Practice Swing

[mellojoe]

Where do you take your practice swing?

Behind the ball, head in line with the ball and target?
Next to the ball, parallel to the target line?
Perpendicular to the target line, head in line with the ball and target?


Lately, I've been seeing all kinds of ways in which people take their practice swings. I've just been standing just next to the ball, so that my clubhead acts like its is going to hit the ball, but 6 inches away from it. ((If you were to lay a compass flat on the ground instead of the ball. North points toward target. I stand just WEST of the normal position, as a right handed golfer.))

That way I just have to inch forward into position, and I've practiced everything as close to the real thing as possible.

I'm a beginner, so now is the time to practice GOOD HABITS. What do you think? Should I be standing behind the ball so that my head is in the right position, just a few yards farther away from the target?

What do you all do?

[Bo the Golfer]

I stand behind and a little to the left of the ball (looking from behind). Just gives me a nice view of what is in front of me.

[dave s]

First things to ask are: why are you taking practice swings? What are you practicing? What are you trying to accomplish when taking practice swings?

I think about 'why' people do things more that 'what' they do.

My wife, a relative beginner takes NO practice swings on the course. She hits the ball appropriately for a 2nd year player. Some good, some not so good, but many are hit spectularly well. She's the only person I know who doesn't use the 'practice swing' on the course.

Why I use practice swings: Balance, tempo and rhythm. Not go gauge the distance of my club to the playing surface, but more to remind myself that to hit the ball solidly I must:

1) Have my body well balanced over my feet and not rocking forward or rearward during takeaway and downswing.

2) Keep good rhythm so I can swing at about 80% power

3) Keep the tempo of the swing slow because I tend to get short on my backswing and too quick through the hitting area.

That said, if you have something to accomplish using practice swings, they make a LOT more sense. Oh, and I do my practice swinging behind the ball facing the target.

dave

[rusrus]

On the tee, I practice behind the ball. In the fairway (or rough), I practice next to the ball - 6 inches closer - then step-up and hit.

[Bucsfan]

I take a practice swing next to the ball my head is parallel to the target. It helps me get more comfortable with the line that way.

[ks8829]

Before I get to the tee box I take practice swings with my feet together, this help me make a full turn with my shoulders and hips.

then I place my tee and ball on the ground. Then I stand back a step parallal from the target line and take a practice swing. I step into position by doing the following routine everytime below:

1) stand behind the ball about 5 feet and line up my target line pick an object between the target line and the ball and use that as a focal point to align my golf club square to the target with only my right hand on the club and only my right foot is in position

2) Then I step my left foot in position being careful that I keep a parallel line with the target.

3) I place my left hand on to the club and tuck my elbow against my body and take the club back in the position I want to start off.

4) I check my distance from the ball and make sure that I am the right distance and make sure my knees are slightly bent.

5) I begin the backswing or take away.

The key to the above is that I have this same routine everytime I approach my shot with the driver, iron, fairway wood consistently.

You will obviously find your own routine but make sure you do the same thing everytime.

This is also more true for your putting.

I have missed short tap in putts because I did not do my routine and was careless.

good luck and have fun.

[Richie3Jack]

Usually I take it from behind, unless I've got a tricky lie and I'm trying to emulate the shot I'm about to hit. It's really more important to copy the same practice shot routine time and time again, from the number of practice swings to steps to the ball to how long it takes to get up to the ball and hit. If you watch the tour pros, almost all of them have the same practice shot routine on each shot.





3JACK

[lolzzlolzz]

I don't think high handicappers need practice swings, they just need practice. Don't take offense to this. When I see the frustrated amateur taking 3-4 practice swings, it seems that he is trying to "teach his hands" to do the same thing on a normal swing. If only he's spend time practicing a swing that doesn't require precise hand manipulation... he'd feel completely in control on shot after shot without the practice swing.

[Stacey_E]

I take my practice swings on the range. That being said, I do take little half swings behind the ball just to get the juices flowing, but I'm focusing on my line and target at the time. Most practice swings look absolutely nothing like the one that counts, so I think It's a waste of time (well for me anyway).

[tm22721]

My practice swing seems to always be target oriented and free flowing as compared to my real swing which is more ball oriented and manipulated.

If we could only fool our brain into thinking that we're taking a practice swing instead of a real swing...