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Would you find it more or less difficult to strike a golf ball if it were moving as opposed to it sitting still?


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Ive had this on my mind for quite some time. For those of you who grew up playing moving ball/puck sports like baseball, hockey, tennis, cricket etc, do you think (use your imagination here)  that if the golf ball was gently pitched/rolled to you, that you'd find it more instinctual and less of a mental burden to strike it well?  Is it actually more difficult to strike a stationary ball as opposed to a moving ball? Do you think practicing, in some way, with a moving ball may free up the mind or initially help people learn how to swing a club?

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I passed my professional proficiency exams in tennis back in 87.  I don't believe that hitting an oncoming ball would help me.  Not only would I have to worry about my fundamental swing, I would have additional timing issues as well.  The only way it could possibly be helpful is making me focus on the timing instead of over thinking my swing.  This would only work if my swing was flawless and automatic.

My golf swing is not flawless.  So I will have to say no.  You may want to run this one past Happy Gilmore. :-)

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Hitting a moving ball would be harder.

Tristan Hilton

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Interesting point. To clarify, a moving ball (to practice) may be helpful by making you focus on the timing instead of over thinking your swing. So, since you mentioned, "it would only work if my swing was flawless and automatic", then wouldn't practicing to "make it work" ultimately develop a more "automatic" swing with fewer flaws?

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By the way, when I say "moving" I'm not talking about a 98mph fastball. something much more gentle. Watch this golf instructor in this video for example. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sXqv4Bohf8

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Interesting point. To clarify, a moving ball (to practice) may be helpful by making you focus on the timing instead of over thinking your swing. So, since you mentioned, "it would only work if my swing was flawless and automatic", then wouldn't practicing to "make it work" ultimately develop a more "automatic" swing with fewer flaws?

You would have to have the flawless swing ahead of time.  Then you would only have to work on "timing".  You don't need "moving" timing consideration in a tee situation.

I you already have the swing.....then you are good to go already.  Think about it.   The swing is what you are ultimately looking for anyway while your focusing on the moving ball. Right?    At this point you really need to think about weight shift and positioning. One does not need a mobile ball to achieve these things.

I still say no to the moving ball.  It cannot help mechanics.

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You would have to have the flawless swing ahead of time.  Then you would only have to work on "timing".  You don't need "moving" timing consideration in a tee situation.

I you already have the swing.....then you are good to go already.  Think about it.   The swing is what you are ultimately looking for anyway while your focusing on the moving ball. Right?    At this point you really need to think about weight shift and positioning. One does not need a mobile ball to achieve these things.

I still say no to the moving ball.  It cannot help mechanics.


You make a good point, I cant say one way or the other I just happen to think its an interesting topic. For example, watch this golf instructor here from an old YT video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sXqv4Bohf8
I'm referring to a golf ball that is gently rolled to you (from the opposite side of the target line) And if each and every ball was sent to you at the exact same predictable rate every time, well then, eventually you wouldn't necessarily be hitting a "moving ball" anymore, you'd just be swinging and the ball would just happen to be there when your clubhead simultaneously arrives.

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I played baseball before golf. I was pretty good at it too. Baseball paid for my extra 4 years of education. If not for a skiing accident, I might even have been drafted.

I missed quite a few moving balls during my baseball career with my bat. (Strike Outs) I can't remember ever missing a ball at rest, on the ground, with my golf club. I never, 100% of the time, hit the golf ball correctly, but I never missed it.

Now can I throw a golf ball up in the air,  then hit it on the way down with my 7i?  Yes, but not as well as I could hit a baseball with my aluminum bat. .

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Do you think practicing, in some way, with a moving ball may free up the mind or initially help people learn how to swing a club?

What are you trying to do to the Sand Trap community? I've been feeling inadequate ever since the Tiger Woods ad where he bounces a ball on the face of a short iron several times, and then flips it up and slams it down range like a baseball. :cry:

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Try running after a golf ball, and trying to hit it...lol

Kind of a silly question imho. Of course it would be harder, small ball, small club head, unlike tennis, med size ball, Large racket.

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You make a good point, I cant say one way or the other I just happen to think its an interesting topic. For example, watch this golf instructor here from an old YT video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sXqv4Bohf8

I'm referring to a golf ball that is gently rolled to you (from the opposite side of the target line) And if each and every ball was sent to you at the exact same predictable rate every time, well then, eventually you wouldn't necessarily be hitting a "moving ball" anymore, you'd just be swinging and the ball would just happen to be there when your clubhead simultaneously arrives.

It may be an interesting drill to improve your mental focus.  However, I would be astounded if that instructor was remotely as accurate with those shots versus a stationary ball.  His dispersion would increase significantly because you would have to add the variable of ball position to the other variables in a golf swing.

Interesting thread though @DoubleG .  Thanks for posting it.

Scott

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Ive had this on my mind for quite some time. For those of you who grew up playing moving ball/puck sports like baseball, hockey, tennis, cricket etc, do you think (use your imagination here)  that if the golf ball was gently pitched/rolled to you, that you'd find it more instinctual and less of a mental burden to strike it well?  Is it actually more difficult to strike a stationary ball as opposed to a moving ball? Do you think practicing, in some way, with a moving ball may free up the mind or initially help people learn how to swing a club?

To each of those questions..... No.

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Clubs were designed to hit still balls and get them up in the air to travel more distance! Rackets, bats etc are designed to hit moving balls and return the force! Was this even a real question???

Gaz Lee

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You got a full ride in baseball? Those are somewhere between few and far between and never around here. In answer to the OP's question: Absolutely not, but I would like my chances against most other people doing the same thing.
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Ive had this on my mind for quite some time. For those of you who grew up playing moving ball/puck sports like baseball, hockey, tennis, cricket etc, do you think (use your imagination here)  that if the golf ball was gently pitched/rolled to you, that you'd find it more instinctual and less of a mental burden to strike it well?  Is it actually more difficult to strike a stationary ball as opposed to a moving ball? Do you think practicing, in some way, with a moving ball may free up the mind or initially help people learn how to swing a club?

Similar to Patch i also played college baseball (i was a pitcher in college but did quite a bit of hitting practice even if i didnt get many at bats during a season) and i can say that this almost certainly say that a moving target is always more difficult to hit than a stationary one---that is why professional and college baseball players hit balls off of a tee so much and especially when working on grooving their swing. Also if you hit a moving golf ball you are risking your swing mechanics because you have to adjust to hit a target that is not in the same spot every time which can lead to some funky swings--practicing poor mechanics is a very risky move because it can quickly become muscly memory--dont forget that practice makes permanent!  Keep in mind that in the sports you mentioned accuracy is not really all that important when hitting the ball--in baseball a lot of the best hitters tend to spray the ball all over the field--- and for the sports where it is, you are hitting the ball a much, much smaller distance than you are in golf and have a little more room for error.

The one thing that you will get out of hitting a moving ball is that if you do strike it well you will be able to crush the ball, other than that...meh

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Similar to Patch i also played college baseball (i was a pitcher in college but did quite a bit of hitting practice even if i didnt get many at bats during a season) and i can say that this almost certainly say that a moving target is always more difficult to hit than a stationary one---that is why professional and college baseball players hit balls off of a tee so much and especially when working on grooving their swing. Also if you hit a moving golf ball you are risking your swing mechanics because you have to adjust to hit a target that is not in the same spot every time which can lead to some funky swings--practicing poor mechanics is a very risky move because it can quickly become muscly memory--dont forget that practice makes permanent!  Keep in mind that in the sports you mentioned accuracy is not really all that important when hitting the ball--in baseball a lot of the best hitters tend to spray the ball all over the field--- and for the sports where it is, you are hitting the ball a much, much smaller distance than you are in golf and have a little more room for error.

The one thing that you will get out of hitting a moving ball is that if you do strike it well you will be able to crush the ball, other than that...meh


What if the moving golf balls delivery, was precision "controlled" and the balls were delivered to the exact same spot/location (the impact zone) at precisely the same speed of delivery for each ball. Say a ball was projected towards the "Impact Zone" the moment you started you swing and it was guaranteed to "arrive" at the impact zone in precisely (for example) 1.5 seconds from the start of your swing. So you'd only have 1.5 seconds in which to hit the ball. If you are to quick you miss. If you are to slow you miss. If your clubhead arrives at impact zone in precisely 1.5 seconds you strike it money! I think this would be pretty easy. What do you think?

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What if the moving golf balls delivery, was precision "controlled" and the balls were delivered to the exact same spot/location (the impact zone) at precisely the same speed of delivery for each ball. Say a ball was projected towards the "Impact Zone" the moment you started you swing and it was guaranteed to "arrive" at the impact zone in precisely (for example) 1.5 seconds from the start of your swing. So you'd only have 1.5 seconds in which to hit the ball. If you are to quick you miss. If you are to slow you miss. If your clubhead arrives at impact zone in precisely 1.5 seconds you strike it money! I think this would be pretty easy. What do you think?

than what is the point of having the moving ball?  if you know exactly where it is going to be then why not just have it on a tee or laying in the same spot because all you would be working on is how well you can time your swing to an incoming ball which is a situation that you will never see on a golf course.

The bold part is just tempo which is unique to every golfer--some go fast and some go slow but as long as it is smooth and controllable who cares?

What's in the bag:
Taylormade R15 
Callaway X2Hot pro 3W
Callaway X2Hot pro 20* hybrid
Mizuno JPX900 Tour 4-PW
Cleveland RTX 2.0 50,54, and 58 degree wedges
Taylormade White Smoke putter

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Note: This thread is 3539 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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