Muscle memory

[muttleee]

Have you ever had one of those games after a long lay off (over the winter for example) when you can seemingly do no wrong for the first few holes, only for it all to go pear shaped on the back nine when you start thinking about what you're doing? It seems that relying on instinctive muscle memory rather than concentrating on swing thoughts can produce far better results. Would we all play better if we could just manage to stop thinking?

 

[CentralScot]

I read somewhere(can't remember who or where) that as far as the swing is concerned the thinking should be done at the range and not on the course.

 

[HTL]

YES, that’s why kids are so good and have a natural swing.

Playing hung-over works for me (and probably John Daly), I just seem to relax more and flow through the ball.

 

[trickietree]

I agree that sometimes a lay off is good because your head is cleared of some of the swing thoughts that accumulate over time.
In a perfect world I am sure we would all be better players if we relied on muscle memory - but as they say golf is 80% mental !
Personally I prefer not to have lay offs

 

[USER1999]

I stoppd playing for 3 years once, and first game back shot 5 over. I kind of figured that if I stopped for ten years, I could turn pro.

 

[Dave3498]

Don't have more that 150 swing thoughts in your head at any one time. Good advice that.

 

[muttleee]

I read somewhere(can't remember who or where) that as far as the swing is concerned the thinking should be done at the range and not on the course.

Yes that's the ideal...practice so much at the range that you can do it on the course without thinking. Human nature being what it is though, it's very difficult not to think about how you're swinging, especially if you duff the odd one and start wondering how to correct it.

 

[Dormie]

The way it usually happens with me after a lay of is:
I start out really well, not expecting anything and swinging naturally, begin to think I can play this game, start thinking about what I'm doing; shaping shots, going for the big carry etc, and end up blowing up.

So yes if only we could block everything out, not think about it and just swing the club, we would be fine

 

[DCB]

Only 150...

 

[Dave3498]

Yep. No more DCB, that's the limit.

 

[medwayjon]

Playing hung-over works for me (and probably John Daly)

Like it HTL, Like it.

I usually play on saturdays (after friday night a snooker club/pub) and thursdays (wednesday is mwj midweek top-up) and the effects don't cost me.

As for muscle memory it is a very valid point and has a lot of truth in it.