Swing Thoughts - Do they flood your mind?

I dont think about my swing much on the course.  I think about it a lot on the range but on the course, Im focused on making shots, not mechanics.

I try so hard to leave the mechanics on the range... however, It's still a metal battle!  The best way I've found to loose the mental game back is to get into a good tempo....

-CH

I always have some type of swing thought in my head. Rarely do I ever make a swing without something going on in my head. If I'm swinging well, its just "smooth swing." If I'm not striking the ball too great, it varies on which fundamental I've abandoned on previous shots. Everything from "keep your weight back" (I've always fought leaning forward on my backswing) to "look down at the ball even after you've hit it."

When I walk up to the ball I'm thinking 'swing slow, let the club do the work'. Once I'm at address I think about a slow back swing keeping the "V" intact. Then I think about keeping my head centered over the ball. Oh I think about my grip while in the address position as well. But no I don't think about anything, I don't think!

Only swing thought I have is, 'finish the backswing.' Outside of that I just think target.

Not really the only things I think of when playing is good tempo taking the club back and hold my finish.

I mostly try to avoid any significant swing thoughts.  If I think to much it devolves into paralysis.  If I use any thought at all, it's just to keep my head as still as possible, basically to avoid looking up early (that's probably my most readily identifiable swing fault).  When I catch myself thinking too much, I deliberately start swinging sooner after I address the ball to prevent any thoughts from creeping in.  I set, ground the club and go without hesitation.  It usually results in better ball striking.

I've incorporated a range ritual that helps me avoid this issue, hope you can gain something from what works for me.

When I am at the range I hit one=three shots utilizing a drill (step drill for weight shift as an example), the next shot I attempt to feel the same thing in my golf swing looking for the right trajectory. Once I get that feeling I move on to the next shot. Then I begin hitting shots with a video (V1 app on my phone) to make sure what I'm doing is actually what I'm feeling...if that doesn't work I rinse/repeat steps one & two. Once I see the video and know it is what I want... I revert to feel only, and ball flight of course. Once I feel like I can feel it consistently, I pick a target and go through my pre-shot routine...still holding onto that swing thought/feeling. After about the third to fifth swing... I take a video. If all is still on track, I begin transitioning into "unconscious" swings. I pick a target and just swing. If the ball flight is on... I know I executed properly. I then hit about 5-10 balls utilizing the "unconscious" swinging. At the end of the drill/feeling session, I take one last video swinging freely with no thought.... if all is in order I go home. If it isn't, I go get another bucket...typical good days take 2-3 buckets.

NOTE: I only work 1-2 swing thoughts per range session...and I never allow myself to think on the golf course. Too bad I really suck at it. :)

A few years ago I was hitting balls on a range and one of the better golfers in this area was hitting balls beside me. Another guy walked up and watched him hit a few and asked him what he thinks about when he's hitting the ball.

I stopped for a minute, hoping to maybe hear some words of wisdom, but all he said was "nothing".

There may have been more wisdom in that than I thought at first because if I'm on the course and I'm thinking about mechanics it means I am playing like crap and I'm searching for an answer.

If I'm playing well I'm only thinking about where I want to hit the ball and what shape and trajectory it's going to take to get it there.

(I'm really just hitting outfield practice to the center fielder).