm a firm believer in thinking about as little as possible after setup.
My only real thought is "tempo".
If I get a good tempo going - and I had it going today - my swing just takes over and does its thing.
The moment I start thinking about clubface angles, swing planes or anything else, it all goes to rat poo faster than a rats nest in a Curry house...
Clear your mind.....

 

[USER1999]

Focus on the target, not How you get there. Does it every time.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Just hit it is the best way. As my Pro said to me the other day, when you're on the course you're playing golf, Think about it afterwards

 

[Region3]

If you have swing thoughts that you have to concentrate on, you can't really concentrate properly on the shot.

This is what practice is for. Think about the swing thoughts on the range or practice ground when it doesn't matter where the ball goes and get your body used to the new move.

Then on the course you can hopefully forget about it and just do your thang.

 

[garyinderry]

I wouldn't worry about positions as such but I would think about swing path and what kind of follow through I want.

You can control a shot if you have these right. A million and one backswings work. It is what you do coming into the ball that matters.

 

[chrisd]

You need NGT Johnny ...... well you don't really but I thought Homer may have gone to bed and this is his stock answer to all the ills in half! :lol:

 

[Mugs]

I focus on 2 things

Make sure I'm aiming at my target properly, pick a spot a few yards in front of me

Make sure I'm in shape at the top of my backswing

Other than that there's a reason for my handicap

 

[bobmac]

Who gave you all these swing thoughts?

 

[JohnnyDee]

Who gave you all these swing thoughts?

No-one as such, Bob.

Just my own frustration coupled with things you hear along the way from PPs or you read in magazines. My normal approach has always been hit it, find it hit it again but I've never been entirely happy with my iron play. Currently it's in the mixer so guess I'm looking for clues.

i suppose a visit to the Pro could be the answer.

 

[bobmac]

I gave a guy on the forum a lesson who was in a similar position. Tips from everyone racing round his head.
You need to know what is helping and forget the rest.
A lesson will help you prioritise the stuff and give you the confidence that what you are left with works

 

[Merv_swerve]

I find myself in a similar position. Normally I don't mind having a few swing thoughts at address and have what I would describe as a busy mind anyway, unlikely to find my mind blank and just walking up and hitting. It's just when I'm not playing well, like my irons now, that I become more conscious of the thoughts to the point I feel cluttered mentally. Indecisive and subsequently inaccurate.

 

[Smiffy]

I'd rather have a swing thought in my head than stand over the ball with a "what the hell am I doing" one racing through it.

 

[The Gentleman]

Recently read one of those golf mind books and one comment really jumped out. Basically it said that when playing cricket, you don't have technique thoughts (ie bat lifted straight back, foot to pitch of ball, straight bat follow through) just before striking the ball. Same with tennis. You simple play the shot as your natural ability, instinct, and what you practised kick in and you play the shot. Sometimes you play a bad shot - it's a game, stuff happens).

Problem with golf is that we have too long to think about things. So, reduce the time standing over the ball and just strike it. Do all the thinking in your pre shot routine, then step forward and whack it.

Alternatively, i have playing with my ipad in (when playing solo) to help with overthinking over the ball. Seems to work.

 

[alexbrownmp]

stand up over the ball and have no thoughts whatsoever.

Then after your PP's poke you for not doing anything, have a swing thought.

great thread

 

[ManinBlack]

One for the backswing & one for the downswing is all I can cope with. I tend to take it back too much inside so think about steepening the second half of the backswing. Coming down, I have a habit of rolling the clubface shut so concentrate on not doing that. Without those thoughts my game falls apart. No matter how much practice I have, if I forget or don't think my swing falls to bits.

 

[garyinderry]

Can anyone give me an example if too many swing thoughts?

Don't post 'that' pic either

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Can anyone give me an example if too many swing thoughts?

Don't post 'that' pic either

Currently going through a block of lessons, Pro is excellent and is helping me to change my swing to get better consistencey and distance, if I start a round badly I get confused between what he wants me to do, what I mean to do and what I did do, so stood over the ball I have found myself swinging committed to none and thinking about all, ie, ball position, takeaway, AoA, wrist hinge, don't come over the top, etc etc, nightmare,
Playing well, easy, walk up after practise swing, relax and swing smoothly!

 

[garyinderry]

Ball position is set before you swing.
Work on wrist hinge at the range. Let it happen. You shouldn't have to think about that.
Aoa should also take care of itself.
Don't come ott is something you might want to ensure. Fine to think about how you want the down swing to start.

After that you won't have time to think about anything other than how much of a follow through you want or as others do hold the face off a bit or the rate of closure.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Ball position is set before you swing.
Work on wrist hinge at the range. Let it happen. You shouldn't have to think about that.
Aoa should also take care of itself.
Don't come ott is something you might want to ensure. Fine to think about how you want the down swing to start.

After that you won't have time to think about anything other than how much of a follow through you want or as others do hold the face off a bit or the rate of closure.

Exactly mate and that's the issue, I realise I shouldn't be doing it, it's preventing the thoughts or getting rid as soon as possible, working on one shot at a time and leaving it behind when it goes wrong, today was perfect example, Tee Shot on 1st OOB, blocked it right, 4th shot shank, finish 6, 2nd hole 60 yds topped with 5 iron, finish 6, bad front 9 played to 12 over gross, 5 over handicap, 10th hole decided to forget round and relax, best back 9 I've played at my course 2 over gross and 5 under handicap, played 18 to 70 nett level par!!! chalk and cheese, thinking back on it after a bad start i tried to chase the game and I'm not good enough, back 9 forgot about score as I thought I'd be getting another 0.1 back and that's the worst that could happen.