swing thoughts- to have or not to have

[jeffc]

Don't post very often but thought this subject might be an interesting topic.

We are told not to have any swing thoughts (ST) on the course but is that really possible? No matter how hard I try I alwys have to have some ST's when I am ready to play a shot even if it's just about a feeling to have in the swing.Some people say they just picture the shot and see how they want the ball to fly but this in itself is a swing thought.

Here is where it gets interesting for me, if some ST is always there, how to manage it.
Bob Rotella tells us a maximum of 1 ST is all thats allowed but if you think about what 1 ST is it can be interpretated in different ways.
For eg release at your pocket, or finish your backswing are single points in our swing some people have these single points in the swing to make it work. But if you take a sequence like, rotate release and follow through as a complete set of moves isn't this also only 1 ST and surely knowing it as one sequence is better than thinking of them as isolated actions, I certainly find it that way and I wondered what other folks use and what their ideas are?

 

[Oddsocks]

on the range pre game i always think about ST and it causes mega issues, after the 1st hole most ST has gone and my game clams down and becomes pretty consistent. Then around 12th when i realise i have a half decent card in my hand, ST kicks in on 13/14/15 and then goes again on 16/17/18 and a good card has gone to the dogs

 

[Alex1975]

The way I deal with this is noting my STs and drilling them one at a time on the range, this way my body starts to remember them so I do not have to think about them on course. I only have one at the moment and that is to get the right plain on my backswing, it means my backswing is a little slower then I would like but it gives me confidence that I am in the right spot to start my down swing and follow through. One is good two is max imo, one on the way back one on the way through. I don’t think this means you can’t have them on your practice swing... duno. Bottom line is have faith in the shot you’re going to make.

 

[jeffc]

Oddsocks
this is the point I am trying to get at, if ST can't be kept out surely we have to find a way to manage it.

 

[Adi2Dassler]

I need to think about taking the driver away on the inside and following thru on the inside too.I've discovered the reason for my slice is out to out and if I tell myself to take it away on the inside it works...220 carry down the middle almost everytime.Not massive but it'll do me.

 

[Robobum]

I don't see a problem with having swing thoughts on the course and it's down to the individual how many they can have and yet still swing it properly.

It would be a lovely luxury to not have to think about what you are doing and I'm definately not there yet and doubt whether I ever will be.

I only have one swing thought and that is simply "time". That is purely to reinforce to me about completing my backswing as, when I'm off, the transition is far too quick.

 

[jeffc]

Adi

I am similar to you in my approach but it gets complicated when it works for say your driver but not your 5 iron which is where I am at now .

 

[jeffc]

Robobumm as a low handicapper thanks for confirming what I am saying about not being able to have any ST's. I know a few low handicappers and they always say don't think about it but when they play a shot you can see that's exactly what they're doing

 

[Alex1975]

Robobumm as a low handicapper thanks for confirming what I am saying about not being able to have any ST's. I know a few low handicappers and they always say don't think about it but when they play a shot you can see that's exactly what they're doing

I would think they are thinking about where the ball is going, maybe not about how to get it there?!

 

[Robobum]

Robobumm as a low handicapper thanks for confirming what I am saying about not being able to have any ST's. I know a few low handicappers and they always say don't think about it but when they play a shot you can see that's exactly what they're doing

I would think they are thinking about where the ball is going, maybe not about how to get it there?!

You can't affect where it ends up, you can only do your bit to start it off where you think it should start to end up there. Despite your best intentions the wind/ ground conditions may alter it's final destination and, although highly unlikely by the skilled members of the forum, your intial thoughts of where to start it may be wrong.

 

[Adi2Dassler]

Adi

I am similar to you in my approach but it gets complicated when it works for say your driver but not your 5 iron which is where I am at now .

Strangely, it's never affected my iron play ( shanks/duffs are another thing)just my driver.Different swing path I reckon, a steeper circle with the irons over the longer one with the driver.

I'm off 16 just now, if I can continue the good work with the driver I;m hoping to get down to 12 this year.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Most of my swing is now natural, I have only one thing to focus on and I currently only do it on the range. Out on the course I trust the swing I have and try not to tweak anything much.

I know I end up having my hips a few inches to the right at impact compared to address. I am working on it on the range by imagining I have an umbrella by my left leg which I have to keep up against. When i am on the course I rarely use it as my mind is kept clear with breathing.

I try do control most things with breathing rather than swing thoughts. If I did use swing thoughts I would use something to keep tempo to rather than something to do during a swing.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I don't think I'll ever be good enough to play without thinking (although I am trying to think a lot less than I used to). Last year I had a tendency to overthink because I was having lessons and had loads of stuff in my head to fix. This year I'm just going to play and see where it takes me. If in a couple of months I find a pattern to my shots that I can't see when videing myself on the range I'll seek professional advice.

I don't see a problem with ST as long as you're not trying to force the club into position and as you're not making it up as you go along - that will never work, not for me anyway.

 

[kev_off_the_tee]

I agree with some comments that ST's are different when using driver compared to the high irons.

I'm not effected by ST's with my irons in hand, but am crippled by them with my driver. I think it is down to knowing I can hit big, and pressure myself into doing in on a consistant basis. I take longer and longer to set up a drive and sometimes think "why you taking all day, just stick your head down and hit it"

 

[jeffc]

Interesting thoughts from people.
As I cannot play without some ST I currently see the whole downswing from the top as one movement. It goes something like - pulling the hands down rotating them through the ball and follow through to the finish- and I see this as one movement not three seperate ones.

For me the analogy is imagine you're racing a car or motorbike through a chicane, when you enter the chicane you have to be aware that there is another turn immeadiately and be ready for it, after the second turn there is the exit and again you have to be in position to turn and exit the chicane.If you aren't prepared for whats coming next you crash - simple.

So personally by seeing the whole down swing and finish as one movement the brain is pepared for whats coming next throught the whole sequence and hopefully no crashng.
It helps me to get those elusive things called timing and tempo.

I know it sounds a bit deep but I'm quite an analytical person by nature and a great believer that you have to approach things in different ways to improve "to do the same thing over and over in the same way and expect the outcome to be different is madness" which is exactly what a lot of golfers do

 

[Region3]

I think it's a good idea to have a swing thought as long as it's a feeling. It's stops your conscious mind trying to control the swing.

Others may disagree, but it works for me when I can do it.

 

[Junior]

I think it's good to have one or two, no more as you may end up freezing over he ball.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

There are some on here that will tell you that I use to play with a million thoughts per shot and wasn't any better for it. Last year in particular it was about hitting it, finding it and repeating and not worrying too much about the swing as the work had been done on the range and practice ground.

To some degree it worked even if the scores I shot never truely reflected it. I had days like the Macmillan Longest Day where the purpose was to keep moving to get it all in (and we had to beat a socia comp going off the front nine in the last round we played) and so by hitting and walking I wasn't conscious too much of any thoughts and had the best score on the day (playing to my handicap for the four rounds)

In competitive rounds I still found it hard to do but was trying to think of just one thing. Like Gary I prefer to have a feeling rather than a mechanical thought and it does help at times. However I think at the end of the day the best swing thought per se is what Rotella calls the Rod and Staff and is a pre-shot routine which you adhere to everytime. Keep the same routine and every shot should be/feel the same and it's about trusting the swing and firing then. I certainly find it helps me and add in one swing feeling too and I feel happy and not over burdened with a whole racket in my head as I try and hit it.

 

[MashieNiblick]

Try to limit it to 2 and try focus on thinking about what I want to feel.

Currently this is about completing the back swing and keeping on plane (think about feeling that the club is pointing to the target at the top) and hitting through the ball and clearing the left side at impact (think about feeling my body turn so my chest faces the target on follow through).

 

[Region3]

I think it's good to have one or two, no more as you may end up freezing over he ball.

Been there. Standing over the ball thinking "What was it I'm trying to remember?"