swing thoughts?

[Sing Golfer]

During my last few rounds I've noticed I have been thinking about mechanics (swing not motor or quantum) and playing really badly.

Harrington said when discussing his huge number of swing changes that he leaves them at the range, he hasn't had a swing thought in 13 years.

What do you think about, particularly when you play your best golf?

I'm trying to get back to thinking about tempo, but can't trust my swing. I don't own my swing, I rent it by the hour occasionally.

[Lefty-Golfer]

  Sing Golfer said:

Originally Posted by Sing Golfer

During my last few rounds I've noticed I have been thinking about mechanics (swing not motor or quantum) and playing really badly.

Harrington said when discussing his huge number of swing changes that he leaves them at the range, he hasn't had a swing thought in 13 years.

What do you think about, particularly when you play your best golf?

I'm trying to get back to thinking about tempo, but can't trust my swing. I don't own my swing, I rent it by the hour occasionally.

to quote Bull Durham "don't think meat"

[Zeph]

I always got a swing thought or two. Keeping focus on one thing makes it easier to let the rest get mechanical by muscle memory. You let the mind focus on one piece instead of giving it the chance to think about the whole swing.

It is also a great way to make a swing change and incorporate it faster. I doubt Tiger is playing golf without a swing thought these days.

[TourSpoon]

I have noticed that when playing my best golf that I will concentrate on the ground right in front of the ball (2") and think about the club compressing the ball and traveling down that line.   For wedges the same, but maybe I will think about where I am taking it back for the kind of shot I am hitting (ie chest level for 75%, etc.).

[saevel25]

I play my best golf when i am outside the swing. That is, my mind isn't on my swing, when i am loose. Really all i do is swing, nothing else. The rest is feeling, i use practice to change that feeling.

[ghalfaire]

Most of you are more skilled than I, but for whatever it is worth; swing thoughts are OK, mechanical swing thoughts are  not.  But I suspect all of our brains work somewhat different from one another so whatever works for you should be the rule.

[Zeph]

  ghalfaire said:

Originally Posted by ghalfaire

Most of you are more skilled than I, but for whatever it is worth; swing thoughts are OK, mechanical swing thoughts are not.

Why not, and what is not a mechanical thought?

[Joe G]

  Sing Golfer said:

Originally Posted by Sing Golfer

During my last few rounds I've noticed I have been thinking about mechanics (swing not motor or quantum) and playing really badly.

Harrington said when discussing his huge number of swing changes that he leaves them at the range, he hasn't had a swing thought in 13 years.

What do you think about, particularly when you play your best golf?

I'm trying to get back to thinking about tempo, but can't trust my swing. I don't own my swing, I rent it by the hour occasionally.

my only swing thought is "dont think".

I need to find a way to quiet the brain chatter when putting and chipping though. I turn into an emotional wreck around the greens.

[mship]

I've been giving this a lot of thought recently (no pun intended). I have a putting routine where I pick my line and make practice swings while looking at the hole "programming" the distance into my subconscious. Yes it sounds stupid, but the intention is to just hit the ball and not think. I stare at the ball to "occupy" my brain (since I can't turn it off completely) and swing. It works for me. I don't make them all by any means but I lag putt really well and rarely three putt.

If I'm able to do something similar on a full swing I play better. Just can't seem to do it for more than a few holes until my brain gets in the way again. So to echo what previous posters have said, "Don't think."

[inthecup]

T assumed everyone thought  dear god please do not let me screw this up?

When I am doing well I try and imagine the ball flight.

[Kieran123]

I don't think about my swing, more about where I see the ball landing.

[TourSpoon]

  mship said:

Originally Posted by mship

I've been giving this a lot of thought recently (no pun intended). I have a putting routine where I pick my line and make practice swings while looking at the hole "programming" the distance into my subconscious. Yes it sounds stupid, but the intention is to just hit the ball and not think. I stare at the ball to "occupy" my brain (since I can't turn it off completely) and swing.

This is very similar to making a free throw in basketball...target oriented.

Just to add, to my looking in front of the ball comment, I also try to picture the target in my mind while doing this.  Somehow the brain can react and it allows the body to pull it off.  That is why you don't want to think about the hazards.

[NEOHMark]

On full swings, I narrow it down to one swing thought - fire the hips first.

On a partial swing, I add to that one 'mechanic' - where do I stop my backswing for the percentage of full-shot distance I desire?  I use a distance-control method that marks a specific stopping point for the left arm for 50% and 75% shots.  It works really well for me.  IIRC it was a Tom Kite trick back in the day....and he probably learned it from Penick.

[Kieran123]

Actually when putting I imagine rolling the ball with my hand towards the hole and what speed it would need.....this REALLY helps me with my speed....don't know why

[GaijinGolfer]

I try to focus on where I want the ball to go and forget about mechanics.  Thinking about mechanics is fine when youre on the range, but when youre on the course you only thought should be the shot you need to hit.

[newtogolf]

I try to focus on where i want the ball to go, and usually can when the ball is on a good lie.  Things fall apart for me when I'm in nasty rough, sand, or when I'm swinging on a hill and I obsess on my swing and mechanics.

[awmgolfer]

I finally read The Little Red Book and Golf is Not a Game of Perfect. Last year I always had technical things going through my mind on the course. After reading those books that has ended with my last swing last season. This season I am only thinking one thing just before to just after taking the swing, the target, Take Dead Aim and I have been using that in practice and boy has it made a huge difference for me.

[mdl]

I've always had one or two mechanical things I concentrate on during my swing.  Recently it's been restricting my backswing, cause I tend to go (not quite) John Daly style and that messes everything up for me.  I'm intrigued by the fact that the better players who've responded pretty much all say either no swing thoughts or specifically focus on target.  I do try to keep the target in my mind, but I've never really committed to literally no swing thoughts.  I'm at the range so much maybe I should trust that I've got my current swing in the muscle memory and think only smooth and target.