just tried something that ive been talking about

[xerex250]

ive noticed on this blog there are a lot I mean tons of people worrying way too much. you can work on technical aspects of course, but overloading on this info doesn't do much for the game. when youre on the course, you should forget the swing, hit the ball, get it in the hole in the fewest strokes, and worry about the swing on the RANGE. make your range swing automatic. make it natural. then you can stop worrying when you get out on the course. the main goal of playing golf is to get a ball into a hole in the fewest strokes possible. instead of focusing on whats not important (the swing) focus on the main objective (getting the ball into the hole in fewest strokes). if you do this consistently you will improve over time. there are no quick fixes for golf. and worrying about a million different things about the swing (trust me, I know theres too much info about it, mark crossfield makes everything complicated) instead, you should worry about getting the ball into the hole on the course. if you can practice on the course instead of the range, your game will improve. the range isn't the course, so logically you cant improve your game there. once again, sorry to repeat myself so often but the main objective in golf is to get the ball into the hole in the fewest strokes possible!!! it is that simple. try it for a few rounds and see what it does for you. I don't want arguments, so if youre going to disagree, no insults, no nasty comments, and no arguing. if you want to disagree, do so maturely. (by the way my 180 yard wedge was real. tiger woods did it back near 2000 in bridgestone swinging all out. so why couldn't I have done it?)

[boogielicious]

Most folks on this site want to improve and by asking questions. They can learn from better players and instructors.  I do not think this is a sign of over-thinking.  It is a learning process.  They all know the true objective.

BTW, it would be easier to read your posts if you used paragraphs and capitalized the first letter of each sentence.  Take that as friendly constructive advice.

[PirateJim]

I agree.

My only "argument" isn't really an argument at all, but simply the need to point out that this isn't the golf course nor the driving range, but an internet forum.  This is the assigned place for people to get sort of philosophical about stuff like swings and techniques (and mental states of their fellow golfers :-).  People come here asking questions about how best to deal with their current golf woes, or whether they would be well served getting something new and shiny from the store.  Then, people such as I spew our own opinions because that's what you do on internet forums.  It's hard to give answers that don't get into sort of technical areas of the swing.  Really though, I find that keeping focused on hitting the shot at hand when you are playing is a recurring theme among posts of the folks I seem to respect the most.

[xerex250]

I will definitely work on my paragraph formation and punctuation. Thank you for pointing that out. And yes I agree with you guys. Makes perfect sense. Thank you for your replies.

[RandallT]

I completely disagree with your premise.

This site is about sharing information about how to improve in golf. We are not worried. We are not over-thinking. We are discussing and enjoying golf.  I've improved a lot since I started joining forums and really analyzing my swing. Until then, I was mostly a maverick on my own, without taking lessons. No improvements for six months, until I broke down and started wondering if my fundamentals were wrong.

Then, I took lessons and started interacting with others. Improvement followed. Was I over-thinking and overly worried? No, I was improving. There are a zillion aspects of a swing, but the key is to boil it down to simple things.... for example 5 simple keys! You don't need to know every detail of every muscle, but there are basics that will help you improve if you focus on it.

I think that getting lessons and continuing to focus on the basics will help anyone improve- far more than your recommendation to just swing naturally. In my case, your advice would have been the worst advice. I didn't improve with my natural swing for about six months. I was totally OTT. I needed to break it down completely and rebuild before I could get under 90 consistently.

[cipher]

Get back to us when you have made it to scratch, and then tell us how you got there.

[David in FL]

Get back to us when you have made it to scratch, and then tell us how you got there.

How about 10? ;-)

[cipher]

How about 10?

Sure...

[mvmac]

there are no quick fixes for golf. and worrying about a million different things about the swing (trust me, I know theres too much info about it, mark crossfield makes everything complicated) instead, you should worry about getting the ball into the hole on the course. if you can practice on the course instead of the range, your game will improve. the range isn't the course, so logically you cant improve your game there.

I agree golfers need to keep it simple, why I'm a big fan of the 5 Simple Keys .  But just "not thinking" won't work.  Golfers need to understand what their priority piece is and how to improve it.  Most golfers need to work on some mechanical aspect of their swings to get better, even tour players.

once again, sorry to repeat myself so often but the main objective in golf is to get the ball into the hole in the fewest strokes possible!!! it is that simple. try it for a few rounds and see what it does for you.

You do keep saying that but what golfer isn't trying to get the ball in the hole in the fewest strokes possible?

This site is about sharing information about how to improve in golf. We are not worried. We are not over-thinking. We are discussing and enjoying golf.  I've improved a lot since I started joining forums and really analyzing my swing. Until then, I was mostly a maverick on my own, without taking lessons. No improvements for six months, until I broke down and started wondering if my fundamentals were wrong.

Agree.  This wouldn't be a very helpful or insightful site if every post I made was just telling people not to worry about it and just hit the ball.

[Brakkus]

What you think about is the key to this. For me its as simple as this. I actually believe each practice session can only really be effective if you work on one thing. I can get totally lost focusing on one movement in my swing. On the course I can mentally and physically know the overall feel of my swing. I've done it that many times I know it. So when I do my pre shot routine and practice swing in connecting with that feel and that's it. As everyone has said you need to conceptualize your golf swing first. If you come over the top in your swing going to the course and not thinking will still lead to coming over the top. You need to accept it, effect the change, practice it and only then will not thinking so much help.

[xerex250]

First off, its not about the swing. Second its not about your score. Its about whacking a ball into a hole. Who cares about score? Its just a record of your strokes. People worry too much. It's just a game people. Honestly look at the target choose a club and hit that stupid thing. If you miss, hit it again until it gets in the hole. Golf is that simple. I know you guys are going to argue with me about this so think about what you say before you say it. I don't prefer insults over not saying anything at all. Mother always told us that if you didn't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. So don't insult me or anyone else. You're allowed to disagree just not insult me for my "lack of golfing knowledge". Handicap doesn't matter. What matters is enjoying yourself on the course. And if you want to improve, its simple. Play more golf. Human engineering is like that. The more you do something the better you get, but only if you focus on the main objective, which is hitting the ball into the hole.

If you really could care less about improving your game and only are worried about the swing, try this drill.

Mishit any shot on purpose (Driving range only lol) try topping (difficult) thinning fatting shanking and all sorts of stuff. You cant do that with a perfect swing. If you can mishit shots on purpose, and in control, you can hit a golf ball perfectly too.

Remember, hit the ball in the hole, which is what golf is anyway. Also, don't insult, argue with others or me, you can disagree, but in a professional manner. If you don't think what i'm saying is true, then you can most certainly ignore it. But it has worked for me over these four years of hitting balls on the range and playing ten rounds, so I have my game nicely on the way to becoming scratch. Its only a few more years. And if I play more, I will improve.

Once again, if you think i'm talking nonsense, you may well certainly ignore this post.

Discuss as you will.

[iacas]

Who cares about score?

Plenty of people.

Mishit any shot on purpose (Driving range only lol) try topping (difficult) thinning fatting shanking and all sorts of stuff. You cant do that with a perfect swing. If you can mishit shots on purpose, and in control, you can hit a golf ball perfectly too.

That's not even close to true. I can shank the ball on purpose. That doesn't mean my ball flight is always great or that my swing can't be improved.

[Harmonious]

First off, its not about the swing. Second its not about your score. Its about whacking a ball into a hole. Who cares about score? Its just a record of your strokes. People worry too much. It's just a game people. Honestly look at the target choose a club and hit that stupid thing. If you miss, hit it again until it gets in the hole. Golf is that simple. I know you guys are going to argue with me about this so think about what you say before you say it. I don't prefer insults over not saying anything at all. Mother always told us that if you didn't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. So don't insult me or anyone else. You're allowed to disagree just not insult me for my "lack of golfing knowledge". Handicap doesn't matter. What matters is enjoying yourself on the course. And if you want to improve, its simple. Play more golf. Human engineering is like that. The more you do something the better you get, but only if you focus on the main objective, which is hitting the ball into the hole.

If you really could care less about improving your game and only are worried about the swing, try this drill.

Mishit any shot on purpose (Driving range only lol) try topping (difficult) thinning fatting shanking and all sorts of stuff. You cant do that with a perfect swing. If you can mishit shots on purpose, and in control, you can hit a golf ball perfectly too.

Remember, hit the ball in the hole, which is what golf is anyway. Also, don't insult, argue with others or me, you can disagree, but in a professional manner. If you don't think what i'm saying is true, then you can most certainly ignore it. But it has worked for me over these four years of hitting balls on the range and playing ten rounds, so I have my game nicely on the way to becoming scratch. Its only a few more years. And if I play more, I will improve.

Once again, if you think i'm talking nonsense, you may well certainly ignore this post.

Discuss as you will.

Nice little Zen Golf post. Too bad it's written by someone who has only played 10 rounds?!?  Not sure I would take his golf advice seriously. Seems like just walking around outdoors would be a more suitable endeavor than trying to hit a little ball with a crooked stick.

[butt3r3dt0ast]

Plenty of people.

That's not even close to true. I can shank the ball on purpose. That doesn't mean my ball flight is always great or that my swing can't be improved.

Gotta agree with Erik here for sure. To hit a perfect shot, it requires a lot of composure and control over many facets of your swing. It is very easy to purposely shank a ball, resulting from many different swing mistakes. Controlling one thing that you know will produce a shank is mucchhh different than controlling all facets of your swing to produce a perfect shot.

[rehmwa]

Mishit any shot on purpose (Driving range only lol) try topping (difficult) thinning fatting shanking and all sorts of stuff. You cant do that with a perfect swing. If you can mishit shots on purpose, and in control, you can hit a golf ball perfectly too.

If you are doing it on purpose, then I wouldn't call it a 'mishit'.

I agree that learning control by exploring the edges of the swing is a good thing.

But I wonder, though, from a ton of comments here and my own experience, that the muscle memory aspect of the swing is so very important, that practicing a lot of unusable shots just to explore the envelope is a bad tradeoff against just practicing those shots we will use - i.e., instead of dinking around with shanks and topping and thinning to develop control and understanding,,,,I'd rather practice fades and draws to explore the amount of control I need to learn to hit around that mythical 'straight' zone.  I'd rather practice uplofting and delofting shots to learn to hit better also.  Same concept, but working in the range of where I want to be, not outside that range.

- I'm still stretching my ability to control the club by doing things outside my "stock shot", but in ways that I can also use on the course.

[Club Rat]

Playing for FOUR years and hitting SHANKS into the hole equates to a (21 Index)

"So I have my game nicely on the way to becoming scratch. Its only a few more years." Hmmm

Could be along time before you reach your goal of being a "Scratch Golfer"

Good Luck.

Club Rat

PS. I do care about my scores.

[wils5150]

First off, its not about the swing. Second its not about your score. Its about whacking a ball into a hole. Who cares about score? Its just a record of your strokes. People worry too much. It's just a game people. Honestly look at the target choose a club and hit that stupid thing. If you miss, hit it again until it gets in the hole. Golf is that simple. I know you guys are going to argue with me about this so think about what you say before you say it. I don't prefer insults over not saying anything at all. Mother always told us that if you didn't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. So don't insult me or anyone else. You're allowed to disagree just not insult me for my "lack of golfing knowledge". Handicap doesn't matter. What matters is enjoying yourself on the course. And if you want to improve, its simple. Play more golf. Human engineering is like that. The more you do something the better you get, but only if you focus on the main objective, which is hitting the ball into the hole.

If you really could care less about improving your game and only are worried about the swing, try this drill.

Mishit any shot on purpose (Driving range only lol) try topping (difficult) thinning fatting shanking and all sorts of stuff. You cant do that with a perfect swing. If you can mishit shots on purpose, and in control, you can hit a golf ball perfectly too.

Remember, hit the ball in the hole, which is what golf is anyway. Also, don't insult, argue with others or me, you can disagree, but in a professional manner. If you don't think what i'm saying is true, then you can most certainly ignore it. But it has worked for me over these four years of hitting balls on the range and playing ten rounds, so I have my game nicely on the way to becoming scratch. Its only a few more years. And if I play more, I will improve.

Once again, if you think i'm talking nonsense, you may well certainly ignore this post.

Discuss as you will.

You can feel this way if you want its ok by me. Why not go for a walk in the woods or a park and do the same thing for free

[MS256]

I don't know about anybody else but the "score" is the most important thing when I play golf (or any other game). To try my best to win is why I play sports or games.