Swing Thoughts & Mental Game

[saevel25]

I saw this comment made in a golf article...

"Most golfers stand over a 4- or 5-iron still negotiating with themselves. They think about how hard to swing, whether they have the right club, if they have the aim correct and more. It’s a lot to deal with and long irons punish the “half-in” golf swing."

I am not sure the "most golfers" is correct regarding the bolded part. I can understand if there is a bunker, water, and/or OB that a lot of golfers would be fixated on that. I am not sure that leads to ending up more times there. Pending your level in golf, the variance is so large in outcomes, it could be just with in the expected outcomes. I can understand if have a big lake on the right side of the hole being one of the most terrifying shots for right-handed amateur golfers.  I am not sure many golfers are standing over the ball talking to themselves, "Ok, maybe I should step back and pull the 4-iron. Am I lined up right? Oh, the wind came up, should I swing harder? What am I going to have for dinner tonight, maybe steak. (Joking, somewhat 😛)"

A question is that how much chatter do you get while standing over the ball. Are you questioning the everything about your golf shot? 

 

[StuM]

6 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

I saw this comment made in a golf article...

"Most golfers stand over a 4- or 5-iron still negotiating with themselves. They think about how hard to swing, whether they have the right club, if they have the aim correct and more. It’s a lot to deal with and long irons punish the “half-in” golf swing."

I am not sure the "most golfers" is correct regarding the bolded part. I can understand if there is a bunker, water, and/or OB that a lot of golfers would be fixated on that. I am not sure that leads to ending up more times there. Pending your level in golf, the variance is so large in outcomes, it could be just with in the expected outcomes. I can understand if have a big lake on the right side of the hole being one of the most terrifying shots for right-handed amateur golfers.  I am not sure many golfers are standing over the ball talking to themselves, "Ok, maybe I should step back and pull the 4-iron. Am I lined up right? Oh, the wind came up, should I swing harder? What am I going to have for dinner tonight, maybe steak. (Joking, somewhat 😛)"

A question is that how much chatter do you get while standing over the ball. Are you questioning the everything about your golf shot? 

 

The chatter in my brain is when the distance is between clubs since I am pretty weak at shortened backswings, etc.

I try to simply decide if being long or short is the better outcome and choose my club based on that and simply not even try for the “real” distance.  For me a full normal swing is what I strive for.

Edited 7 hours ago by StuM

[iacas]

No, but I'm also in disagreement that golfers have no thoughts over the golf ball, and/or don't ever think I've met someone I truly believe is thinking nothing but "target" or something on most shots.

[GolfLug]

I mean there has to be some thought. For eg., something like 'soft knees and wrists' at set up and maybe a dynamic 'left arm to chin' as a trigger to start DS. I have these one or two anchor thoughts and have served me well. In fact, my wildest swings are the one where I have no thoughts or if I forget to walk thru my anchor thoughts. In contrast my best rounds are where I am consistent with the anchor thoughts.   

OTOH, if I am running my entire half hour lesson (hypothetical) with some pro that I had last Saturday or whatever before every swing then I'm probably in trouble before I even get over the ball.      

[WillieT]

5 hours ago, saevel25 said:

I saw this comment made in a golf article...

"Most golfers stand over a 4- or 5-iron still negotiating with themselves. They think about how hard to swing, whether they have the right club, if they have the aim correct and more. It’s a lot to deal with and long irons punish the “half-in” golf swing."

A question is that how much chatter do you get while standing over the ball. Are you questioning the everything about your golf shot? 

 

Interesting that you post this - was playing today with my good friend in our typical weekly nine-hole round.  He has a lot of chatter in his mind, most of the time, yet today was much improved.  Yes, he went through a number of swing thoughts (like the ones highlighted), but then you could almost hear the switch click off - it was like when I shot the distance, and said its "X yards", he confidently said "this club should cover that..." and made his shot most of which were nicely rewarded.   Came away shooting one of his best nine-hole rounds ever. 

For me, I do have thoughts  - not in terms of negotion but rather evaluation.  What is the wind doing?  Is there trouble - left, right, middle - not that I am a great fader or drawer of the ball?  Where is the better landing spot/zone?  What is my target window and what in the distance helps me see it?  I wonder if the "negotiation" is more about not understanding "typical distance for a given club (carry and roll)" and more about remembering how that flushed 5i that went and went or how the 4i that can get there with but not reliably or accurately.