Downswing thoughts

[Chillmoon91]

I was just wondering on the downswing are you concious(probably spelt wrong) of what your arms are doing or do you solely focus on body rotation. Ive focused on body rotation only recently and my god you pick up some serious speed......sadly its been raining here so I havent hit the course with this thought yet, just hit some plastic balls lol.

I was wondering do you focus on what your hands and arms do on the downswing?(unless you,re battling a problem with flipping)

[Tiger Spuds]

I just concentrate mostly on getting the hips out of the way, and to try and keep my left elbow (right for you) close to my left hip, staying connected and getting the club going from in to out.When I get that right it always feels like a more powerful swing.

[Jay-Bird]

"my target is ..."

[Chillmoon91]

"my target is ..."

What....?

[ajschn06]

On my downswing, the only thing I am thinking about is the target line and solid ball contact...

[GolfBear]

I just concentrate mostly on getting the hips out of the way, and to try and keep my left elbow (right for you) close to my left hip, staying connected and getting the club going from in to out.When I get that right it always feels like a more powerful swing.

You actually think of all that in the middle of your swing? If I thought of that much there's no way I'd be able to get the clubhead anywhere near the ball.

[Paradox]

You actually think of all that in the middle of your swing? If I thought of that much there's no way I'd be able to get the clubhead anywhere near the ball.

haha, really. In the middle of my downswing, there is no "thought"..thats already over with.

[Tiger Spuds]

You actually think of all that in the middle of your swing? If I thought of that much there's no way I'd be able to get the clubhead anywhere near the ball.

What do you mean 'all of that'?It's practically just the one thought.Slide the hips at the top of your swing and the rest takes care of itself, so as I

begin down I'm just thinking 'keep your elbow close to the hip'.It's quite simple.

[Zeph]

Depends what I am working on. Right now, I'm working on getting my hands more in front of my body on the downswing, as opposed to being lagged beind and out of sync. If I'm working on my takeaway, I don't think about anything on the downswing.

[nuck81]

I think BOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!

[Fourputt]

I just concentrate mostly on getting the hips out of the way, and to try and keep my left elbow (right for you) close to my left hip, staying connected and getting the club going from in to out.When I get that right it always feels like a more powerful swing.

You actually think of all that in the middle of your swing? If I thought of that much there's no way I'd be able to get the clubhead anywhere near the ball.

Amen. If you're thinking of anything at that point it the swing then you're thinking too much. These are things to be thinking about and working on at the range, not the course. All you should need on the course is a simple thought that keys your body into the swing that you've practiced. Something like "smooth and slow" or "take dead aim". If you're thinking about mechanics, then you're in trouble. I've got a friend who literally freezes over the ball thinking about what he wants to do through the swing... As a result he has no smoothness or fluidity in his swing.... looks like a stick figure with no flow or flexibility, and the shot reflects that.

Every now and then I find myself thinking about some part of my swing as I address the ball. When that happens I have to step back and reload. All I focus on during the swing is keeping my head fairly still and my eye on the ball... I just let the rest happen.

[Tiger Spuds]

I think a few of you have misunderstood.The way I should have put it is ;

"I keep my left elbow (right for you) close to my left hip, which helps stay connected and helps getting the club going from in to out."

I didn't mean I'm thinking about all 3 things on the way down, just the elbow.

[Zeph]

Amen. If you're thinking of anything at that point it the swing then you're thinking too much. These are things to be thinking about and working on at the range, not the course. All you should need on the course is a simple thought that keys your body into the swing that you've practiced.

Why not work on your game at the course? I would say it is the best place to practice, since you have to be more focused. A chunk at the range doesn't matter much, on the course it can cost you a shot or two. I would almost guarantee that anyone benefit from using the course as a place to practice, instead of forgetting about everything and letting old habits creep back.

[Stretch]

Not fat! Not fat! Not fat! D'oh!

[Smyth]

Nice steady fluid backswing. Let the wrist break naturally with the momentum and gravity of the club head.

When I feel the click, keep the head centered and turn my belt buckle towards the target, feeling like I have a 6ft steel pole going through my spine and out my ass (yeah). Then letting the hands and wrists slot into place (not passive but relaxed and powerful)

[brgolf]

feeling like I have a 6ft steel pole going through my spine and out my ass (yeah).

The internet has perverted me.

[Smyth]

Forgot the mention the pole is stuck into the ground. Feels good man.

[Fourputt]

Why not work on your game at the course? I would say it is the best place to practice, since you have to be more focused. A chunk at the range doesn't matter much, on the course it can cost you a shot or two. I would almost guarantee that anyone benefit from using the course as a place to practice, instead of forgetting about everything and letting old habits creep back.

I never said that there was anything wrong with an occasional practice round, but I didn't get the idea that the guy I quoted was talking about that.

On the range you can work on the drills that make the mechanics of the swing more automatic. Then when you are on on the course all you need for a swing thought is a simple guide or key, not a complete process. The topic is swing thoughts, and a good swing thought is not a complicated series of mechanical moves. Nobody's mind can wrap around all of those processes in the time it takes to make a golf swing. Having one key move in mind is all it should take to make the swing work, and if that isn't the case then you need more focused swing practce. That can really only be done at the range where you make more swings over a shorter period in a controlled environment, cementing the link between brain and muscles (what some call "muscle memory", a misnomer and a biological impossibility). Then should only have to use a simple key thought to reactivate that link when you are playing on the course.