What notes/reminders do you keep about your golf swing?

[onephenom]

I have a list of things to work on or keep in mind when I play. Usually just about the swing, but can be other stuff too. I try to keep track of what mistakes cause what misses so I can work on those later.

I know my thoughts/feels of what I try to do in the golf swing might not actually be what causes misses, but that's what the fix feels like. For example, maybe how I feel the weight distribution isn't actually what happens, but it's how I feel it.

So, here goes: (keep in mind, i'm left handed)

butt up and back, elbow first. not doing this can cause you to roll wrists and have open clubface at impact.  like in chipping, don't break wrist till parallel ishhh so you don't roll  wrists

make sure left side doesn't come up on downswing! keep it low, right side goes up. left foot shouldn't have the heel up at impact, more like the weight that stays back is on the inside. left knee should feel like it's moving towards target.  if left side is up, can cause fat shots.

keep head more still, don't let it go forward with lower body. can cause you to come out to in, duffer.

don't be afraid to be aggressive. trust the shot. or you'll wimp out and hit in the bunker. but don't be stupid and hit driver on holes that don't need it, like 1 at ackerman hills (not relevant to you probably, but this is copy and pasted from my golf notebook.  it's a 330 yard par 4)

remember the glove is there to hold the club, so don't overgrip. nice and light.

don't let the left arm go too far back... not flexible enough to get the elbow in the right spot at impact. keep it in the sweet spot

That's all for me. What about you?

[turtleback]

1) Don't draw the club back, swing it back - for tempo.

2( Have a target point a about yard in front of the ball but try to send the club path a hair to the right of it to get an inside out swing path.  My ideal target ball flight is a slight push draw.

[Mr Mulyak]

Whoo hoo , my first post!!

I think I'm going to like this site, my employer, probably not so much, though I'm lucky my computer isn't facing everyone in the office.

onephenom, that's all great stuff to remind yourself prior to hitting the ball and even while addressing it, but for me that is all done pretty quickly, so I don't have a cluttered mind while executing the shot, which I find is where the failures show up.

I prefer just two swing thoughts at the most, the first is taking dead aim as taught by the late Harvey Penick. The second swing thought I use these days came during a round with some buddies a couple years ago.

I was having a so-so round when on the 13th tee, I had a decent drive and one of the guys commented on what a nice looking swing I had.

Well that sure made a lightbulb go off and a new swing thought was born. I went on to go par, birdie, par over the next three holes, which for an 18 handicapper is gold.

Eat like kings, drink like fish and golf like mulyaks

[Fourputt]

None.

[David in FL]

None.

Ditto

[Ballsndrama]

to draw think draw, to fade think fade.

[cooke119]

I have a notebook full (well maybe not that many) that I use on the range. But on the course I try not to think about any of them. I just try an visualize the shot I want and let it happen. Think about what to do usually makes me screw it up. Even if I'm not playing that well I will not take the notebook out. There is a saying my friend has, "you dance with the girl you brought to the dance".

[retexan599]

I have a one page summary of reminders that I scan when stopped at traffic lights on the way to the course.  These are simply to refresh my mind about what I already know and to purge myself of non-golf thoughts or worries.  Key thoughts (usually recent learnings) are highlighted in color.  There are short lists for each club in my bag.  My normal reaction is "Oh yeah, I remember now...."  The page gets updated after any practice sessions where I have learned something, and stuff I have ingrained is deleted to make room.  Only one page and it helps me 'kick-off' the round.

[onephenom]

I have a one page summary of reminders that I scan when stopped at traffic lights on the way to the course.  These are simply to refresh my mind about what I already know and to purge myself of non-golf thoughts or worries.  Key thoughts (usually recent learnings) are highlighted in color.  There are short lists for each club in my bag.  My normal reaction is "Oh yeah, I remember now...."  The page gets updated after any practice sessions where I have learned something, and stuff I have ingrained is deleted to make room.  Only one page and it helps me 'kick-off' the round.

That's what I use mine for. Not swings thoughts to think about on every swing, but reminders before a round to keep in mind what a miss means and how to fix it in round

[Beachcomber]

I don't have a hand written notebook... I have gone paperless.

The things I use are:

Myswing thread here on this site.. I kind of use it as my own journal to document what I'm working on (feels, geos, etc.). That thread coupled with my Youtube channel which I use to upload and monitor my changes/mods/improvements/failures (lots of failures) within the swing...

Outside of that, I have a 'Favorites' video playlist on my Youtube channel, which has a lot of drills and swing videos from Youtube that I've collected/found over the years that helps with various swing pieces.  So I'll go to those if I need something as a refresher before I go to the range.  And finally, my go to is my collection of Evolvr videos that I've received as a student for the last year.

With all of this data... There are tons of great nuggets - but I try and focus on one or two items at a time when I go to the range and practice.  Too many thoughts - and I'm dead - and just wasting my time at the range.

Then - when I'm on the course - I just try to stay out of my own way.  And really just focus on my alignment/setup posture.  And beyond that - swing.  I don't have anything that I carry to give me personal reminders and or swing tips.  Other than my Aimpoint chart.

[jetsknicks1]

I've always kept track of fairways, GIRs & putts. Since I've started taking lessons though, I also keep track of my bad iron/wedge shots so I can look back and see where my misses are.

[Kieran123]

I just try and picture the flight path of the ball. Gives me confidence.

[Paul Baker]

Originally Posted by retexan599

I have a one page summary of reminders that I scan when stopped at traffic lights on the way to the course.  These are simply to refresh my mind about what I already know and to purge myself of non-golf thoughts or worries.  Key thoughts (usually recent learnings) are highlighted in color.  There are short lists for each club in my bag.  My normal reaction is "Oh yeah, I remember now...."  The page gets updated after any practice sessions where I have learned something, and stuff I have ingrained is deleted to make room.  Only one page and it helps me 'kick-off' the round.

Thats a interesting idea. Never thought about doing that but might have to give it a try. Thanks.

[dpgator33]

it changes for me all the time.  for sure, I don't think about more than one or two things about my swing while Im playing a round.  I started to hook my drives a while back and could shake it for a long time until I realized that I was opening up the face at the top and letting by right hand drop.  My one though before a swing now is to make sure my right hand stays on top and to keep the face from flying open.  Not so much to keep is closed, but just to keep it in line with my swing path.

Next week or month that may change if I start doing something else weird.

[dsc123]

Mine changes all the time depending on what I've been working on.  I try to keep it to one or two things.  If I'm playing in any sort of competitive environment I often just think "nice and easy" to myself so I don't overswing.

[Dave2512]

I keep it simple on the course and in practice. I watch a lot of video and try to make small adjustments, maybe work on one thing each week for 15 minutes a day. Usually stuff like steady head drills, the head on wall thing. Last summer I made too many tweaks and it set me back. On the course it's all about being ready, confident and relying on what I've worked on in practice. The only thing I think about after picking a target, and I actually say this to myself in my head is ready, relax, go.

[BuckeyeNut]

If you're thinking about much, it's a recipe for disaster.   The only think I'm thinking about is tempo..........

[Bucki1968]

I don't think at all. I make a couple practice swings to rehearse how it should feel, then step up the ball and pull the trigger. I will use some swing thoughts at the range when I 'm working on something or trying to fix something.