Swing thoughts...

[mdbuschsr]

I know the idea is to have as few as possible. It seems I "need" to have a different group of thoughts for almost every club in my bag for different situations.

Alignment/distance from ball... for full swings cuz' there all different for partials!
LW & SW align 15-20 yards right address with hosel on ball.
GW & PW Align 10-15 yards right address just outside of hosel.
9i align 5 yards right address just inside center.
8i align 10 yards right address just outside center.
7i align on target address center.
6i align 15 yards left address ball .75" outside toe of club.
5i-4i align straight at target, address ball on toe.
3H haven't figured it out yet.
3W align 20 yards left address ball on toe but not completely covered.
Driver align straight on target, choke down 1.5" address between toe and center.

For all clubs... REMEMBER TO KEEP THE RIGHT ELBOW IN.
KEEP WEIGHT LEFT.
ELBOW IN.
STRAIGHT BACK.
STICK BUTT OUT.
ELBOW IN!!!
JUST LET THE BALL GET IN THE WAY.
Did I mention... KEEP YOUR FREAKIN' ELBOW IN!!!

Now, and then I actually remember AND execute all of that. When I do, I make the prettiest shots. When I don't... I make the ugliest SH!TS

Suffice it to say I need some time on the range!

[Zeph]

You got a different ball position relative to the clubface for each club? Sounds difficult to me. Have you tried playing a full round where you focus only on having the ball in the same place all the time (at the clubface, not stance)? You address the ball with the club at the hosel? Having different problems with different clubs is not unusual, especially if the swing is erratic.

All I can recommend is working on one thing at the time. If you have five swing thoughts at the same time, you'll most likely just mess it all up. It's hard to do at first, but try having only one swing thought at the time. Accept the fact that you hit slice it, hit it fat or thin, or whatever you struggle with, and start working on one thing at the time.

I made the biggest and quickest changes in my game when I had only one swing thought at the time. I have different focus when hitting a ball off sidehill lies, thick rough, tight lies etc., but on the typical tee shot or fairway shot, I only got one swing thought at the time. If I keep that up for long enough, my chances of getting them integrated faster improve.

[newtogolf]

That's why too much stuff for me to think about. I don't know if it's right, but I use one approach / alignment for all irons and hybrids (ball in center of stance), one for woods where the ball is about 1" behind front heel and one for wedges where ball is closer to back foot. I try to keep my thougts to a minimum which I've narrowed down to head up, relaxed grip and arms.

[Zeph]

Different ball positions is pretty common, but that is a pre-swing thing, which you should not have to think about once you are set up. It's like when I putt. I pick out my target line, align my putter face to it, then align my body to it. Once I'm set, I forget all about the line and just focus on what speed I need, making a smooth stroke or keeping the clubface square, whatever my swing thought is for that day.

Try to get rid of as many static pre-swing thoughts as you can before swinging. Once you are all set up with the ball in the right place, there is no need to think about it anymore. On all shots, I consider the lie, my stance, the wind, the distance, the ideal landing spot, where I want to hit the ball etc., but those are all things I focus on before I hit my shot. Once I've found my alignment, picked my club and found a comfortable stance, those things disappear from my head, and all I focus on is one swing thought. It is usually one that prevent me from hitting it fat, but it can be on keeping the clubface square, having lots of speed in tall grass or something else.

[saevel25]

Honestly i don't have swing thoughts, i have swing feeling. I don't like to think of anything because if i think of something its usually not what i want. If my swing isn't on for the day i might concentrate on one thing, usually getting hands deeper for me, or dropping my hands in the downswing to stop an over the top move.

My last round i played, shot under 80 because i was basically decided to let my hands fall down in the swing instead of trying to force them through the impact zone, i was flushing shots until the final 4 holes. Thats were my legs and shoulders got tired, i couldn't keep anything stable. I was able to squeek out 2 over, and sank a 15 foot par putt on 18 for a 79. But it was an awesome ball striking round for me. I was just feeling it, nothing else in my head just tempo.. THats the way i like to play.

[Zeph]

Honestly i don't have swing thoughts, i have swing feeling.

That sounds like a swing thought to me.

It is individual what works best. Of course, if you have a consistent swing and shoot close to your handicap regularly, you may not need a swing thought. I'm always looking to improve, I always work on a part of my swing. If I don't use swing thoughts when playing, I'll have a harder time to incorporate a change. Tiger Woods has said a lot of times this week that he works on his swing on the course, but sometimes gets stuck between his new and old swing. You can of course play golf without having swing thoughts, using the range as a place to work on your swing. It's an individual thing. I firmly believe though that if you use a swing thought when playing, you will improve faster. Granted that you are doing the right thing of course.

[Stretch]

One thought per round. Save the advanced mechanics for the range. Ommmmmmmmm.

[Chev]

I think about all sorts of stuff during my swing.

I hit the best when the only though is, "keep your eye on the ball."

[saevel25]

Well letting them do something is more of feeling them do something. I was thinking, they need to get this point in my swing then start keep this path. It was more of feeling them do something different than the other. I reallly don't like the word swing thought, more of somatics on my end. I try to keep anything from my head and if that means saying no swing thoughts though i might have one, i rather say its a feeling. ;b

[Fourputt]

I know the idea is to have as few as possible. It seems I "need" to have a different group of thoughts for almost every club in my bag for different situations.

What the?????? Does it take you 15 minutes to figure out each shot. I don't see how anyone could play golf with all of that going on. All of that .75" and 1.5 " stuff is just weird, in my opinion.

You definitely need to practice more until the basic setup fundamentals are automatic. I pick a club, pick a line, step up to the ball, set the club square to the line, set my feet, tell myself to keep my head still , and swing. The only swing thought is the one that's underlined... the rest is just a continuous routine that takes about 15 seconds from start to impact.

[Jay-Bird]

I have only one swing thought. But it's not really a thought in words or self dialog like "My target is five feet right of the pin" - it's just a mental picture of my target.

I've already decided on the line and ball flight during preshot routine. I just trust it, trust my picture and go.

[WUTiger]

A common theme I hear from teaching pros is to divide practice time between swing-shaping drills, partial shot drills, and hitting shots with full pre-shot routine.

Many swing-shaping drills can be done in your back yard, or even in the family room if you have 8-foot ceilings.

The swing-shaping drills make parts of your swing automatic , so you can make a fluid motion rather than have a long list of things to think about at address. Partial-shot drills can help this.

When you practice a full swing, line up the shot, and go through the full pre-shot routine before you hit it. Full-shot practice doesn't give you much it you hit 10 balls a minute.

When Golf Digest asks pros to describe their pre-shot routine, most have a list of three things. And, at least one is a static, alignment-type thought.

If it's a full shot from tee or fairway, I do best when I focus on proper alignment and just hit it. Muscle memory hopefully will take care of the rest.

[Meddle]

If it's a full shot from tee or fairway, I do best when I focus on proper alignment and just hit it. Muscle memory hopefully will take care of the rest.

Same here. I just accept whatever swing I've brought to the course and work with it. When I'm at the range, I'll think of something here and there, but mostly focus my practice on developing touch.

[Frito]

What the?????? Does it take you 15 minutes to figure out each shot. I don't see how anyone could play golf with all of that going on. All of that .75" and 1.5 " stuff is just weird, in my opinion.

You defintely should practice the basic setup untill you can recall upon it instantly and not have to worry about all the stuff that goes along with it.That eliminates half your list. I practice adressing the ball in front of my house and look at the reflection in the window. then alls you'll have to worry about is your swing : /

[JWL1957]

The only swing thoughts I have are just the basic grip check , alignment, and posture . Everything else is by feel.