Some Things Are Just a Matter of Willpower

[iacas]

Suppose you have a backswing that is too long. Now, there could be a number of actual reasons for it:

• You hinge your wrists late, so you delay the end of your backswing to let the wrists hinge the amount that feels comfortable.
• The latter half of the backswing is too fast, so while your brain says "okay, that's long enough" it still takes longer than it should to come to a stop.
• The shift of pressure/weight to the back foot is late, and/or the shift forward is late, so the player has "a backswing" and "a downswing." Players who shift pressure at the right time (toward the target) have an easier time stopping the backswing at the right time because they're literally beginning to move in the downswing direction with some of their body.

But… sometimes Bob Newhart nails it above. Sometimes, it's a matter of willpower. It's a matter of just saying "I'm going to make what feels like half a backswing."

So… What's the reason why you over-swing?

😄 

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No, but seriously. Some things in golf are just a matter of willpower. Sometimes, you can DO the movement, you just have to make yourself do it.

Another example: having a "quiet eye" when putting. Sure, almost everyone wants to look up early. But… with enough training and willpower… you can have a quiet eye when you putt, and not look up immediately.

Another… target selection. You can learn to make yourself aim away from the flag on holes where that's the prudent play.

What other things in golf do you think are a matter of willpower?

[colin007]

I've actually been thinking about this

@iacas do you think this can apply to the left butt moving forwards and back to prevent early extension? Just force yourself to do it?

 

For the record - I often overswing when I feel the need to feel my left arm crossing my torso and against my chest. I stop the back swing when I feel the left arm totally adducted across the chest which is way too long

[iacas]

  On 3/18/2025 at 1:52 PM, colin007 said:

I've actually been thinking about this

@iacas do you think this can apply to the left butt moving forwards and back to prevent early extension? Just force yourself to do it?

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No. EE is almost never a matter of just willpower.

Making the changes you need to make — at the right speed, the right way, etc. — can be a matter of willpower. The actual moves involved in EE? No. Most people EE because they must in order to hit the ball with the other stuff they have going on in their swings.

[GolfLug]

Great advice from Newhart. IMO unless there is a serious mechanical flaw most have the ability to will themselves to a consistent tempo.    

[saevel25]

  On 3/18/2025 at 12:30 PM, iacas said:

So… What's the reason why you over-swing?

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All of them 🤣

  On 3/18/2025 at 12:30 PM, iacas said:

What other things in golf do you think are a matter of willpower?

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Probably most backswing stuff is a matter of willpower. 

Downswing might be much less so. Probably due to how little time there is to make an adjustment. Maybe stuff like when to weight shift. Though, physical limitations are very tough to use willpower. If your left hip is messed up, I doubt you can use willpower to use the left side the way you should. 

Off the top of my head. 

1) Pre-shot routine
2) Putting stroke
3) Game planning, sticking to a plan
 

[colin007]

What about hand path?

[Zeph]

It's often a battle between muscle memory and willpower. It's easy to do something once when you focus on it, but doing it long enough for muscle memory to change is the tough part. That's why I've sometimes used physical objects to achieve something, where the object force me to do what I aim to do, without having to think about it and use willpower all the time.

Humans are very good at programming ourselves and creating habits, but it takes time to change that programming.