Swing Key

[lagster]

When does a particular swing cue or thought become unnecessary, or possibly detrimental? For example, if one is TRYING to do something they are ALREADY doing... they may not need to think about or monitor that particular thing.

Once you learn how to dance, type, play an instrument, etc.... you don't have to think about it much, or at all. Learning golf swing mechanics should be similar.

[Mathew]

When does a particular swing cue or thought become unnecessary, or possibly detrimental? For example, if one is TRYING to do something they are ALREADY doing... they may not need to think about or monitor that particular thing.

Once you learn how to dance, type, play an instrument, etc.... you don't have to think about it much, or at all. Learning golf swing mechanics should be similar.

From when I passed my grade 8 in classical (associated board) and also grade 8 in rock guitar (trinity) and afterwards when practing some very advanced pieces, I can tell you its very much the opposite. I spent hours apon hours practicing with a metronome at varing speeds, listening to the quality of each note... listening hard to each and every note ! Now i've hardly played for the last 5 years and whilst people would still think im pretty good and an advanced player, they are no longer are astounded. Its certainly not a case of that you don't have to think about it because technique, like in golf, deteriorates greatly unless you practice to improve it... such as economy of movement, accenting certain notes, dynamics control, tonal control...etc

If you don't use it, you lose it.... and golf has a small margin of error between whats great and whats poor...

[bts]

When does a particular swing cue or thought become unnecessary, or possibly detrimental? For example, if one is TRYING to do something they are ALREADY doing... they may not need to think about or monitor that particular thing.

Once you learn how to dance, type, play an instrument, etc.... you don't have to think about it much, or at all. Learning golf swing mechanics should be similar.

True.

Yet, the problem is to deal with the situation affecting the execution of the swing mechanics. It's like dancing in front of different crows on different stages, typing with different typewriters, playing an instrument indoor or out on the street.......

There is rarely identical playing condition among golf shots. I found the best way to deal with it is to "execute like a machine", which does only what the "program/intention" (after "thinking as a golfer") says.

[Daryl]

Feel does not monitor mechanics. Feel only represents a mechanical movement. Mastering a mechanical movement into feel requires that you monitor the mechanical-feel translation (during practice). Without revisiting the translation, the crisp mechanically correct movement that the feel had once represented becomes vague. Ballet dancers practice mechanics endlessly under a critical and watchful eye to only perform for a few hours using feel alone.

Something about golf unlike other arts is that a few components done very well can compensate for a component done not very well. That go-to swing is a matter of emphasizing those few found components which can be reproduced very well while de-emphasizing those which are not. Educated hands can sometimes make up for a bad pivot. For example, that sculled shot may not have reached the green, but it still remained straight and the ball is within up-and-down range.

I once had a round of golf in which my feel was so good that I was able to focus on the game itself and not at all on mechanics. I thought to myself “what an enjoyable round of golf”.

[hg]

Its certainly not a case of that you don't have to think about it because technique, like in golf, deteriorates greatly unless you practice to improve it... If you don't use it, you lose it.... and golf has a small margin of error between whats great and whats poor...

That certainly accounts for VJ and most pros practicing endlessly...muscles don't have that much memory!

[Delaware Golf]

Feel does not monitor mechanics. Feel only represents a mechanical movement. Mastering a mechanical movement into feel requires that you monitor the mechanical-feel translation (during practice). Without revisiting the translation, the crisp mechanically correct movement that the feel had once represented becomes vague. Ballet dancers practice mechanics endlessly under a critical and watchful eye to only perform for a few hours using feel alone.

Something about golf unlike other arts is that a few components done very well can compensate for a component done not very well. That go-to swing is a matter of emphasizing those few found components which can be reproduced very well while de-emphasizing those which are not. Educated hands can sometimes make up for a bad pivot. For example, that sculled shot may not have reached the green, but it still remained straight and the ball is within up-and-down range.

I once had a round of golf in which my feel was so good that I was able to focus on the game itself and not at all on mechanics. I thought to myself “what an enjoyable round of golf”.

I highly recommend the extensor action drill that Tomasello demonstrates in his Australia video chapter series...do, 5 swings with the extensor action drill then put a club in your hands, do five regular swings...then repeat the process. It's definitely a great mechanics to feel type of drill.

DG

[12 piece bucket]

I believe Carey Mumford would agree -- he doesn't advocate any conscious swing thoughts during the execution of the swing during actual play. It's not that he doesn't want your mind unoccupied, because that would be very difficult to do; rather, he wants you to occupy your mind with a non-mechanical, non-instructive thought -- a nursery rhyme, for example.

Many of us have actually experienced what lagster refers to after we have dumped one in the water and we just throw down another ball and -- without "trying" or "thinking" -- we hit a great next shot.

I think all this stuff is uncharted territory in golf among other human performance related activities. There has to be something going on in the mind of the tour players that ain't going on in the minds of others. I know that they have better mechanics and coordination than most. But I like to believe that we all have abilities that we just can "let out."

RWH . . . where have you been man? You have been conspicuously absent. Are you in trouble with the law or something?

[12 piece bucket]

Those charges were never proven!! Naw, been busy at work and watching Ron White re-runs, so I've mostly been lurking.

Everyone is different, but it seems to me that most top athletes do their thinking -- if any -- before the play/event and just let their athleticism take over during the play/event. Personally, I do better not trying to monitor a bunch of stuff during play. That's why I do my waggles away from the ball and then just step up and hit it. Honestly, I can't hardly tell you what I "did" on my best shots.

Golf is a fickle game. And golfers are even more fickle. And Bucket is flickdid. I think Mumford is on to something . . . but I think there is further to go. Get one's natural talent "out" is easier than just saying it.

I've got some many conversations going on in my head it's like a buncha old hags playin' bridge in there.

Drunk in pub-lick?

[lagster]

I have talked to very few tour players that have much of any mechanical thoughts when playing tournaments. They obviously practice certain things, but when in tournament situations they are pretty much on automatic. They are probably not totally blank, but may be pretty close.

They are letting their COMPUTER take care of things concerning their swing. Most go through a routine... that activates their COMPUTER, then they look and go.

I do know one fellow that plays at a very high level... that says he plays with as many as 3 or 4 thoughts. He lead the U.S. Open after two rounds one year.

[Vikram]

Every shot must have a purpose.
by
Pia Nilsson and lynn Marriot