What do you focus on while swinging?

[granters]

Don't say the ball...

I ask because when i putt, i pick a mark about an inch ahead of the ball and focus on that, and it's done wonders for my stroke (bar one round last week!).

For full irons and woods, i don't really focus on anything in particular. On the tee I don't line up the number, brand name etc, i just go through my routine and hit it.

I THINK i must focus on the centre of the ball during a shot. But i wonder if it would change my mindset by focussing on the back of the ball, front etc depending on the shot as it has done with my putting.

I'm sure i read a long time ago about Leadbetter (or someone) advising to focus on the front edge of the ball for shorter shots to promote a ball/turf strike.

Interested in your various thoughts

Cheers

 

[chris661]

Normally I don't think of anything I think

However at the minute it is weight transfer, hand position, grip, alignment pretty much everything although that could explain why I am hacking it about just now

 

[palindromicbob]

I focus on hitting the ball at the 7 o'clock position to try and avoid out to in swing plane.

 

[granters]

Excellent- i think i just gave you another thing to think about!

 

[bobmac]

I focus on hitting the ball at the 7 o'clock position to try and avoid out to in swing plane.

Are you left handed?

 

[upsidedown]

At top of backswing, " right elbow on pocket "

Putting, " throw the ball in the hole "

 

[Imurg]

When I'm putting I try to work out where the hole would be with no break/slope and play to that - I played with a Guy last week who had a 2 foot par putt on our trickiest hole. Bit of a slope left to right and down a bit but he aimed straight and couldn't believe it when the ball went 2 feet past. So now he has a right to left uphill putt, does exactly the same and misses. Unless the putt is straight I try not to focus on the hole.

 

[Aztecs27]

Don't top it, don't top it.

Or don't thin it, don't thin it!

Along with:

In to out
turn don't sway
low and slow.

Too much?

 

[DaveM]

I think. "Smooth and follow though".Use to have my head to full so now try to keep it simple. I belive in KISS (Keep it simple stupid).

 

[BluenoseGolfer]

I don't really think about my swing at all, I only think during the set up, but once i'm set up I just take a natural swing, I have found that thinking too much can have an effect. I just keep my eyes stationary looking at the front of the ball, don't know if that's the correct thing to do or not.
Interesting about the 7 o'clock position though!

 

[StrangelyBrown]

I focus on hitting the ball at the 7 o'clock position to try and avoid out to in swing plane.

Are you left handed?

I'd be looking to hit it from 4 or 5 o'clock, but that depends on where you assume 12 o'clock to be.

 

[andycap]

The back of her head !

 

[One Planer]

I try and concentrate on making a good contact with the ball.

I'm now confident enough in my swing that I can focus on making a good contact. After all if everything else is in order, the only thing that could monkey my shot up would be getting a poor contact.

 

[Flarkey]

I visually focus on a dimple or mark at the back of the ball.

To get my swing timing correct I have a little trick that I learnt years ago. What I do is think in my head the words "Seve Ballesteros""... with "Seve Balles..." helping with the timing of a slow backswing and the "....steros" marking the faster downswing!

And if I ever find I am swinging too fast I change it to "Serveranio Balles-TEROS!"

This is my 'clear key' , i.e. something to think about that isn't specifically related to my swing.

here are some links re clear keys..
http://clearkeygolf.com/Clearkeys.htm
http://breakparblueprint.com/wordpress/five/

 

[scozzie]

i try and "watch" the clubhead thru the ball...you dont see anything of course except a flash of steel and a white blur but it just reminds me to keep my spine angle thru the contact area and the momentum of the swing will bring me up into a finish position...thats the theory anyway

 

[palindromicbob]

I focus on hitting the ball at the 7 o'clock position to try and avoid out to in swing plane.

Are you left handed?

Nope. Right handed.

 

[Bobirdie]

Keep my eye on the ball and timimg