How well do you understand the mechanics of a good golf swing?

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I don't actually know.

I can see in my minds eye many of the pictures in Hogan's Fundamentals book and can hear his words. As a lot in that book is about the mechanics of the swing and I think understand what he is talking about, does that mean I give myself an 8-10 out of 10 - I don't know.

But I certainly don't put it into practice that well...

 

[DCB]

To me, it's the actual club path through the ball that's most important. The swing can look like anything, but, if the club passed through the ball position on plane and in the right direction for the shot you are playing, then all should be fine.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

That works if you're not doing something so fundamentally wrong in your backswing that it prevents you from getting the downswing right.

I'm putting you into the natural camp DCB!

 

[garyinderry]

Is agree, the swing can look like anything as long as you have control over

Path
Where the face is pointing at impact
Angle of attack
Strike location on the clubface


...then you won't be too far wrong.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Is agree, the swing can look like anything as long as you have control over

Path
Where the face is pointing at impact
Angle of attack
Strike location on the clubface


...then you won't be too far wrong.

Simple as that.....:rofl:

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Understanding the mechanics of a golf swing is one thing, being able to put it into practice in that fraction of a second another altogether.

 

[Foxholer]

The ball flight tells you most things

And is all that actually matters!!

Apart from the odd drop out of Cat 1 in the last 40 years, I've played to a decent level. I've read countless books and articles and watched tons of YouTube vids. I can recognise a decent swing, and I can tell when I've put a bad swing on a ball and where it'll go as it leaves the club face.

Can I put a swing fault right? No. The little intricacies that sometimes creep in and frustrate are difficult for me to identify. On the odd occasion I've gone to a good teaching pro they've identified the problem within minutes and, usually, put it right by the end of the lesson.

Do I understand the mechanics of a good swing? Yes, its not rocket science. Can I put them into practice? Mmm, sometimes.

This is why Golf is the most frustratingly addictive 'swing stick at ball' game there is!

I've played quite a few 'ball & stick' games (Hockey, Tennis, Softball, Squash) to pretty high (1st team and even County (equivalent) level), but Golf is the one that instantly shows the tiniest fault in the swing.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

1 - no idea and no inclination to find out , the whole bores the hell out of me , tee up ball , hit ball , walk after it then hit it again. The less information the better. Far too many technical people who try and learn all about the swing theory wise but their head is so full of swing thoughts they fail to relax to actually hit the ball and enjoy the game

 

[Orikoru]

This is why Golf is the most frustratingly addictive 'swing stick at ball' game there is!

I've played quite a few 'ball & stick' games (Hockey, Tennis, Softball, Squash) to pretty high (1st team and even County (equivalent) level), but Golf is the one that instantly shows the tiniest fault in the swing.

It's certainly one of the hardest sports out there. Imagine trying to explain to someone who'd never seen it before that what you do is put this tiny ball into a small hole situated up to 500 yards away, using some metal sticks. And you've got no teammates to rely upon (usually), it's just you. It can only take you one great shot to get you hooked, and a lifetime of misery afterwards to master! Haha.

 

[garyinderry]

Simple as that.....:rofl:

I'm afraid that IS it simplified. The rest is just working to control those things.


The first 3 things could be moved quite drastically quite quickly. Quality of strike is another matter. Needs a lot of work and co-ordination.

 

[OnTour]

I've gone clear mind route latter part of 2017. Swing mechanics thrown out the window completely. I'm using the step back drill for full turn only and its working, straighter shots and solid strikes.

All the guff I had in my head is being cleared out, no more YouTube videos, advice or tinkering till it goes wrong again.

Straighter shots mean its working for me that's all that matters #KeepItInPlay #ThinkLess

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I'm afraid that IS it simplified. The rest is just working to control those things.


The first 3 things could be moved quite drastically quite quickly. Quality of strike is another matter. Needs a lot of work and co-ordination.

I agree. I think the people that say it's just a case of picking up a club and swinging and not thinking about it are the lucky ones that naturally do it in a way that works. Saying that to someone whose natural swing is fundamentally flawed isn't likely to help them improve in the long term. It might help them get the best out of their swing on the day, but long term, they won't improve if doing something that is fundamentally preventing them from achieving your list of simplified fundamentals.

Now, whether that person gets to the right place by just getting a lesson and taking the advice given, or by seeking to understand the swing themselves is a different question.

 

[nickjdavis]

The scale doesnt go low enough to represent my understanding of the bio-machanics of a golf swing.

The last time a golfer asked me what my three main swing thoughts were as I stood over the ball I laughed and said that I was more likely to be thinking about the barmaid in my local than anything about how to swing the golf club!!!

Truly....if you put half a dozen golfers in front of me and made me watch them I wouldnt have a clue as to whther their swings were good bad or indifferent.

Played in a match the other weeks against a gentleman whos proportions made it difficult to execute what most might be consider a classic golf swing.....indeed his gut was still moving backwards as he was half way through his downswing....but what he did was to consistently return the clubface back to the ball to a position it was in at address.....and thats about all that matters.

I was once damned by faint praise by my teaching pro who once said....you've been able to reach a good standard (6/7 h'cap) because you have the ability to get the club back to the ball as it was at address....in spite of what happens with the swing in between!!!!! (However to progress further downwards I needed to really fix the swing in between!!!)

 

[Canary_Yellow]

The scale doesnt go low enough to represent my understanding of the bio-machanics of a golf swing.

The last time a golfer asked me what my three main swing thoughts were as I stood over the ball I laughed and said that I was more likely to be thinking about the barmaid in my local than anything about how to swing the golf club!!!

Truly....if you put half a dozen golfers in front of me and made me watch them I wouldnt have a clue as to whther their swings were good bad or indifferent.

Played in a match the other weeks against a gentleman whos proportions made it difficult to execute what most might be consider a classic golf swing.....indeed his gut was still moving backwards as he was half way through his downswing....but what he did was to consistently return the clubface back to the ball to a position it was in at address.....and thats about all that matters.

I was once damned by faint praise by my teaching pro who once said....you've been able to reach a good standard (6/7 h'cap) because you have the ability to get the club back to the ball as it was at address....in spite of what happens with the swing in between!!!!! (However to progress further downwards I needed to really fix the swing in between!!!)

What's your plan for fixing the inbetween? I.e. how are you going to learn to improve whatever needs to be improved?

 

[FairwayDodger]

1 - no idea and no inclination to find out , the whole bores the hell out of me , tee up ball , hit ball , walk after it then hit it again. The less information the better. Far too many technical people who try and learn all about the swing theory wise but their head is so full of swing thoughts they fail to relax to actually hit the ball and enjoy the game

You'll never get into cat 1 with that attitude!

 

[bobmac]

Is agree, the swing can look like anything as long as you have control over

Path
Where the face is pointing at impact
Angle of attack
Strike location on the clubface


...then you won't be too far wrong.

The PGA method of teaching is built around the 5 laws of golf
The only one missing from the above list is speed

 

[Deleted member 15344]

You'll never get into cat 1 with that attitude!

I have been recently told I'm just a hacker because I don't take the game seriously enough 😩

 

[FairwayDodger]

I have been recently told I'm just a hacker because I don't take the game seriously enough 😩

Don't tell me you're one of those that plays for fun

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Don't tell me you're one of those that plays for fun

I know Kaz 🙁 I need to have a serious word with myself and try to get myself more competitive and ensure that it becomes the be all and end all and puts food on my table

 

[garyinderry]

The PGA method of teaching is built around the 5 laws of golf
The only one missing from the above list is speed

Im still of the opinion that the speed can go in at the end once you have a handle on the other things.

Im lead to believe these days young players are being taught, in the US at least, to smash the ball first then they will try to control it after that.

Suppose there is probably merits in both approaches.