Do you think while you swing?

[Alex1975]

Hi all,

Since posting my video on here I have been working on a number of parts of my swing and I have found myself thinking about them mid swing. Is this bad practice? On my take away I am thinking about keeping my left arm straight and on my follow through I am thinking about getting my weight onto my left side. Because these things are new things that I am working on they are there all the time.

Would I be better to work on them on the range then not think about them at all while playing and allow the muscle memory to do its bit? I think this thinking and swinging is distracting me late on in a game.

Thanks

Alex

 

[bobmac]

Do on the course what you do on the range.
If you have one simple swing thought for the backswing and one for the follow through, I'd say thats plenty. Don't add any more though.
There are those of course who will disagree

 

[Alex1975]

thanks Bob, there is no room for anymore than one going back and one going through!! I am not a bright boy but I hit a nice golf shot now and then. Infact I hit nicer damn golf shots than all the people who beat me....

 

[Basher]

My best drives/shots have come when I have no swing thoughts whatsoever in my head.

Many times I take my stance.......then seem to freeze as I go through the various swing thoughts....alignment, shoulders square, good balance, wide take away, don't overswing, hip turn, come back on the inside, head following the right shoulder, follow the ball with the left arm, finish high, on the back toe!!!! Just a selection.

I am now however, trying to clear my head of multiple swing thoughts and having a simple pre shot routine followed by a tidy address, waggle, then swing easy.

 

[Alex1975]

My best drives/shots have come when I have no swing thoughts whatsoever in my head.

Many times I take my stance.......then seem to freeze as I go through the various swing thoughts....alignment, shoulders square, good balance, wide take away, don't overswing, hip turn, come back on the inside, head following the right shoulder, follow the ball with the left arm, finish high, on the back toe!!!! Just a selection.

I am now however, trying to clear my head of multiple swing thoughts and having a simple pre shot routine followed by a tidy address, waggle, then swing easy.

care to shair your pre shot?

 

[Basher]

care to shair your pre shot?

No worries!!! Don't mind sharing.

Stand behind the ball, visualise the shot and line up with a marker.
Take my grip and practice swing with my feet together (still behind the ball)
Take up my address, flex the knees and quick alignment check.
A couple of club waggles. Settle, then swing.

Seems right to me, anyone differ?

 

[iwtuk]

I'm exactly the same, but with one tiny alteration:

Stand behind the ball, visualise the shot and line up with a marker.
Take my grip and practice swing with my feet together (still behind the ball)
Take up my address, flex the knees and quick alignment check.
A couple of club waggles. Settle, then swing. Then play provisional.

 

[Alex1975]

I'm exactly the same, but with one tiny alteration:

Stand behind the ball, visualise the shot and line up with a marker.
Take my grip and practice swing with my feet together (still behind the ball)
Take up my address, flex the knees and quick alignment check.
A couple of club waggles. Settle, then swing. Then play provisional.

LMFAO!!

 

[CrapHacker]

I can

I do

I shouldn't

I try not to

I fail

I mishit

I go for a stroll in the treeeees.

 

[daymond]

I think I remember Jack Nicklaus saying he only had one swing thaught to carry the whole round. If only I could do the same!

 

[steveyjd81]

turn and turn, simples

 

[The_LHC]

"Don't f*** it up AGAIN, you ****!"

 

[jammydodger]

I just think about the target , I dont have any swing thoughts. The swing takes care of itself.

Dont have a preshot routine either , pick the target and hit it basically. All this ponsing around with practice swings is just wasting time and slowing things down , far too much watching of the pros on tv to blame

 

[JustOne]

There is nothing wrong with having one swing thought for the backswing and one for the the follow through. Taking your practice to the 'big course' is what it's all about.

I don't have a preshot routine, sometimes I take a practice swing and sometimes I don't.

 

[CrapHacker]

I don't have a preshot routine, sometimes I hit it into the trees on the right and sometimes I don't.

But most oftens you does.

 

[Dunbarian]

Can any expert help resolve 2 pieces of common golf advice that conflict, please?
ADVICE1 says “You have too many swing thoughts. You must concentrate on one thought only.”
ADVICE2 says “You are concentrating too much. Just swing the club.”
Asking a poorly performing golfer to “just swing” assumes they own an inbuilt straight swing. He seldom does own such a swing.
Asking a poorly performing golfer to concentrate on merely “one thought” assumes they own merely one fault. He seldom owns just one.
Yrs, John H

 

[CrapHacker]

Can any expert help resolve 2 pieces of common golf advice that conflict, please?
ADVICE1 says “You have too many swing thoughts. You must concentrate on one thought only.”
ADVICE2 says “You are concentrating too much. Just swing the club.”
Asking a poorly performing golfer to “just swing” assumes they own an inbuilt straight swing. He seldom does own such a swing.
Asking a poorly performing golfer to concentrate on merely “one thought” assumes they own merely one fault. He seldom owns just one.
Yrs, John H

Swing the club like a baseball bat, whilst standing upright.

How many thoughts does it need ?

Bend a the waste and try it again.






Not saying it works, just saying you'll cut down on swingthoughts.

 

[JustOne]

Asking a poorly performing golfer to concentrate on merely “one thought” assumes they own merely one fault. He seldom owns just one.

Focusing on one thing at least gives you something to take your mind off the other 1000 things that might be wrong. It's impossible to think about them all and it's equally difficult to clear your mind completely so it actually gives you focus, a trigger to get your swing started perhaps (if you like to see it that way).

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As the ex king of swing thoughts during the execution (anything up to about 10 per shot) I can vouch for how hard and inconsistant it is to play if you are thinking too much. I have adopted thanks to constant badgering by the good souls on here, a hit it, find it and hit it mentaility this year. I'm enjoying it much more and even the bad days don't seem a minefield of conflicting thoughts.

If I have to have a thought in my head, its only one now and will either be to make sure the tempo is smooth or to make a good turn

 

[Farneyman]

I try to only have one thought in my back swing and one on my forward swing. These can change from time to time depending on what I am thinking at the time.....

No wonder I dont hit it straight all the time with some of things I think about on the golf course...