Jump to content
IGNORED

Playing Golf Without a (Swing) Thought


iacas

0  

138 members have voted

  1. 1. How often do you play a competitive round of golf WITHOUT a swing thought or a focal point? Please read first post before answering.

    • Never - I always have something in mind
      45
    • Rarely
      48
    • Often
      24
    • Always - I just hit the ball and don't think about anything like that
      8


Recommended Posts

I usually have some kind of technical thought but i try to make sure i don't change it during the round. If i decided i need to focus on something it should not change because i hit a couple of bad shots.

But my best scores come where i "let" it happen. No technical thoughts or forced focus!

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Moderator

I try to keep my swing thoughts in the single digits. ;-)

Lately, I'm usually thinking something like "keep the chest toward the ground" or "smooth transition."

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
--Groucho Marx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Lately I've been letting way to many swing thoughts creep into my mind during a round.  It's gotten to the point where I lose focus during my swing because I'm thinking about 500 different swing thoughts.  My goal for my next round is to have one swing thought through out the entire round.

Driver: Cobra Fly Z Plus, Stock Stiff,  10.5
3 Wood: TaylorMade AeroBurner, Stock Stiff, 15.0
3 Hybrid: Nike Vapor Speed, Stock Stiff, 20.0
4 to GW: Mizuno JPX EZ, KBS Tour 120
54: Cleveland Tour Action, Standard Bounce
58: Nike VR Vx3x Grooves, Toe Sweep
Putter: Odyssey Versa
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Wrap 2G
Ball: Titleist NXT Tour

"Golf is not a game of good shots.  It's a game of bad shots." - Ben Hogan

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Rarely- when I'm playing my very best I just see and do without thinking how. Although, I'm usually working on a certain swing feel but my goal is to groove the feel until I don't have to think about it during a competitive round.

Larry

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Never

Back swing thoughts:

Feel the weight on the inside of the right foot (I'm right handed), shoulder to chin, pause at the top (get in sync).

Not necessarily going slow but slowing it down, hard to slow down when White Rabbit is playing in you head  ( Jefferson Airplane).lol

Brian   

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Usually never, but played a 36 hole tournament this Sunday, and when starting out on round 2 I played the most stress-free no-thought-golf which lead me to be -2 for the first 9. Then I realized I was climbing up the leader board and came back to earth (carded a +1).

But man, those 9 holes were magic. Total ball control, hit 8/9 greens. The one miss was because of a height difference misjudgement. Still got a par.

Hope to get into that state of mind again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Ooops, I goofed my reply and voted Always instead of Never.

I like having swing thoughts and think it helps me improve. At times I've had some trouble having too many thoughts at once, but it's become easier to single down on a few.

Another point is that it keeps the mind occupied with something. I have a hard time thinking about "nothing" and rather think about knee flex than whatever random thought might pop in.

Ogio Grom | Callaway X Hot Pro | Callaway X-Utility 3i | Mizuno MX-700 23º | Titleist Vokey SM 52.08, 58.12 | Mizuno MX-700 15º | Titleist 910 D2 9,5º | Scotty Cameron Newport 2 | Titleist Pro V1x and Taylormade Penta | Leupold GX-1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I often have too many thoughts in my head. I try to think of one thing such as "swing smooth" and end up a load of others creeping in. I must have an overactive mind or something :-\

Russ, from "sunny" Yorkshire = :-( 

In the bag: Driver: Ping G5 , Woods:Dunlop NZ9, 4 Hybrid: Tayormade Burner, 4-SW: Hippo Beast Bi-Metal , Wedges: Wilson 1200, Putter: Cleveland Smartsquare Blade, Ball: AD333

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I have not played that many competitive rounds ... but honestly the few I have played actually wore me out mentally, thinking of swing thoughts combined with course management thoughts ...

I played rider cup format once ... I won my match on hole 17 ... I was too exhausted mentally to play 18 ...

Disclaimer: I do not have much mental capacity to start with ...

My last two match plays went to 19th hole, and decided on 18th hole.   Like you, I was exhausted at the end.   Ditto on the Disclaimer.

The thoughts going through were ... if I hit this ball on fairway, I have a good chance to win the hole and the match.   I need to swing good.   Don't fail me, my almighty golf god.   My team partner is watching.  Why can't he look away?   If I miss, what do I say to him?  Should I apologize or pretend it's no big deal.   Gee, I am hungry.   I should have eaten something on hole #9.   Damn, it's hot today.

After all that thoughts, I hit my drive into a hazard.   For the record, until that tee shot, I hit 11 out of 13 fairways.   I lost the hole & the match but my team won.  So, it wasn't all bad.

RiCK

(Play it again, Sam)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

You'll hear from time to time that a golfer went out and played a round of golf without a swing thought. Maybe they'll say something about how they just pictured the shot they wanted to hit and then hit it*. It feels like many of the winners on the PGA Tour (or whichever tour you watch) will say this fairly often, leading to a belief that "playing thought-free golf is how you play your best."

I think there's a little bias in there. Namely, we don't recognize how many times the winner doesn't say that he played without a thought. But still, enough people have said it that it is a valid way to play golf… if you're at the top of your game.

So, do I absolutely recommend this for everyone? No. If you're Jordan Spieth right now, maybe you don't have a lot to think about except "hey look, there's my ball, and I want it to go there. Cool." But for almost everyone else, I do think you should consider adopting a strategy of having a single thought and making it a focus of your pre-shot routine and swing. If it is a word, try to make it a single syllable. If it's a feel, rehearse it (or even exaggerate it) before you swing and then just repeat it.

My daughter, Kelly, was a pretty fair high school golfer, and has taken a lot more lessons than I ever did. Her teachers were assistant pros at Oakmont Country Club during the time that she caddied there. The teacher who got the most out of her had her practice specifics at the range, but when she went to the course told her not to try thinking too much, and simply swing the club. When Kelly was asked, "What are you thinking about when you are hitting your shot?," she would reply, "Nothing. I am trying to blank-out my mind." It seemed to work for her.

I, on the other hand, started writing down my swing thoughts 40 years ago, and I continually update them as my swing mutates. Most of these swing thoughts have been developed on the range, short game area, or putting green, hitting hours of practice balls. After hitting balls, I would write down the swing thoughts that were most successful and then take them to the course with me. The areas for swing thoughts include the driver, fairway woods, long irons, short & mid irons, short game and putting. Then within each of these areas the thoughts are broken down to pre-swing, back swing and forward swing. The last revision of my swing thoughts was November of 2013 and before that it was 2008. There are about 40 different swing thoughts for all of the areas, but in reality I have certain triggers that will allow me to get my swing where I want it.

Now when it comes to swing thoughts on the course, the first thing I do before each shot is go through a predetermined routine that allows me to have a constant before I hit the ball. Not much thinking here, but I try to do the same thing every time with my pre-shot routine. After my pre-shot routine is when the swing thoughts occur. First, I square my clubface to my intermediate target, and then my first swing thought is to keep my head still. This triggers a good shoulder turn and stops me from swaying. My second swing thought is a relaxed grip. This allows me to have a nice, smooth tempo. And, my last swing thought is to finish on my left side. Since I generally play a ball that moves left-to-right, getting to my left side prevents me from slicing and turns the shot into a "gentle fade."

I love this game. :-P

Drivers: Bag 1 - TM R11 (10.5°); Bag 2 - Ping G5 (9°),
Fairway woods: #1 - TM RBZ Tour (14.5°) & TM System 2 Raylor (17°); #2 - TM Burner (15°) & TM V-Steel (18°)
Hybrid: #1 - TM Rocketballz (19°); #2 - Ping G5 (19°)
Irons: #1 - Ping i3+; #2 - Hogan Edge  (both 4-pw, +1" shaft)
Wedges: #1 - Ping i3+ U wedge (52°) & Ping Eye 2+ BeCu (60°); #2 - Ping ISI Sand BeCu (52°) & Cleveland CG11 lob (60°)
Putters: Ping B60i & Anser 2, Odyssey White Steel 2-Ball & White Hot XG #9, Lamkim Jumbp grips
Golf Balls: Titleist Pro V1, Bridgestone B330, Callaway SR1, Slazenger Grips: Lamkin Crossline
Golf Shoes: Footjoy & Adidas; Golf Glove: Footjoy StaSof®; Golf Bag: Ping Hoofer
I love this game! :-D

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I always have at least one thought in my head when I'm on the course.  Lately it's been on the backswing and making sure I start it with a one piece takeaway and actually rotate at my hips.

Joe Paradiso

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I always thought my now 23 yr old son was an excellent golfer because he did not think about technique. He went for feel.

As opposed to analytical me...

Ping G400 Max 9/TPT Shaft, TEE EX10 Beta 4, 5 wd, PXG 22 HY, Mizuno JPX919F 5-GW, TItleist SM7 Raw 55-09, 59-11, Bettinardi BB39

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I always thought my now 23 yr old son was an excellent golfer because he did not think about technique. He went for feel.

As opposed to analytical me...

When I was 19 I played the best golf of my life, I don't remember ever thinking about my swing, I just walked up and hit using hand-eye coordination, never gave mechanics a single thought. I didn't keep a handicap back then, but if I had to guess based on scores I shot I was probably single-digits. Those were some good times, just visualize a shot and execute.

- Mark

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

oh thats me over thinking things...it depends on which club I have...my friends all say the same thing...just hit the ball...iam just vocal about what iam thinking....after they hit a bad shot....then they start saying what they did wrong...LOL..iam super duper hi handicapper..so Iam just glad to be on the course and not working and trying to learn as I go along...trying to get better everytime I go out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


The one area that I don't put as much thought towards is probably the one I should be thinking about the most - putting. Up until this year, I would really over-think and over-play most slopes. Now I just take a quick read, make a decision on which side of the hole to aim, and go by feel on the speed. On the short putts, it's a fast address and stroke. I definitely don't blow as many short putts as I used to.

On chips and pitches, I take four or five practice swings while looking at my landing spot, step up to the ball and try to repeat without thinking.

The closest I come to reducing thought towards full swings is when I remember to slow down my tempo and swing smoothly.

Jon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I've been guilty in the past of overloading myself with too many swing thoughts.  I end up tight as a spring, twisted up like a pretzel and unable to execute anything remotely resembling a decent golf swing.  I now try to focus on one thought, relax and let everything else happen - with much better (and more consistent) results.  Even my golf buddies have commented that my swing looks much smoother and easier.

Mac

WITB:
Driver: Ping G30 (12*)
FW:  Ping K15 (3W, 5W)
Hybrids: Ping K15 (3H, 5H)
Irons: Ping K15 (6-UW)

Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX CB (54*, 58*)

Putter: Ping Scottsdale w/ SS Slim 3.0

Ball: Bridgestone e6

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Some people do not seem to be getting the point of this thread-It is this- [LIST] [*] If you have more than one swing thought you have too many. [*] If you have fewer than one swing thought you have too few. [*] Swing thoughts can be different for different types of shots-Chips, full swing, etc. [/LIST] -Is that about right @iacas ?
  • Upvote 1

"The expert golfer has maximum time to make minimal compensations. The poorer player has minimal time to make maximum compensations." - And no, I'm not Mac. Please do not PM me about it. I just think he is a crazy MFer and we could all use a little more crazy sometimes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Administrator

Some people do not seem to be getting the point of this thread-It is this-

If you have more than one swing thought you have too many.

If you have fewer than one swing thought you have too few.

Swing thoughts can be different for different types of shots-Chips, full swing, etc.

-Is that about right @iacas?

Pretty much.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up
  • TST Partners

    TourStriker PlaneMate
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FlightScope Mevo
    Direct: Mevo, Mevo+, and Pro Package.

    Coupon Codes (save 10-15%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope.
  • Posts

    • Day 514, March 28, 2024 Quick ten minutes while waiting for the wife to come home for our trip.
    • Day 262: did a stack session. Worked on rehearsal swings during rest breaks. 
    • It's been a little more than a year since I can last remember hitting golf balls and today I just got my second cortisone injection in 11 months. I thought maybe shortly after the first injection I was going to be able to start playing again with therapy but the pain while doing my backswing past halfway just didn't subside like just lifting my hands up in the air did. So today the Orthopedic surgeon put more in the backside of the shoulder than before to address the tendon more. I'm going to try therapy for another 3 months and if I  can't swing the club without pain then I think surgery is going to be my next option.
    • I was just down visiting family in southern California and we played a couple rounds of golf. I hit my ball into the deep rough near some tree's and my cousin's husband offered me his Sim 2 Rescue Hybrid to try out. And I felt the same way, wow! I loved it, it also had a Pure DTX grip on it which I loved. As soon as I got back home, I ended up buying two used Calloway Rogue X hybrids, 3 and 5. So far I've only tested them out at the range, but I love them. They're much more forgiving than irons for me.
    • Wordle 1,014 3/6 ⬛⬛🟩🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Bravo!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...