Two competing swings - mental game

[zero]

This past spring, I finally took some lessons from a PGA zen master. Really improved my swing. I practice quite a bit, a couple times a week at the range and a round a week. I'm finding that at the range, I can get in the zone and really do some great things throughout my bag, but on the course my old swing competes with the new. It crops up and slices woods and hits fat iron shots. For example, on a tee today a hit a high slice with the 3W. Mulligan. Hit the next one absolutely perfect, 270 yards (with a tail-wind). 

I don't know what to do with this, it's a mental problem but I think can be corrected with something physical. My swing issue is classic over-the-top. Thoughts on conquering the mental part? A drill? I have developed a pretty good swing that is in competition with the past...

[boogielicious]

3 hours ago, zero said:

This past spring, I finally took some lessons from a PGA zen master. Really improved my swing. I practice quite a bit, a couple times a week at the range and a round a week. I'm finding that at the range, I can get in the zone and really do some great things throughout my bag, but on the course my old swing competes with the new. It crops up and slices woods and hits fat iron shots. For example, on a tee today a hit a high slice with the 3W. Mulligan. Hit the next one absolutely perfect, 270 yards (with a tail-wind). 

I don't know what to do with this, it's a mental problem but I think can be corrected with something physical. My swing issue is classic over-the-top. Thoughts on conquering the mental part? A drill? I have developed a pretty good swing that is in competition with the past...

It is not a mental problem. It is a repetition problem. It takes a long time to replace swing faults. Consider if you have been playing for 10 years, you may have made 10,000 swings the old way. When you take lessons, you make positive changes. But now you have to work diligently to make those changes permanent. A week or a month is not always going to do it. But you can see progress as you go. You are trying to undo the 10,000 swings the old way.

Keep at it and try to play a bit more than once a week if you can, even if it is 9 hole or less. Don't let the bad swings on the course let you down either. You know what the fix is and have to train your body to do it repetitively. 

[DaveP043]

I agree, change is hard, and it takes a long time to feel comfortable on the course.  I have just one specific suggestion.  On the range, its easier to get into the groove when you hit 20 6-irons in a row, for instance, than it can be on the course.  You might try spending part of your practice time practicing kind of like you play.  Hit a driver, then a 7 iron, then another driver, and a wedge.  Change it up, so that each club feels good to you the first time and every time you pick it up.  The swing is generally the same with each club, but the feel (physical and/or mental) can change.  

[newtogolf]

We all fight this problem, even Tiger Woods.  On the range our ball is usually sitting on a perfect lie (mats) or near perfect (grass range).  Mentally we are relaxed because there's no penalty for hitting a bad shot, no OB, water or trees to hit into.  We can focus on our swing and as @DaveP043 stated we can even get into a nice rhythm with individual clubs.  @iacas and other commentators have pointed out for quite some time how Tigers swing on the range is very different from his swing during tournaments.  

[zero]

Makes sense, thanks all. I guess I'll start spending more practice time on the course! It's a tough choice, but someone's gotta do it

[zero]

On 2/26/2016 at 5:37 AM, DaveP043 said:

I agree, change is hard, and it takes a long time to feel comfortable on the course.  I have just one specific suggestion.  On the range, its easier to get into the groove when you hit 20 6-irons in a row, for instance, than it can be on the course.  You might try spending part of your practice time practicing kind of like you play.  Hit a driver, then a 7 iron, then another driver, and a wedge.  Change it up, so that each club feels good to you the first time and every time you pick it up.  The swing is generally the same with each club, but the feel (physical and/or mental) can change.  

I generally first work through my bag, then take the last 30ish balls to do what you described. Wood, iron, pitch, repeat, with specific targets for each.

[Dave325]

On February 26, 2016 at 8:37 AM, DaveP043 said:

I agree, change is hard, and it takes a long time to feel comfortable on the course.  I have just one specific suggestion.  On the range, its easier to get into the groove when you hit 20 6-irons in a row, for instance, than it can be on the course.  You might try spending part of your practice time practicing kind of like you play.  Hit a driver, then a 7 iron, then another driver, and a wedge.  Change it up, so that each club feels good to you the first time and every time you pick it up.  The swing is generally the same with each club, but the feel (physical and/or mental) can change.  

I completely agree with this one, and it has helped me a lot. So, what I do when I get to the range... Divide the balls up based on what you are going to work on that day. However, keep the last pile for game situations drills (I call it).   I will alternate: Driver, Hybrid, Iron, Pitch (repeat). I even do this in my garage after I am done working on drills. It's kind of like the dessert after dinner. A nice reward for a good workout. Hope this helps. And yes... It does take awhile to make it second nature.... I am at the place now too. Keep working at we'll get there.

[zero]

Today was comical. Almost every full swing shot I hit twice. Example from 155 yards:

 

Edited March 28, 2016 by zero

[Buckeyebowman]

On 2/25/2016 at 8:50 AM, newtogolf said:

We all fight this problem, even Tiger Woods.  On the range our ball is usually sitting on a perfect lie (mats) or near perfect (grass range).  Mentally we are relaxed because there's no penalty for hitting a bad shot, no OB, water or trees to hit into.  We can focus on our swing and as @DaveP043 stated we can even get into a nice rhythm with individual clubs.  @iacas and other commentators have pointed out for quite some time how Tigers swing on the range is very different from his swing during tournaments.  

Well said. I remember one swing change that Tiger initiated, and it took him the better part of two seasons to get it down!

Zero, amazing how that pic shows the two divots pointing in the exact same direction. However the divot from the clunky shot looks quite a bit deeper than the good shot. Could it be you caught it a little chubby and the clubface closed?

 

[Rainmaker]

I'm going to try this tomorrow . . .I'll let you know how it works out.  I am in a sort of similar position . .I have made a lot of changes, don't want the old bad habits coming back . .although it's not exactly a "2 swings" thing.  Anyway . .  

In my practice, I probably have about a dozen swing thoughts I'm currently working on.  I determined what I think are the 4 most important thoughts to get me to swing well . .not necessarily the same as what I'm working on.  Then I reduced the 4 to the 2 most important. 

During my round, waiting to hit, making practice swings, etc . .I am only allowed to think about my 4 thoughts (as far as swing thoughts go).  Once I address the ball, only 2. 

Unless I start hitting it really bad, that's it.  I will not tinker during my round.  If I'm lucky enough to be swinging well, I will not ruin it by trying to *hit it even more better* lol. 

 

 

 

 

 

[ajw426]

Some great advice has already been given, but I want to add one point from my similar, personal, experience.

 

Double check to make sure that your setup and ball position are the same once you get out on the course.  I worked a lot on my swing via mat&net last year, but when I setup on the fairway or tee box my ball position and posture changed as compared to practicing in the garage.

[Buckeyebowman]

5 minutes ago, ajw426 said:

Some great advice has already been given, but I want to add one point from my similar, personal, experience.

 

Double check to make sure that your setup and ball position are the same once you get out on the course.  I worked a lot on my swing via mat&net last year, but when I setup on the fairway or tee box my ball position and posture changed as compared to practicing in the garage.

Great point, ajw! We'll go to the dome over the Winter, and my buddy will have everything lined up perfectly. Yet, when we get out on the course, he'll have his driver way back in his stance, and have his feet lined up way right!

Oddly enough, he does the exact opposite on putts. He lines up way left and shoves the ball toward the hole!

[zero]

Setup is definitely easier at the range, but I have my routine and am usually pretty good out there. The issue is the old swing mechanics of "hit the ball" vs. uninhibited swing through to finish. My body just does the old stuff a lot. I'm not sure of the "cure" other than playing more. I just wish there was a way to accelerate the adoption of the changes, clearly range time is not it.

[NeedAJoker]

I am in the exact same spot, where I have been working hard and changing my swing a great deal at the range and at home on the simulator, but I fall about 1/2 way back into the old habits on the course.  For me it simply is the fact I don't trust my swing yet enough to give it 100% on the course.  

For me specifically, my old swing was off plane takeaway and somewhat "armsy," where now I have a lot more rotation, which is scary when I have a hazard or a highway on my left and I feel like if I rotate I am going to take out a car.  Something that has worked for me as silly as it is, is to setup my shot and alignment, then just pretend I am standing on the range and forget everything else and make a correct swing.  It isn't perfect, but it does seem to help a bit.  Bring the "range" to the course.

Kevin

[Rainmaker]

21 hours ago, Rainmaker said:

I'm going to try this tomorrow . . .I'll let you know how it works out.  I am in a sort of similar position . .I have made a lot of changes, don't want the old bad habits coming back . .although it's not exactly a "2 swings" thing.  Anyway . .  

In my practice, I probably have about a dozen swing thoughts I'm currently working on.  I determined what I think are the 4 most important thoughts to get me to swing well . .not necessarily the same as what I'm working on.  Then I reduced the 4 to the 2 most important. 

During my round, waiting to hit, making practice swings, etc . .I am only allowed to think about my 4 thoughts (as far as swing thoughts go).  Once I address the ball, only 2. 

Unless I start hitting it really bad, that's it.  I will not tinker during my round.  If I'm lucky enough to be swinging well, I will not ruin it by trying to *hit it even more better* lol. 

 

 

 

 

 

Well that worked not at all, lol.  I got to the course and hit my first tee shot - a decent 4wd up the middle.  Everything fell apart after that.  I laid the sod over my first iron shot, shanked the second . .and the third . . I shook it off.  Warm-up hole, I said.  Then I *SLICED* my next drive.  I haven't sliced a ball in over 2 years . .but I haven't played actual golf in over 3, lol.    By the time I hit a beautiful, soaring gap wedge to 20 yards short of the 3rd green, I decided to not keep score and instead play for one decent swing.  Didn't get it.  My score for today (9 hole round) was 1 par, 1 bogey and 7 $@#$@^'s. 

I'm going to stick with the idea, though.  I think it *can* work if I execute it better.  Today I did not tinker or try to fix anything . .so that was good (except all the bad shots). 

 

 

 

[zero]

4 hours ago, Rainmaker said:

Well that worked not at all, lol.  I got to the course and hit my first tee shot - a decent 4wd up the middle.  Everything fell apart after that.  I laid the sod over my first iron shot, shanked the second . .and the third . . I shook it off.  Warm-up hole, I said.  Then I *SLICED* my next drive.  I haven't sliced a ball in over 2 years . .but I haven't played actual golf in over 3, lol.    By the time I hit a beautiful, soaring gap wedge to 20 yards short of the 3rd green, I decided to not keep score and instead play for one decent swing.  Didn't get it.  My score for today (9 hole round) was 1 par, 1 bogey and 7 $@#$@^'s. 

I'm going to stick with the idea, though.  I think it *can* work if I execute it better.  Today I did not tinker or try to fix anything . .so that was good (except all the bad shots). 

 

 

 

Well, I didn't keep score, but i birdied 2 holes today! New swing is making a comeback!

Replay the good ones, let go of the bad ones.

Edited March 30, 2016 by zero

[Rainmaker]

I played again - started off with a terrible worm-burner tee shot.  I kept the same basic approach - to restrict my swing thoughts and to not try to make any on-course corrections or changes.  After the initial tee shot, though, I hit it OK.  I didn't hit a single "great" shot . .but I didn't hit any unplayable shots, either.  I didn't try to fix anything.  I didn't really think about mechanics at all - I just hit it and let it go wherever it was going to go.  I felt constricted and not getting good extension and some bad contact issues and balance issues . . .but I just kept playing and did not try to fix it.  Missed all but 2 greens but I made pars on those.  I made one other par with a nice chip and then all the rest were routine bogeys. 

So I think that's my approach now.  Did my old, bad habits come back?  Yeah . .I'm sure they did.  If I thought about any of my shots I wouldn't really be happy with any of them.  So I'm going to just do my best to not think about it . .until I get back home to my practice area.