For Those Who Overswing

[JackLee]

On every shot, imagine that there is a water hazard just in front of your ball. The size of the hazard is such that you can carry it if you hit the ball only half as far as you expect to. Now, do you swing hard, risking putting the ball in the water, or do you:

Concentrate on technique, perfect timing, and precise contact. Get those three correct and you will clear the water hazard. Don’t even think about the rest of the distance. It will take care of itself.

[RC]

I like this picture. What you are saying is a balanced swing with solid contact is the most important thing. That about says it all with every shot in golf.

I always feel pretty dumb when I try a hero shot and come up short, or miss-hit the shot entirely -- especially when the numbers on the score card say nothing about how many hero shots you hit that day. Well, maybe it does say something about how many overswings you tried that day.

[aedoue]

In the last few months, I've gotten to the place where i understand what you describe. That feeling of effortless power is glorious. However, some days I have it on the first swing, and some days I can't seem to find it. I know by my ball flight that I'm swinging too fast and jerking my arms ahead of my body, but I can't seem to find the right feel. Then when I find it, it seems so easy that I wonder how I could have lost it. If anyone remembers having this problem, when learning to play, I'm interested in how you got your tempo back. Thanks.

[verse214]

In the last few months, I've gotten to the place where i understand what you describe. That feeling of effortless power is glorious. However, some days I have it on the first swing, and some days I can't seem to find it. I know by my ball flight that I'm swinging too fast and jerking my arms ahead of my body, but I can't seem to find the right feel. Then when I find it, it seems so easy that I wonder how I could have lost it. If anyone remembers having this problem, when learning to play, I'm interested in how you got your tempo back. Thanks.

Whenever i lose it and i'm on the range, I will go back to my wedges to work on my partial swings and that usually does the trick...

[PingGKEN]

At the range yesterday I had the same experience. I hit a partial wedge (80yds) and it DID get to the target no problem, but I said to myself after the shot: "That seemed like way too much effort to get that result" I felt like I rushed the shot and I put a lot of power into the downswing just to get it 80yds.

I then took another shot at the same target. I made sure to focus on my tempo and lengthened the swing just a tad. I watched as the ball landed on the same spot, but I had this feeling of "boy that was easy". It was like slow motion, but there was more power. Awesome feeling.

I really want to try and bring this process to the rest of my clubs. Especially the driver!!

[PiKapp23]

Camillo overswings every time and things seem to be working out OK for him...

[Dub]

Camillo overswings every time and things seem to be working out OK for him...

I suppose his small size pushes him to gain power. You could really see him lashing at the ball with his driver during the Buick. I couldn't imagine the scores he'd shoot if stayed out of the rough just a little more often.

Guy's got some serious scrambling ability.

[yygolfnb]

At the range yesterday I had the same experience. I hit a partial wedge (80yds) and it DID get to the target no problem, but I said to myself after the shot: "That seemed like way too much effort to get that result" I felt like I rushed the shot and I put a lot of power into the downswing just to get it 80yds.

It is a success only if you can bring it from the range to the course.

My wedges have higher swing weights that help to supress the "overpowering". I found them helpful for doing a few practice swings whenever there is waiting time to hit the next shot.

[coupe93]

Kinda the same approach to hitting the ball into a strong wind off the tee on a long par 4. The tendency is to over swing because you are telling yourself the wind is going to make this hole even longer unless I really muscle one. We all know how this story usually ends.

I always learn things about the game and myself most every round I play. The picture described above has taken quite some time to learn, understand and trust. When you do practice this approach, it does oddly enough simplify most efforts.

[microcrayfish]

I have a big problem with this and it's quite a hard to habit shake. I know that when I swing smoothly and don't try and hit the ball too hard I hit it with a lot more power and ease and it goes further but time after time I still swing too hard. I find It's just a matter of concentrating and reminding myself not to over swing but I let that concentration slip too often.

[RC]

At the risk of being controversial, let me introduce a side thought. There are times when you feel or know you can kill it. Maybe a better way to say it is there are times when you know your shot is going to go further. The problem is when you try to artificially manufacture those moments. Just swinging harder trying to kill it does not work. What seems to work is recognizing the moments when you know going big will work -- does this make any sense to you guys?

It is hard to explain... I used to play with a favorite caddie who was very good at not arguing about this if he thought I was building up to a big shot. However, he knew when I was not ready and would calmly remind me to club down and make good contact, handing me the right club (say the seven rather than the eight) before I could make the mistake of trying to force a big shot.