Jump to content
IGNORED

Is consistency a mindset or a muscle memory thing?


Moppy
Note: This thread is 3220 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

I have been playing golf for two summers. I can see steady but slow improvement, but I just don't seem to see consistency coming. I can go to the range and hit 50 balls with my nine iron, and half of them are very good, balls I would take any day, pretty straight, and about 100 yards more or less(I know all of you guys hit your 9s 150 or 300). The other half are so bad, I don't want to go onto a course. But even those misses, many are consistent to the same spot, even though they would clearly be out of play on any course I have played, so that is some kind of consistency, I guess. My slice used to be consistent to the same spot every time. There is one par five with an apple tree on my home course that I would land near every time.

I guess my question is, is consistency a matter of practice, or can it come from a careful mental approach to each shot, checking off each item, grip position, posture, alignment, grip pressure check, back swing, head still, follow through.  Learning golf at a young age is no longer an option.

I can guess the answer is probably both, so my second question is, how long does consistency take? Is it better to practice in small batches taking time between each swing, or hit bucket after bucket while concentrating on one point or another for ten balls in a row, for example?

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I'll take a vote... Consistency is due to regular practice and playing lots of rounds.

I think there are little indications of progress for me.  Even though I still feel that I'm horrible inconsistent, I don't recall topping a ball, hitting off the toe or shanking a ball for the last 2 months of rounds, at least 8 rounds.  A small victory, but for me progress in being more consistent even though I wouldn't call myself consistent.

Edit: and I'll add, consistency is also due to good technique, regular practice of good technique and playing lots or rounds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades


I am equally consistent without practice.  Lately I have been more consistent than ever and the game is improving.  I am concentrating on a simple swing where I remind myself of about three simple swing thoughts that work for me and I just think about a clean hit with good focus and rhythm.

I am no athlete so a full fast swing won't do me any favours regards balance and good ball striking. Keep it simple, swing within yourself, and repeat your warm up swing and let the clubs do the work.  Watch slow motions of the pros, so focussed on the strike with a nice stable head, so swing with control not aggression and focus on a simple clean strike.

You can repeat some really bad stuff when you thrash you way through buckets of balls on your own, and it will take ages to rectify all the damage and confusion !

Driver - Cleveland Launcher XL270
3 Wood - Cleveland Launcher HT FL3W
Hybrid - Adams A12OS 4h
Irons -  Mizuno MP54 5i - Pitch
Wedges - Cleveland 588 Rotex
Putter - Rife Mr Beasley
Remember, P23 - V4 !!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites


@iacas and/or @mvmac could certainly expand on this, but you're making one incorrect assumption: that inconsistent results indicate an inconsistent swing. Even high handicappers have very consistent swings. They're just very consistently terrible, with little timing changes around impact - which is why you might blade one ball and then chunk the hell out of the next. It's not that you need to develop a more consistent swing, it's that you need to you need to develop a better swing.
  • Upvote 1

In my bag:

Driver: Titleist TSi3 | 15º 3-Wood: Ping G410 | 17º 2-Hybrid: Ping G410 | 19º 3-Iron: TaylorMade GAPR Lo |4-PW Irons: Nike VR Pro Combo | 54º SW, 60º LW: Titleist Vokey SM8 | Putter: Odyssey Toulon Las Vegas H7

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I don't like spending too much time on the practice tee. I tend to play better with more frequency of actual rounds than buckets.

I think muscle memory and mental acuity play an equal role. They are not mutually exclusive either.

For example, my pre-shot routine includes a grip check and my single swing thought is a should turn under the chin. I am pretty consistent at this because I've done it long enough for it to be considered muscle memory, but it also stems from a mental approach.

So my answer is, both.

Gambling is illegal at Bushwood sir, and I never slice.   

           

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I would say its both, but the weight is on practice to get the muscle memory and grooving a swing. Losing or having confidence can greatly vary how well you play. But having the repetitions so that you are comfortable with your swing is more important to me. I never had days where mindset allowed me to shoot lights out. But once I took lessons and took up a practice schedule my days with a bad mindset were less bad and when I was full of confidence I can shoot a lot closer to par for 18.

—Adam

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Administrator

@iacas and/or @mvmac could certainly expand on this, but you're making one incorrect assumption: that inconsistent results indicate an inconsistent swing.

Even high handicappers have very consistent swings. They're just very consistently terrible, with little timing changes around impact - which is why you might blade one ball and then chunk the hell out of the next.

It's not that you need to develop a more consistent swing, it's that you need to you need to develop a better swing.

All of that is spot on, particularly the part I bolded.

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

All of that is spot on, particularly the part I bolded.

OK. I will get another lesson before hitting too many more balls. ;) I have a golf date with friends coming up in two weeks, (in Florida for the winter) and I want to be able to play with a minimum of confidence, anyway. Right now, I am afraid of the course.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Even high handicappers have very consistent swings. They're just very consistently terrible, with little timing changes around impact - which is why you might blade one ball and then chunk the hell out of the next.

If that is the case, how does it happen that the small timing changes in an amateur's swing has such a wide range of results. Presumably better golfers have the same timing variations (otherwise we'd call them, um, more consistent) but somehow for them the results are better? I don't get it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


@iacas and/or @mvmac could certainly expand on this, but you're making one incorrect assumption: that inconsistent results indicate an inconsistent swing.

Even high handicappers have very consistent swings. They're just very consistently terrible, with little timing changes around impact - which is why you might blade one ball and then chunk the hell out of the next.

It's not that you need to develop a more consistent swing, it's that you need to you need to develop a better swing.

If that is the case, how does it happen that the small timing changes in an amateur's swing has such a wide range of results. Presumably better golfers have the same timing variations (otherwise we'd call them, um, more consistent) but somehow for them the results are better? I don't get it.

My uneducated observation.

I know a super high handicapper that places his ball way back towards his back foot.  It seems he is doing this because of his propensity to hit it fat (and it is absolute not the right thing to do to solve his problem).  His club at address is so far angled back that it's comical.   If he were to keep his head steady and have a centered pivot with the ball that far back he would take at least a one foot deep divot.

So, to compensate he sways way back towards his back foot on his downswing and lifts his hands up at contact by maybe a foot and ends his swing with nearly 100% of his weight on his back foot.

He's consistent in that he makes this swing every time.

But his ball striking is inconsistent because of the extra moving parts that he has to make such large compensations to his swing, his swing is very complicated.  It's not possible for him to lift his hands/ bend his arms the exact same amount each time.  It's not possible for him to fall back to his back foot the same amount each time.  (These variables don't exist in a fundamentaly sound swing.)

The swing always looks the same, the ball flight does not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Practice makes permanent.

Julia

:callaway:  :cobra:    :seemore:  :bushnell:  :clicgear:  :adidas:  :footjoy:

Spoiler

Driver: Callaway Big Bertha w/ Fubuki Z50 R 44.5"
FW: Cobra BiO CELL 14.5 degree; 
Hybrids: Cobra BiO CELL 22.5 degree Project X R-flex
Irons: Cobra BiO CELL 5 - GW Project X R-Flex
Wedges: Cobra BiO CELL SW, Fly-Z LW, 64* Callaway PM Grind.
Putter: 48" Odyssey Dart

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I'm one of those that if don't practice say for a week, it takes me much longer than normal to get in my groove, I say for me, because, I don't hit the ball very far, I try my best to get longer, and more accurate. I can see the results, I'm now hitting a much higher percentage of good shots vs bad shots that I was even 2 months ago.

Also, when I play, if I don't get to hit any balls, more often I don't play as well, especially when it's not warm outside.. :-D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Moderator

Even high handicappers have very consistent swings. They're just very consistently terrible, with little timing changes around impact - which is why you might blade one ball and then chunk the hell out of the next.

It's not that you need to develop a more consistent swing, it's that you need to you need to develop a better swing.

Yep, good post.

I'll just add this.

Mike McLoughlin

Check out my friends on Evolvr!
Follow The Sand Trap on Twitter!  and on Facebook
Golf Terminology -  Analyzr  -  My FacebookTwitter and Instagram 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Administrator
I know a super high handicapper that places his ball way back towards his back foot.  It seems he is doing this because of his propensity to hit it fat (and it is absolute not the right thing to do to solve his problem).  His club at address is so far angled back that it's comical.   If he were to keep his head steady and have a centered pivot with the ball that far back he would take at least a one foot deep divot. So, to compensate he sways way back towards his back foot on his downswing and lifts his hands up at contact by maybe a foot and ends his swing with nearly 100% of his weight on his back foot. He's consistent in that he makes this swing every time. But his ball striking is inconsistent because of the extra moving parts that he has to make such large compensations to his swing, his swing is very complicated.  It's not possible for him to lift his hands/ bend his arms the exact same amount each time.  It's not possible for him to fall back to his back foot the same amount each time.  (These variables don't exist in a fundamentaly sound swing.) The swing always looks the same, the ball flight does not.

The swing is essentially the same every time. He doesn't finish 100% on his back foot one swing and then only 30% the next swing. He doesn't swing 12° left one time and then completely alter is shoulder and hand path to alter the club path and swing 8° right next time. Etc. His lousy mechanics are what cause the rather small variations, but to say his swing is different every time is a stretch and a half.

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

The swing is essentially the same every time. He doesn't finish 100% on his back foot one swing and then only 30% the next swing. He doesn't swing 12° left one time and then completely alter is shoulder and hand path to alter the club path and swing 8° right next time. Etc.

His lousy mechanics are what cause the rather small variations, but to say his swing is different every time is a stretch and a half.

Yep, that's exactly what I was pointing out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

A good, consistent golf swing is a direct result of copious amounts (repetitions) of "quality" practice, and play. Quality practice can be unique to the individual golfer. The more you practice, and play, the easier it is for the swing muscles, and overall body coordination to do what they are told to do. Since the brain is telling the different body parts what to do, that's just another mental part of the game.

In My Bag:
A whole bunch of Tour Edge golf stuff...... :beer:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Practice is the key. I try to work on mainly one thing to eliminate it from my swing checklist. If I have more than one swing thought, bad things happen too often. Right now, I usually know what I did or didn't do that caused a poor shot. I try to work on some things without needing to hit balls, but it's tough since I tend to lose my mind when a ball is in front of me!

Driver.......Ping K15 9.5* stiff 3 wood.....Ping K15 16* stiff 5 wood.....Ping K15 19* stiff 4 Hybrid...Cleveland Gliderail 23* stiff 5 - PW......Pinhawk SL GW...........Tommy Armour 52* SW...........Tommy Armour 56* LW...........Tommy Armour 60* FW...........Diamond Tour 68* Putter.......Golfsmith Dyna Mite Ball..........Volvik Vista iV Green Bag..........Bennington Quiet Organizer Shoes.... ..Crocs

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I try to work on mainly one thing to eliminate it from my swing checklist.

OK, this is getting at what I was asking, what is your "swing checklist"? I feel like the more I learn about my swing, the more I have to think about and the easier it is to forget one, that is what I meant by "mindset,"  focus on a list of things to do carefully.

Plus I have no idea what fundamental thing I can do to eliminate fat shots and thin shots. Eliminating slices was easy in comparison. Getting the club head square was easy in comparison. Keeping my head still, on all of these I could focus on some concrete action that led to the result I wanted. I am not saying I don't still screw up on each of those areas, but if I fully concentrate on the right thoughts, they don't usually happen. But just thinking "Strike the ball solidly" is not enough for me to strike the ball solidly. There has to be some underlying move under my conscious control that I am missing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Note: This thread is 3220 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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

    • Thanks for the feedback. @StuM, we are a "club without real estate" so no facilities or pro. We have a membership of around 185 players and we only play together as a group at our tournaments, which are held at public access courses. A group of us setup the tournaments, collect the money and dole out the prizes.
    • In general, granting free relief anywhere on the course isn't recommended.  Similarly, when marking GUR, the VSGA and MAPGA generally don't mark areas that are well away from the intended playing lines, no matter how poor the conditions.  If you hit it far enough offline, you don't necessarily deserve free relief.  And you don't have to damage clubs, take unplayable relief, take the stroke, and drop the ball in a better spot.
    • If it's not broken don't fix it. If you want to add grooves to it just because of looks that's your choice of course. Grooves are cut into putter faces to reduce skid, the roll faced putter is designed to do the same thing. I'm no expert but it seems counter productive to add grooves to the roll face. Maybe you can have it sand-blasted or something to clean up the face. Take a look at Tigers putter, its beat to hell but he still uses it.     
    • I get trying to limit relief to the fairway, but how many roots do you typically find in the fairway? Our local rule allows for relief from roots & rocks anywhere on the course (that is in play). My home course has quite a few 100 year old oaks that separate the fairways. Lift and move the ball no closer to the hole. None of us want to damage clubs.
    • Hello, I've been playing a Teardrop td17 F.C. putter for many years and love it. It still putts and feels as good or  better than any of the new putters I've tried and it's in excellent condition except the face has dings in it ever since I bought it used that kind of bother me. I was just wondering if it's possible to have some really shallow horizontal grooves milled into the face on a "roll face" putter. I think I would rather spend some money on it instead of trying to get used to a new putter.  Thanks
×
×
  • 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...