Golfing while going through swing changes

[Good Ash]

I have been working on changing my swing for two months now, the swing feels quite different and I really like the progress I have made.  I have a couple days off work coming up next week and was thinking about getting out on the course.  Usually I am pretty excited to get out, but this time I am a little more apprehensive because I don't want to take a step backward. There are a couple items at play in my apprehension and indecisiveness.  The first is that I was considering going to a course that I have never been to.  During the summer months this course is way out of my weekly price range but in the winter, green fees are fairly reasonable.  The second is that I haven't hit a driver or wedge in two months, almost everything has been with a 5-7 iron just working on the new swing.  Needless to say, I don't know what my ball flights will be with those other clubs or what to expect.

I am probably going to go anyways so I guess I have two questions.

1) Should I go to a course I know well so that I can really focus more on my new swing rather than on the course - even though I would love to see this "5 star" course?

2) When you are working on changing your full swing how often do you actually go out and golf?  

[boogielicious]

7 hours ago, Good Ash said:

I have been working on changing my swing for two months now, the swing feels quite different and I really like the progress I have made.  I have a couple days off work coming up next week and was thinking about getting out on the course.  Usually I am pretty excited to get out, but this time I am a little more apprehensive because I don't want to take a step backward. There are a couple items at play in my apprehension and indecisiveness.  The first is that I was considering going to a course that I have never been to.  During the summer months this course is way out of my weekly price range but in the winter, green fees are fairly reasonable.  The second is that I haven't hit a driver or wedge in two months, almost everything has been with a 5-7 iron just working on the new swing.  Needless to say, I don't know what my ball flights will be with those other clubs or what to expect.

I am probably going to go anyways so I guess I have two questions.

1) Should I go to a course I know well so that I can really focus more on my new swing rather than on the course - even though I would love to see this "5 star" course?

2) When you are working on changing your full swing how often do you actually go out and golf?  

Try and separate the two a bit in your mind. When practicing, focus on practice. When playing, just focus on playing. When I'm working on something, I will bring in a swing thought from the practice, but I really try to only think about the shot I have in front of me. The swing thought should be simple.

As for the two questions, I like playing new courses and don't worry about what I'm working on. I just focus on learning the course.

I keep a routine of 2 - 3 rounds a week (some are 9 holes) and just work practice around them.

 

[nevets88]

If you can, video your swing during a round.

Maybe for you, there are incremental steps - you can incorporate your changes w/o thinking on the range, on the range consistently, on the range w/someone watching, on a range w/real grass, during a no scoring practice round yourself, w/someone watching, w/scoring.

[SirDustinLongJohnson]

I've been learning the game the last couple years, so, for the past 2-3 seasons, I've been constantly in a swing change. Sometimes more radical changes and sometimes less. I've found that my play tends to be more erratic when making large changes but trends in the right direction overall. I usually play 2-3 (9 or 18 hole) rounds a week even when making big changes. Sometimes I play 9 directly after a practice session (I don't usually score well, but I almost always make few real nice shots).

My problem is that I've always been an over-thinker so swing changes tend to get me thinking too much when I'm on the course. I think Michael Breed offered a good suggestion. Take two practice swings: the first focusing on whatever change you're trying to make, and the second focusing on just making a nice steady swing.

Anyway, I wouldn't worry too much about it and just go play. What's the worst that can happen? A bad round is all. Go out, have fun, and enjoy the course.

PS: plan for the course ahead of time (at least tee-shot clubs/targets) to try to minimize the mental work while playing.

Edited December 28, 2016 by SirDustinLongJohnson

[coachjimsc]

10 hours ago, Good Ash said:

1) Should I go to a course I know well so that I can really focus more on my new swing rather than on the course - even though I would love to see this "5 star" course?

2) When you are working on changing your full swing how often do you actually go out and golf?  

1) I don't think it matters much on if you know the course well or not. If you are truely changing your swing your misses are going to be totlly different than you are used to anyway.

2) My experience during my swing change last season was at least once a week.