Curious game is golf

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Yesterday in medal all went OK except for tee shots using my driver - and not really hitting irons that brill. So I went out for nine holes late afternoon to see if I could sort things. And I did - by imagining myself hitting the ball well. I didn't really consciously do anything about my swing I just imagined what it would feel like to make a good swing and strike. And it worked. I immediately stopped snap hooking my drives and by my 8th hole i gleefully belted one 300yds straight down the middle (raised tee btw lest ye scorn). I dont think i can actually analyse what i did better so will just keep the imagining. 404yd and i hit driver, 56w - Curious game is golf.

 

[MadAdey]

Yesterday in medal all went OK except for tee shots using my driver - and not really hitting irons that brill. So I went out for nine holes late afternoon to see if I could sort things. And I did - by imagining myself hitting the ball well. I didn't really consciously do anything about my swing I just imagined what it would feel like to make a good swing and strike. And it worked. I immediately stopped snap hooking my drives and by my 8th hole i gleefully belted one 300yds straight down the middle (raised tee btw lest ye scorn). I dont think i can actually analyse what i did better so will just keep the imagining. 404yd and i hit driver, 56w - Curious game is golf.

I think sometimes when it going wrong in a medal we start thinking about it too much and getting frustrated. Sounds like you went out later with a clear mind and a positive attitude.

 

[MashieNiblick]

Sometimes if I feel my swing is not going well I try to imagine swinging the club like Tom Watson and get that image in my head (like Tom I have quite a quick tempo). Often works better than thinking of specific technical things. Of course in reality my swing is nothing like Tom's but it gets a good positive image in my head.

You have just the forum name for a similar approach, SILH.

 

[MadAdey]

I know what you mean, I just think of big Ernie and his nice relaxed swing, he gave it such a good rip for such an easy looking swing.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Couple of thinking things I did:

1) When playing for the green I used one club more than my initial thoughts or usual clubbing
2) When green at limit of distance at which I might expect to hit green - use the club I am most comfortable with and that will get me thereabouts.

1) - I usually hit the green and was 'well up'
2) - I got closer to the green than I expected

 

[c1pjr]

Most of golf is mental, if you think you're going to shank it then chances are you will. Worst comes to worst if you're hitting a slice or a hook, just play for it if you're in a competition and sort it out on the range after

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

What is curious to me about glf (though not surprising as this sort of thing has happened to me many times in the past) is I seemed to be able to sort out my driving by just thinking mental picture (of Hogan in my case) - and I've been having all sorts of problems over last 3-4 weeks with my driving. Of course acid test is if it still sorted next time I swing my driver. Horrendous card-destroying snap hook to tonking it no bother at all. Love golf.

 

[kozmos]

Completely agree...
Hacked my way round in 84 last month, then went in for a spot of lunch, came out in the afternoon and shot level par...
.funny old game...
Ps. Nice drive by the way

 

[Crow]

What is curious to me about glf (though not surprising as this sort of thing has happened to me many times in the past) is I seemed to be able to sort out my driving by just thinking mental picture (of Hogan in my case) - and I've been having all sorts of problems over last 3-4 weeks with my driving. Of course acid test is if it still sorted next time I swing my driver. Horrendous card-destroying snap hook to tonking it no bother at all. Love golf.

Wasn't this something Hogan was always fighting against? Maybe you should pick Monty as your role model.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Couple of thinking things I did:

1) When playing for the green I used one club more than my initial thoughts or usual clubbing
2) When green at limit of distance at which I might expect to hit green - use the club I am most comfortable with and that will get me thereabouts.

1) - I usually hit the green and was 'well up'
2) - I got closer to the green than I expected

New Golf Thinking talks specifically about stopping the "shorties" and taking one more and aiming to get past the flag. It takes away the need to hit perfect contact every time and a mis hit one will still get to the front. If you aim for the back portion and come up a little short then you'll be middle of the green and still have a makeable putt. Clearly there are limits to this and if a flag is at the front, adjust to club to the middle and it there is serious trouble long then clearly it makes sense not to be to cavalier.

We were asked to start doing this at the Grove on the NGT workshop and I think most were surprised just how smoother they swung, how many more greens they hit as a result and how much improved the contact was

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

..and so yesterday evening after work - a quick nine holes. And my driving was rubbish - though not quite so rubbish as was. But in truth I was probably rushing as it was getting dark - and after a tricky day at work my mind most certainly wasn't on golf.

And yes - Hogan did fight a snap hook hmmm.

 

[MadAdey]

New Golf Thinking talks specifically about stopping the "shorties" and taking one more and aiming to get past the flag. It takes away the need to hit perfect contact every time and a mis hit one will still get to the front. If you aim for the back portion and come up a little short then you'll be middle of the green and still have a makeable putt. Clearly there are limits to this and if a flag is at the front, adjust to club to the middle and it there is serious trouble long then clearly it makes sense not to be to cavalier.

We were asked to start doing this at the Grove on the NGT workshop and I think most were surprised just how smoother they swung, how many more greens they hit as a result and how much improved the contact was

Its not really New Golf Thinking, instructors have been saying that about club golfers for years. People once hit their 9i 150 yards so believe that is what their 9i distance is and go by it because more often than not they hit the green from 150 with it, although it is always on the front sometime leaving right in 3 putt territory. I always think Tour Pros are a great example of this because you Di not see them dropping one shirt very often as they are more likely to steam one through the back.

 

[garyinderry]

Unless the pin is right at the front it is rare to see a pro come up short of the green with an iron. The greens they play on are usually massive so missing the green at the front could be a two club misjudgement. Very unlikely.

Plenty came up short at the weekend just past with that very tucked in front pin.