Practice swings.

[James_Black]

Do you take a practice swing?

I don't bother, I look at the target and hit my shot.
What's the point in taking one?

[saevel25]

It changes for me. If i am playing well, its usually on swing from behind the ball down the line i want, visualizing the shot. If i am having trouble, like recently i having a hard time not cutting the ball (ie outside in, divots pointing left), i will take a few practice swings with my right foot back to get the feeling of comming from the inside more. Not really practicing anything, just getting a feeling i want.

[mcfc_nick]

i voted yes, i dont take a practice swing in a way such that im practicing the shot im about to play, but before every shot i just make a 'swing' to just loosen up

[jamo]

I sort of take a few half swings just swinging my arms to get a feel for the shot I want, and reminding myself of what I am doing in my swing. But I don't take any full practice swings, no.

[ghalfaire]

I have never found it helpful to take a practice swing on a full shot, so I don't. I do take a couple of practice swings on pitches/chips/sand shots to get the feel of the shortened swing, swing speed and path.

[chilly]

I don't really take one, I found that too much conscious thought just screws up my swing. I do take a little half swing just to get a feel for the bottom of my swing.

I played with a guy the other day that would take at least 4 practice swings....and would actually do a waggle on some of them. By the time he hit the ball, he had built up so much tension that he rarely struck one well...although his practice swings were nice and loose.

[The Recreational Golfer]

I always take one (one) before a full shot. It's a swing thought eliminator. I go through all my swing thoughts to get it just right, then I step up to the ball and my only thought is to copy the feeling I just had.

[Jonnydanger81]

I always do, kind of part of my pre-shot routine. Stand behind the ball, get my alignment to where I want to hit, step up just left of where the ball lies, take a practice swing, then step in and hit the ball. On shorter shots, inside 100 yards probably, I'll always take at least one or two practice swings to get the feeling of how hard/what percentage swing I want to take. On shorter shots it's to help judge distance/control, on the longer shots it's just more to get a feel for the swing.

[The Road Dog]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Mostly yes.

[dbuck]

If it is a "stock" shot, i.e. middle of the fairway and around 150, a "stock" 7-iron for me, I won't take one.

On the tee, I might take one to stay loose, but it is just a smooth swing not going through set up etc.

Feel shots around the green, I might take several to get a feel of the weight of the shot.

[steelernation]

Yes, several from the fairway or rough...but Im still a fast golfer.

I take practice swings primarily to determine the lie of the ball height wise compared to my feet. I then determine what amount of grip to take in my hand.

[right handed phil mickelson]

Do you take a practice swing?

For me, taking a few practice swings lets me know how I'm swinging that club. It gives me some time to think about the key swing thought(s) that I need to make the swing I want. When I feel like I've made the right swing, I'll step up to the ball pretty quick and re-create that swing again. It's all about consistency.

[Kieran123]

I do take practice swings, mainly out of habit....on the teebox I'll waggle too....but I like taking a practice shot on the fairway to see where my club path is going by the mark on the grass....and if I'm in the bunker I practice my swing on the grass to get a feel for the type of shot I'm about to do.

Same with bad/weird lies in the rough.

[Koth]

I'll take a practice swing before every shot. If I'm on the fairway, I'll take a practice swing to make sure I have the feel down for my shot. Once I have it, I step up and hit it. When I first started playing, it would take me about three practice swings to get the feel down. Now I can do it in one or two.

When I'm using a wedge, I'll take two or three quick practice swings to get the weight down that I want to hit it at.

I'll take a few before each putt to get the weight too.

[Comeback]

I have never found it helpful to take a practice swing on a full shot, so I don't. I do take a couple of practice swings on pitches/chips/sand shots to get the feel of the shortened swing, swing speed and path.

I am the same way, the only practice swings i take are small pitch/chip shots around the green to visualize the the speed and feel out the rough.

[kuni]

i voted yes because it helps me loosen up and it helps me set a good rhythm

[CG031]

I stand behind my ball and take about 1 or 2 real fast, then pick a target, and go. I've been told I'm one of the quickest players people have played with.

[Tiger Spuds]

I take 3 or 4 practise swings on the 1st tee and never after that.I don't find it helps, as your practise swing and real swing are going to be vastly different every time.I realise it can be useful as a thought process for certain people though.