Practice Swings.

[haplesshacker]

As a pre shot warm up or a visuaisation of your next shot?

I ask because I've seen so many practice shots that bear no resemblance to either of the above. Especially putting stokes.

So what's the point of a little stabby, flicky practice shot? It's not even as if it could possiby give you any extra confidence. Or maybe it does?

Dare I say it but the worst offenders tend to be higher handicappers. Why??

This is not a 'confession' or 'blame' post. I'm just interested as to what folks do and how they think it helps them.

 

[colint]

I very rarely take a practice swing on full shots, don't really see the point. If I ever do it's maybe to loosen off if theres been a delay between shots

Usually take one with short pitches, chips etc to try and get a feel for the shot.

 

[TonyN]

I use my practice swing with woods irons to get a feel for my position and tempo.

My practice stroke with putter I am trying to get a feel for the stoke and rehease a smooth take away and accelleration through the ball.

your right it doesn't work, but it makes my shouts less disasterous

 

[slugger]

I like to have just the one practice swing before my woods and iron shot, more to loosen off a wee bit before hitting the ball.

with wedges and putter, i like to get a feel for the weight of the club so will swing twice or thrice. never more though.

no harm done and if it helps that shot be a success then i'm not going to worry about what anyone else thinks.

Know what you mean though. One of my playing partners takes about 5 or 6 meaningless, drawn out practice swings before each tee shot... does my head in as it takes ages.

 

[JT77]

I take one before my tee shot and if I like it I will then go up and strike the ball, if it doesn't feel right, I'll take another. Same with my irons, anything from about 100 yards I like to just see how I feel, I will take a few if I'm in the rough so I can gauge the lie, or to get a feel of the distance shot etc. 2 strokes with the putter, looking at the hole, then one quick look before putting!

 

[Cookiesdaughtersdad]

Mainly for tempo on full shots and for feel on short ones.

Cookie

 

[jammydodger]

Dont do practise swings with irons or woods.

I do practise a few swishes on chips around the green though , trying to get the feel for the shot

 

[huttonline]

For me as a newbie, I don't have the confidence to putt without having a couple of practice 'swings' first, to try and visualise better how far to bring the putter back, how far to take it through and at what pace.

 

[Robobum]

Just the one practice swing, more as part of a pre shot routine than any tempo or technical thoughts.

If I have a tricky shot, say a raking hook or a low punch through trees then I might take a few more practice swings to get the feel for the shot in hand.

 

[JustOne]

I normally swing to loosen my shoulders and start thinking about the shot. It's rare that I have a practice swing with real conviction although I guess it does happen sometimes.

I'm not at that stage where i think a routine like 'left foot forward' will really benefit me.

 

[pokerjoke]

I have a swing or two but nothing structured,however lots of players have a lovely practice stroke then oops pressure strikes and a completely different stroke takes over.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Sometimes if I'm playing on my own after I've been working on a lesson I'll take a practice swing to rehearse where the club should be but normally I stand behind the ball, pick my target, move in and address it, one look at my target and pull the trigger (reload and repeat)

 

[Spinn77]

I'll have a couple of continious swings of the club before each shot, nothing too serious, but just to feel the weight of the club and loosen the arms/shoulders and feel the tempo. Nothing too serious though that takes more than 10 seconds before im ready to play

 

[kid2]

Hi Hapless,
Speaking as a high handicapper this is my routine.
For Driver and Woods i swing once around my body just below waist level and finish in balance to get a feel for the club swinging around me rather than taking it back too steep..

Then i use Padraig Harringtons preshot routine.
I stand behind the ball to target line fix my grip on the club walk and address the ball with my feet together square the club face on the target line adjust my feet and swing.All this takes less than 15 seconds.
I do the same as above for iron shots but i dont swing round the body with the irons its a little more steeper.

I have developed a habit of doing this for all my shots except for on the green.
Sorry for the drawn out post.

 

[Midnight]

I never have a practice swing, I think that the reason for it is that I just like to step up and hit it.(Prob why I have a high h/c)

Midnight...

 

[rgs]

Dont take practise swings except with chips and pitches.

Use a similar pre shot routine as Kid2.

 

[Putting_Green_Pro]

high handicappers know that every 1 out of 16 shots will be ok compared to a huge hack. so they do it until they get to that 16th shot

 

[viscount17]

The one thing you can guarantee is that practice swings that bear no resemblance to the real swing are not confined to high handicappers.

I think I ought to take more practice swings though, but I usually only do it when I need to loosen up or to find out where the ground is.

 

[RGDave]

I need to swing it once or twice to find out where the grass is!!!

whoops...

 

[huttonline]

At the driving range I take a few practice swings every now and again to just hit the rubber tee and get my bearings. That way I can use the full basket more profitably.

I have done this on the course before, but found that it takes too long (have to keep picking up the tee that's been sent flying) and if people are waiting behind I don't want to hold them up!