Swing Thoughts...

I was watching the most recent big break and done had his two swings thoughts on a piece of paper in his pocket, even though that guy is a tool, it is a pretty decent idea.

Anyone do the same thing?

Also, what are each of your presonal swing thoughts?

When I was in college, I played against a guy who had a slew of swing thoughts on various sticky notes on his bag and hat. I didn't see any help in this sort of approach. If you are properly practiced, you shouldn't need many swing thoughts to get you going. When I do my pre-shot routine, I think about a few things: Aligning the club face to my target line (which helps me align my feet and body), making a smooth takeaway, and swinging through the ball instead of at the ball.

This is kind of interesting. I always have the impression that there should be minimal distraction during a golf swing on the course. Thinking too much before a swing can be disruptive. All those training and season of golf swings and thoughts are to be done at the driving range.

Thoughts at the course should be minimal when you stand over the ball. Like Murphdaddy, I normally, stand behind and check my target line, visualise the shot, step up and align myself. When I am ready, I swing.

Just my thoughts

It's a new habit I've recently developed, seems to be helping me ease my swing, as I feel I am (was) trying to crunch every ball lately. It's quite simple actually. Right before I start my swing, I whisper one word to myself.

"... Ernie... "

It works for me ;-P

I hate swing thoughts! I hate being a slave to thinking too much about my swing! I would love to go out and play without any!

The sad truth is that I have to think about a couple of things; I could be hitting the ball great, but I need to know why I'm hitting it great and have a swing thought to help me achieve this.

My swing thoughts change, but my main one is maintain a braced, flexed, right knee and stay down through the ball on the down swing.

I usually have a "current" swing thought and it changes regularly. Whatever I am working on at the time is what I use. At the moment I am working on keeping the clubhead low and square during my takeaway so I am thinking about this both during practice as well as when on the course.

I will often have an additional "feeling" I am trying to replicate through impact when playing a specific shot, if I am trying to hit a high fade I'm thinking about having a firm left hand through impact, if I am trying to hit a big draw (I naturally hit it right to left) I am thinking about having a full release through impact, clubhead chasing out right of the target line and my right hand turning over my left. These additional feelings are used in conjunction with my current swing thought and are pretty much subconscious. I think about them during my preshot routine and practice swing and just before takeaway but they don't enter my head during the shot.

If I am hitting the ball very well and I am not really working on anything specific during practice I focus on tempo "one and two" as my swing thought and again it's not really a conscious thought it's just something that happens although the decision to use it as my swing thought is a conscious one.

I wish I could banish any thoughts while I swing! But I try to keep it simple, and like mnel, Ernie helps me out too.. I think of an "ernie els" tempo... ernie on backswing, els down and through. OK it really isn't like that... But above all I think "smooth and easy" and the little back thought is get through to the finish!

Mike

all i think about is drawing the club straight back on my backswing, only thing i think about. and it goes far.

regardless of what you're thinking, having positive thoughts are the most important. the second you have a negative thought, reset, and start over until you are confident the ball will fly the way you want it to.