How do you stop "over thinking" it?

[slinkee]

My most difficult thing to over come right now as a golfer that shoots in the 90's and started in Oct. 2007, is over thinking my swing. I play my swing, and not the course is the problem. I know that you cannot think about your swing, I know that the mind does not react fast enough to consciously move every muscle at the right time to allow the club to fall in and square up to the ball. I know that by "just swinging" the club all these little technical details, within reason, fall in to place by themselves ...

But just because I know this, doesn't mean I do it. I've gotten to a point where I'm starting to narrow down the things that I think about when I address the ball to maybe 1 or 2 down from, oh I dunno, 6-7. But I have a feeling that's still too many. Things like "take the club back on on the target line, not inside" and "lead with the hips" or "don't squeeze the club too tight", "shake hands with the target."

How do you get to a point where you can stop playing your swing and start playing the course? How can you just get up to the ball with a clear mind and just .... swing? Am I still too new of a golfer to be confident in my swing or just too scared to hit a bad shot?

[Lange]

Confidence is a huge turning point with over thinking. If you can just start being confident with yourself and your clubs then the over thinking is nowhere to be found. Now for getting confidence my best advice is teh range, where you can change things up and or practice your swing till you feel so good with it that once u hit the course next the over thinking isn't there.

A deep breathe before you pull back for your swing is something that also works great. It's helped me greatly on the tee box!

[$2 Nassau]

I find your post interesting because it wasn't too long ago that I was in the same boat. Cutting out the over-thinking helped my scores drastically.

Things like "take the club back on on the target line, not inside" and "lead with the hips" or "don't squeeze the club too tight", "shake hands with the target." How do you get to a point where you can stop playing your swing and start playing the course? How can you just get up to the ball with a clear mind and just .... swing? Am I still too new of a golfer to be confident in my swing or just too scared to hit a bad shot?

Those things above in bold are great thoughts.........for the practice range. On the course you should be thinking about one thing, and that is flying the ball to the target that you have chosen. Every shot should have a target...something off in the distance that you want your ball to fly towards. Smaller the better. For short game, pick a specific spot on the green to land your chips.

This will get your mind off your grip, backswing/downswing, shaking hands with the target, etc. Play the swing that you brought to the course that day. Nothing wrong with paying close attention to your tendencies/faults while you are playing, but wait until after the round, or the next day when you hit the range to work out those kinks. I would often let one or two bad swings change my entire round (and sometimes I still do). Meaning, just because I hit 2 balls in a row to the right, I'd start thinking my whole swing was off and would start making huge adjustments on the very next hole. Treat the bad shots as just a little hiccup, an exception to the norm. Forget about them and just concentrate on the next shot and flying the ball to the target.

[allin]

I believe partly this is personality related. To turn off the analysis focus on a feel in your practice swing that you want to repeat for your shot. Learning to visualize, (really tough for me} helps also. I have noticed when I have to hit a recovery shot, a fade over a tree to the green etc., I do this and often pull off shots seemingly above my skill level.

[ks8829]

In my opinion you must start rethinking at the driving range. Only work on one swing thought at at time otherwise you will confuse yourself. You must learn to trust your swing and more importantly have fun.

[HansMoleman]

I agree with the other posts.

Do all your overthinking and adjustments at the range. Tweak your swing to correct all your flaws and try to "memorize" what you did correctly when you execute a good swing. Once you have "memorized" a good swing, commit to it and practice it often.

On the course however, relax and have fun. Visualize what you did on the range and mimic those great swings on the course. It will come with repetition, repetition, repetition.

[m11]

You just need to think to relax and to trust what you've practiced. Its also necessary to understand that how you swing on the range translates to play on the course. If you mishit half your balls on the range..expect the same on the course. That said, understand that you are going to mishit some on the course and just let it happen....its just the level that you are at and theres nothing wrong with it. The issue occurs when you start tensing up which causes you to revert back to Day 1 of golfing..and thats when you start hacking at the ball. Just relax and trust that you can pull of the shot at whatever rate that you know you can. Dont worry about bad shots...they happen and at that present moment on the course, theres nothing you can do about it. The range is where you can kill yourself with swing thoughts in order to improve. So yes, relax and have fun. Keep the swing thoughts limited. I keep it to 'relax' and 'take it back slow'. Seems like my tempo is the only thing i can actively control on the course and i know that if i take the club back too fast...disaster is looming...but if i remember to take it back nice and slow...the probability of me hitting a good shot goes way up.

[GaijinGolfer]

Im as guilty of overthinking as anyone. What I found really helps me is just trusting my swing and instead of thinking about all the mechanics of your swing, just focus on each shot and take it one shot at a time.
Forget about the previous shot and dont even worry about the next shot. Just focus on the shot you are playing right now and try to be in the moment.

[Dent]

Im as guilty of overthinking as anyone. What I found really helps me is just trusting my swing and instead of thinking about all the mechanics of your swing, just focus on each shot and take it one shot at a time.

Exactly: When I'm on the tee box with my driver, I'm usually unstoppable. I line up, square up, and let it fly. I just don't think. All I think about is finishing towards my target and it just goes.

Of course my feet alignment is messed up right now and I'll miss fairways by about 2-3 feet, but I can hit the damn ball dead straight. It's all about confidence and trusting your swing. I know that I'll hit it straight and I trust it because its a good swing. I don't think either.. putting all these thoughts into my head scrambles my mind.

[GaijinGolfer]

Exactly: When I'm on the tee box with my driver, I'm usually unstoppable. I line up, square up, and let it fly. I just don't think. All I think about is finishing towards my target and it just goes.

Im like that with my putter. I have so much confidence with that club. I read the putt once, then stand over the ball and hit it. Yesterday I sank a 20', left to right putt and I knew the instant I struck that ball that it was going in the hole.

I wish I had that much confidence with my driver and 3-wood.

[Stacey_E]

If you want something to focus and grind on, grind on your setup and focus on the target. If you've done these things, then once you pull the trigger accept the results and move on. If you bomb it or shank it, be just as stoic as Reteif Goosen and move on. If you know you did your best to setup for the shot, than there is nothing else you can expect. Swing thoughts will kill your groove and your game. Easier said than done I know. But you have to play the swing that you brought to the course that day.

When I feel out of sync, I try to get a tune in my head. My two favorite ones are Willie Nelson's "My Heros Have Always Been Cowboys" and Bryan Adam's "When You Love a Woman". I know this sounds quite silly, but those lightly swinging, 3/4 time songs really put me in a relaxed mood.

[Franco!]

A pre-shot routine.
It lasts all of 5 seconds.
Mine is really quick and clears my mind of the shot.

[shortgame85]

My most difficult thing to over come right now as a golfer that shoots in the 90's and started in Oct. 2007, is over thinking my swing. I play my swing, and not the course is the problem. I know that you cannot think about your swing, I know that the mind does not react fast enough to consciously move every muscle at the right time to allow the club to fall in and square up to the ball. I know that by "just swinging" the club all these little technical details, within reason, fall in to place by themselves ...

You ask such a very good question! And having too many swing thoughts, or over thinking the shot, is something from which most of suffer from time to time.

Leave the majority, if not all your big issues, at the driving range. When playing a round, I now try to simplify everything. Before I start, I think about simple easy swings. I think about, and see in my mind's eye, backswings that are normal in length (I tend to go over the top ). When I'm playing and once I've committed to a line, I allow myself only one thought. That thought may be, " Keep your eye on the back of the ball through impact," or " Keep your left arm connected to your body on your backswing," etc. I enjoy my best rounds when I keep it simple. Again, good question. Good luck.

[dlo132]

I had my first REAL lesson this weekend, and as a consistent over analyzer, my instructor told me to count as I swing. It takes all the focus off the little things and just forces a smooth back swing (count in your head if you blush easy) -back swing ends at one, ball contact made on 2. Helped me anyways, but I am a rookie, so take it all with a grain of salt.

[yeis20]

How to stop overthinking... do this at a range.

Put 5 balls down all atleast a club head length away from the other, go over the the pre-think stuff before addressing the first ball. You now know what you want to work on, now just do it 5 stright times, in fairly quick succesion... no thinking, just swing!

Hit ball 1, regardless of result, move up and within a few seconds, hit ball 2, 3 4... etc.

After you hit the 5 balls, refelct on results, rethink your adjustments, now lay 5 more balls down, rinse repeat.

This will help you realize, standing over 1 shot and over thinking it will hurt you, grip it and rip it! Get your address right, see your line, now let memory muscle take over.

[tm22721]

Just take practice swings until you feel comfortable and confident. Because that slows down the pace of play, just play solo until you only need a single practice swing. Solo four years and counting.

[blackxpress]

I agree with Franco! Preshot routine is key. I do all my thinking as I'm analyzing the shot, deciding on club selection, etc. Once I address the ball, I take one last look at the target and try to envision the ball going to the target. Then I take a big breath to relax and swing the club at the target. My one swing thought is simple. "Keep your eye on the ball."

[Kabal]

Because that slows down the pace of play, just play solo until you only need a single practice swing. Solo four years and counting.

I enjoyed that one. I have often wondered why some of the members at my course always play alone - maybe this is why?

Personally, I have found that mimicking Aaron Baddeley's approach works quite well for me. For those who haven't watched him on tour, he closes his eyes and visualizes his shot before stepping up and hitting the ball. I have found this really helps to eliminate any bad or unnecessary thoughts.