Speed without yanking the handle?

[ebrasmus21]

Venting is good!

 

Does throwing a lob wedge 40 yards qualify as venting? Asking for a friend.

I got so disgusted one time I threw my 3 iron straight up into a tree and it got stuck up in it.It was a huge tree and I'd say that my club was a good 40 feet up there.I got it down thankfully because at the time I was gaming my 73 Hogan Apex's which will someday be a collectors item.

 

Not your finest moment, Greyback (nor was it mine with my trusty lob wedge). Glad you got that butter knife back.

[ebrasmus21]

If you guys are into good movies, amazing singing and Bradley Cooper go out and see A Star is Born. Be prepared for an emotional roller coaster.

[copperjeff]

 

Do you know how to play the best golf you possibly can, or do you just know how to play the golf you usually do?

 

I’d say I’m learning how to play golf, the game itself. For my whole life I’ve just played golf swing. But if I’m being honest I don’t think I know how to play my best.

 

Awesome.

 

Not that you don't know how to "play golf" but that you are honest about it, and we know there is a ton of room for improvement.

 

I think a lot of people are "afraid" (for lack of a better term) to actually truly try and play their best golf for fear of finding out their best still isnt that good, or fear that where they are is actually the best they are capable of.

 

Ego is an amazing thing. How often do you hear someone saying I'm going to hit the hero shot because its more fun, or some variation thereof. The hero shot is the safe shot for the ego. Mess it up and thats Ok because you arent supposed to be able to pull it off, or actually do it and get an ego boost because you did. If you hit the safe shot and still get a double bogey, you've failed, with no chance of an ego boost.

 

Sorry, got a bit sideways there....

 

Back to playing golf...

 

When I want to start "playing golf" on a day I can't shake "golf swing" I like to mentally step back, consider my next shot and think about what club I want to use. Then, how do I make the ball do what I need with that club. Now I'm shot focused, not bogged down in swing theory.

[ebrasmus21]

 

Do you know how to play the best golf you possibly can, or do you just know how to play the golf you usually do?

 

I’d say I’m learning how to play golf, the game itself. For my whole life I’ve just played golf swing. But if I’m being honest I don’t think I know how to play my best.

 

Awesome.

 

Not that you don't know how to "play golf" but that you are honest about it, and we know there is a ton of room for improvement.

 

I think a lot of people are "afraid" (for lack of a better term) to actually truly try and play their best golf for fear of finding out their best still isnt that good, or fear that where they are is actually the best they are capable of.

 

Ego is an amazing thing. How often do you hear someone saying I'm going to hit the hero shot because its more fun, or some variation thereof. The hero shot is the safe shot for the ego. Mess it up and thats Ok because you arent supposed to be able to pull it off, or actually do it and get an ego boost because you did. If you hit the safe shot and still get a double bogey, you've failed, with no chance of an ego boost.

 

Sorry, got a bit sideways there....

 

Back to playing golf...

 

When I want to start "playing golf" on a day I can't shake "golf swing" I like to mentally step back, consider my next shot and think about what club I want to use. Then, how do I make the ball do what I need with that club. Now I'm shot focused, not bogged down in swing theory.

 

I think part of the problem I have is my limited time to practice + golf is just score to me I want to have fun with my buddies too. So, I want to practice, want to improve, want to have fun and end up practicing while playing. Foolish combination but I’m 100% guilty.

 

Hero shots: yeah I try them regularly, lol.

 

Ego: I don’t know what to do with ego. Should ego be conquered or should ego be protected?

 

Good advice re: shot focus vs swing focus.

[ebrasmus21]

Keep on plugging. Golf improvement isn't linear but oh how nice it would be if it were. mini assessments help me more than any venting - can be after a shot or once every 10 rounds - can be mechanics and thought process (just don't go full meta, lol) during round. I took away positives from my high end scores becoming lower and less frequent even when my cap wasn't going down.

 

Or treat yourself rounds from way up on the tees. I sometimes play my wife's tee with her a couple of holes. Or just plain commit to playing 9 or 18 holes as practice versus the range.

 

You got this.

 

Improvement certainly isn’t linear, at least not ball-striking with me. I feel like my short game has continued to get better and better.

 

During the summer, after work, if I don’t want to practice on the range, I’ll play a round from the red tees - it’s actually a blast. Totally agree with you.

[copperjeff]

 

I think part of the problem I have is my limited time to practice + golf is just score to me I want to have fun with my buddies too. So, I want to practice, want to improve, want to have fun and end up practicing while playing. Foolish combination but I’m 100% guilty.

 

Hero shots: yeah I try them regularly, lol.

 

Ego: I don’t know what to do with ego. Should ego be conquered or should ego be protected?

 

Good advice re: shot focus vs swing focus.

 

Good post!

 

Golf shouldnt only be about score. You can goof with buddies, practice, have fun, and try and score all together during the round.

 

Its all a matter of where your focus is at during any one particular time. Playing excellent golf is mentally exhausting! You cannot and should not try and play excellent golf for 3-5 hours (or however long the round takes). Only focus on the golf when its time to do so. Have fun with the buddies during the other 2-4 hours you are out there.

 

As for practicing while playing, its a must. However, I think you need to practice different things. Practice switching from golf mode to chat mode, practice your mental game, practice listening to your body, practice when to know where a hero shot is ok, practice learning how you accomplish playing the best. Stop practicing golf swing while on the course and practice playing golf!

 

As far as the ego is concerned, in my opinion, its not something to be conquered, nor is it something to be protected. Everyone has an ego, make friends with it, learn from it and work with it.

 

For example, I will use my ego to make me focus. I'll blatantly tell my buddies, ok guys I'm playing these next 3 holes in 1 under par, or hmm 100 yards out... Time for a 7 iron. Ego makes me want to pull off what I said, self depreciating humor allows me to recover when I don't.

[ebrasmus21]

 

I think part of the problem I have is my limited time to practice + golf is just score to me I want to have fun with my buddies too. So, I want to practice, want to improve, want to have fun and end up practicing while playing. Foolish combination but I’m 100% guilty.

 

Hero shots: yeah I try them regularly, lol.

 

Ego: I don’t know what to do with ego. Should ego be conquered or should ego be protected?

 

Good advice re: shot focus vs swing focus.

 

Good post!

 

Golf shouldnt only be about score. You can goof with buddies, practice, have fun, and try and score all together during the round.

 

Its all a matter of where your focus is at during any one particular time. Playing excellent golf is mentally exhausting! You cannot and should not try and play excellent golf for 3-5 hours (or however long the round takes). Only focus on the golf when its time to do so. Have fun with the buddies during the other 2-4 hours you are out there.

 

As for practicing while playing, its a must. However, I think you need to practice different things. Practice switching from golf mode to chat mode, practice your mental game, practice listening to your body, practice when to know where a hero shot is ok, practice learning how you accomplish playing the best. Stop practicing golf swing while on the course and practice playing golf!

 

As far as the ego is concerned, in my opinion, its not something to be conquered, nor is it something to be protected. Everyone has an ego, make friends with it, learn from it and work with it.

 

For example, I will use my ego to make me focus. I'll blatantly tell my buddies, ok guys I'm playing these next 3 holes in 1 under par, or hmm 100 yards out... Time for a 7 iron. Ego makes me want to pull off what I said, self depreciating humor allows me to recover when I don't.

 

Typo in my prior post, golf *isnt* just score for me because I want to have fun. On the other hand, I’m competitive and stubborn so I’m hell-bent on getting to scratch... so score is important.... and not a vanity scratch otherwise I’d have been a zero about 6 months ago!

 

For ego, you make a good point. I just made a post in ddelts thread about when I called my shot to my buddies and pulled it off - as you said it made me focus.

 

Practicing on the course but to develop skills other than “golf swing” that’s a very fair point.

 

What a game golf is... playing for a while now and still so much to learn.

[Obee]

I think part of the problem I have is my limited time to practice + golf is just score to me I want to have fun with my buddies too. So, I want to practice, want to improve, want to have fun and end up practicing while playing. Foolish combination but I'm 100% guilty.

 

Hero shots: yeah I try them regularly, lol.

 

Ego: I don't know what to do with ego. Should ego be conquered or should ego be protected?

 

Good advice re: shot focus vs swing focus.

 

Good post!

 

Golf shouldnt only be about score. You can goof with buddies, practice, have fun, and try and score all together during the round.

 

Its all a matter of where your focus is at during any one particular time. Playing excellent golf is mentally exhausting! You cannot and should not try and play excellent golf for 3-5 hours (or however long the round takes). Only focus on the golf when its time to do so. Have fun with the buddies during the other 2-4 hours you are out there.

 

As for practicing while playing, its a must. However, I think you need to practice different things. Practice switching from golf mode to chat mode, practice your mental game, practice listening to your body, practice when to know where a hero shot is ok, practice learning how you accomplish playing the best. Stop practicing golf swing while on the course and practice playing golf!

 

As far as the ego is concerned, in my opinion, its not something to be conquered, nor is it something to be protected. Everyone has an ego, make friends with it, learn from it and work with it.

 

For example, I will use my ego to make me focus. I'll blatantly tell my buddies, ok guys I'm playing these next 3 holes in 1 under par, or hmm 100 yards out... Time for a 7 iron. Ego makes me want to pull off what I said, self depreciating humor allows me to recover when I don't.

 

You, sir, are a very wise person. :-)

[ebrasmus21]

Took some time for reflect on all that I’ve worked on this past year. The list includes:

 

1. New Grip (stronger left and right)

2. New posture

3. New takeaway

4. New Pivot

5. Getting rid of EE

6. New Shortgame pitching/chipping

7. New sand game

8. New address with the putter

9. New bag (driver - putter for the first time in 7 years)

 

I’ve had a lot of stuff going on this year. I’ve worked on my game from the ground up quiet literally starting with the grip, posture and address position.

 

When I began this thread I think I was an 11.4 index after loosing my game. I’m now a 5 which is still quite far away from my goal of 0.0. But I’d be kidding myself to think I haven’t improved.

 

My game is coming around and that is a result of instruction (primarily from Monte and iTeach) along with hours and hours spent practicing this year. This is the first year I’ve actually tried to focus on my game and I’ve spent many, many hours practicing. It’d be amazing to say that I’m a scratch player already but that just hasn’t happened yet. That’ll have to be a carry-over goal to 2019.

 

The desire to practice and work on my game is still alive and well - I’m hell bent on getting to 0.0.

 

Everyone that has contributed to this thread - thank you. I appreciate the encouragement, advice and well-wishes.

 

I’ll make a separate post with some swings to end the year.

 

To all my golfWRX friends - Merry Christmas.

[ebrasmus21]

 

 

 

[ebrasmus21]

[noodle3872]

Nice action!

[ddetts]

So in other words, you changed most of your golf game! Nice work on your progression and I hope you keep getting closer to scratch.

 

Swing is looking good! Keep at it, it's been fun following along. Merry Christmas!

[ebrasmus21]

So in other words, you changed most of your golf game! Nice work on your progression and I hope you keep getting closer to scratch.

 

Swing is looking good! Keep at it, it's been fun following along. Merry Christmas!

 

Damn near everything has changed this year. Thanks DD - Merry Christmas

[ddetts]

So in other words, you changed most of your golf game! Nice work on your progression and I hope you keep getting closer to scratch.

 

Swing is looking good! Keep at it, it's been fun following along. Merry Christmas!

 

Damn near everything has changed this year. Thanks DD - Merry Christmas

 

Not to distract from your thread, but feel like I had a nice discovery with my swing last night and picked up a really nice feel that I hope finally gets me moving away from my big hip stall/flip issue.

 

I'm hoping 2019 I can talk about a real nice improvement to my index like you!

[ebrasmus21]

So in other words, you changed most of your golf game! Nice work on your progression and I hope you keep getting closer to scratch.

 

Swing is looking good! Keep at it, it's been fun following along. Merry Christmas!

 

Damn near everything has changed this year. Thanks DD - Merry Christmas

 

Not to distract from your thread, but feel like I had a nice discovery with my swing last night and picked up a really nice feel that I hope finally gets me moving away from my big hip stall/flip issue.

 

I'm hoping 2019 I can talk about a real nice improvement to my index like you!

 

2019 will be the year of DD and Ebrasmus

[ddetts]

I hope so!

[Forged4ever]

Great thread!!

 

Playing Golf is a lot more fun than playing swing?

 

Continued success Brother?

 

A very Merry Christmas to You & Yours?

 

My Best,

Richard

[BNGL]

Keep up the good work man, happy for you.

[deadsolid...shank]

I know virtually nothing about technical swing mechanics. What is EE? And the “P” numbers I’ve seen referenced, P6, or P4 for instance.

[ebrasmus21]

I know virtually nothing about technical swing mechanics. What is EE? And the “P” numbers I’ve seen referenced, P6, or P4 for instance.

 

EE = early extension

 

The Ps are just different specific points in the swing. For example, P4 is top of the swing. P6 is shaft parallel to the ground on the downswing

[deadsolid...shank]

I know virtually nothing about technical swing mechanics. What is EE? And the “P” numbers I’ve seen referenced, P6, or P4 for instance.

 

EE = early extension

 

The Ps are just different specific points in the swing. For example, P4 is top of the swing. P6 is shaft parallel to the ground on the downswing

 

Thanks, I figured something like that on the positions. Hadn’t heard the EE before. Sometimes ignorance is bliss!

 

And congratulations on the progress. To this untrained eye, it looks like a good swing.

[Forged4ever]

I know virtually nothing about technical swing mechanics. What is EE? And the “P” numbers I’ve seen referenced, P6, or P4 for instance.

Believe me Brother, ignorance is bliss here??

 

To this I will quote someone that you are very familiar with~

 

“Ya’ll are using trigonometry when it’s nothing more than basic arithmetic,” lolol??

 

Under the gun, under competitive pressure, on a course with that club in your hand??

 

You even entertain a technical thought and you might as well flip a coin, cuz a Pro would miss that next shot more than he/she’d nail it~

 

An Am, regardless of their cap????

 

Yea right???

 

One thing that I was taught on a football field though it has applied in every area of my life, especially on a golf course in a competitive round..

 

You play as ya practice!!

 

Some reverse it but my teacher used this because the thoughts that one ingrains into their mind(subconscious) on the practice line, is what they will resort to and think of under pressure.

 

If one starts thinkin “P this” and “P that” under the gun, they might as well bend over and take one for the team cuz they sureTF ain’t gonna answer that next bell, lmao?

 

All the Best Bro, and a Happy Healthy New Year to You & Yours?

Richard

[ebrasmus21]

I know virtually nothing about technical swing mechanics. What is EE? And the "P" numbers I've seen referenced, P6, or P4 for instance.

Believe me Brother, ignorance is bliss here

 

To this I will quote someone that you are very familiar with~

 

"Ya'll are using trigonometry when it's nothing more than basic arithmetic," lolol

 

Under the gun, under competitive pressure, on a course with that club in your hand??

 

You even entertain a technical thought and you might as well flip a coin, cuz a Pro would miss that next shot more than he/she'd nail it~

 

An Am, regardless of their cap????

 

Yea right

 

One thing that I was taught on a football field though it has applied in every area of my life, especially on a golf course in a competitive round..

 

You play as ya practice!!

 

Some reverse it but my teacher used this because the thoughts that one ingrains into their mind(subconscious) on the practice line, is what they will resort to and think of under pressure.

 

If one starts thinkin "P this" and "P that" under the gun, they might as well bend over and take one for the team cuz they sureTF ain't gonna answer that next bell, lmao

 

All the Best Bro, and a Happy Healthy New Year to You & Yours

Richard

 

Richard -

 

This year I've been working on a lot of technical stuff in my swing. How can one practice/improve technical stuff without thinking about technical stuff?

[Forged4ever]

I know virtually nothing about technical swing mechanics. What is EE? And the "P" numbers I've seen referenced, P6, or P4 for instance.

Believe me Brother, ignorance is bliss here??

 

To this I will quote someone that you are very familiar with~

 

"Ya'll are using trigonometry when it's nothing more than basic arithmetic," lolol??

 

Under the gun, under competitive pressure, on a course with that club in your hand??

 

You even entertain a technical thought and you might as well flip a coin, cuz a Pro would miss that next shot more than he/she'd nail it~

 

An Am, regardless of their cap????

 

Yea right??

 

One thing that I was taught on a football field though it has applied in every area of my life, especially on a golf course in a competitive round..

 

You play as ya practice!!

 

Some reverse it but my teacher used this because the thoughts that one ingrains into their mind(subconscious) on the practice line, is what they will resort to and think of under pressure.

 

If one starts thinkin "P this" and "P that" under the gun, they might as well bend over and take one for the team cuz they sureTF ain't gonna answer that next bell, lmao?

 

All the Best Bro, and a Happy Healthy New Year to You & Yours?

Richard

 

Richard -

 

This year I've been working on a lot of technical stuff in my swing. How can one practice/improve technical stuff without thinking about technical stuff?

I’m not the man to ask about that because I only concentrated on producing a consistent repetitive swing that allowed me to put the ball on target.

 

The simpler the better~

 

Instinct Brother!!

 

And FEEL!!!

 

I had to FEEL that move!!

 

I had to FEEL that position!!!

 

For me, that had zero to do with letters, numbers or watching myself on video(Like Sam, I’ve never looked at a video of my swing though Pete and Madison both have to determine what, if anything, to work with me on).

 

It’s about FEEL!!

 

When I worked on swing mechanics, I did tens of thousands of hours of slo mo & mirror drills over the decades. When I came back from my shoulder surgery in 2008-09, I spent from August though the following February working on slo mo/mirror work to ingrain a new swing and movements. I used this just to ingrain the movement/position into my subconscious to the point that I could speed it up and then put a ball down and hit at a target.

 

My only thought and goal was..

 

T..A..R..G..E..T(P..I..N)

 

I used visualization very very heavily and in conjunction with slow mo and then gradually speeding my swing up, I would just visualize where my hands, arms, chest, shoulders hips & legs should be and then I would execute that. I have the book that was written about using slo mo that spotlights Ben Hogan and his use of slo mo when learning a new move/position. I’m currently in the hospital but I’ll have Maddie grab it if you’d like to read it. Very brief suscinct paper back, not a novel and not super technical, lol. It’s so mo for chrissakes, lolol???

 

I had two types of practice routines, mechanical & competitive-

 

I used the former when I was working on a new move, position or if I was going sideways on the course and with the help of with my teacher or after he passed, Madison, I’d determine that it was mechanical and not mental.

 

The better that I was scoring, and this was my goal, to SCORE, the more of the competitive practice routines I did and after I came back from fla I. The winter my last year in the game, I think that I did 2-3 mecahanical pracrice sessions the rest of the season, from March through October. My mechanical routines consisted of slo mo, visualization and then, if appropriate, hitting balls.

 

If I was not comfortable and 100% confident with the move or position at Full Speed, I didn’t hit a ball until I was 100% confident.

 

So, from March that year on, 99% of my practice sessions were competitive which were entirely target focused and zero mechanical focused.

 

I don’t know if my answer is any good to ya or answered your question however you have to remember that I was taught all this starting at age 10yo(I first started swinging at 7yo but my Grandmother, a 4-Time State Womens’ Am Champion and Pete Snead’s mixed BB Partner, didn’t come near me and just lemme swing, hit balls with a 9i she gave me and go chase the ball, haha) and and Pete ingrained this into until his passing in 2006, though he would tell you that it finally “sunk in” to my rock hard head in the early 90’s, 1991-92, and though I had won two Clubs prior to this(and two after), I still “fought it” and didn’t totally trust myself.

 

After that, he just more or less fine tuned me and was there mentally for me as prior to Madison, first as my Pro/Am BB Partner, and then my better half, I had this me against the world attitude and Pete was the only one that I’d listen to or let “inside the ropes.”

 

Anyhoo, if you’re confident and believe in your Teacher, do what he/she says.

 

Like I said, I’m not big on “group advice” as very very few people have been were I have been, and even fewer have been where I wanna go, be it athletically, specifically football and then golf(obviously past tense in these two, lolol), academically, professionally or socially, so whyITF would I listen to someone who’s never been to Plus competitively tell me how to get there???

 

That makes zero sense to me and I do thank God that my Grandmother told me at a young age to find someone who was where I wanted to go or what/who I wanted to be, and ask them to help me get there or become that person. Obviously this is mentoring though she didn’t refer to it as this. And she was very specific in stating that I should have one, two at the most to go to for advice for in any particular field, activity or area.

 

I believed in my Mentors 100% and I would’ve run through walls, literally, in younger days if they had said that is what they did. I was very very very careful in finding selecting and following them, because my personality is such that I only follow until I get the program down, then You can getTF outa my way, lolol.

 

So that’s it-

 

I never looked at it as “technical,” because the very definition of that word inhibits natural athletic performance with the very best of athletes/golfers and the average or even Plus have zero chance if they have any “swing” thoughts in their subconscious during the heat of competition.

 

On the course, Under the gun, if my heart started to beat faster and my breaths started to get shallower, I would step away, close my eyes, first go through my breathing routine, then visualize my PSR, basically pulling a club, stepping behind the box to take one last look at the target, then walk around and step into the box, take my stance, do my wraggles, swing away and follow my shot to the target.

 

That is as technical as I ever got, whether it was on the line or on the course, working on my mechanical game or my competitive game, and as much as I practiced my physical game on the line/course, I spent 2-3 times that time working on my mental game off of the course.

 

But the thing is, this is all that I ever knew, I trusted those who taught me, I worked my arse off and did what they said, the way that they said, and I competed as hard as I could.

 

Was I ever an “Elite” Am??

 

Hell no, lolol

 

But I beat a few, competed with a bunch and that was good enough for me?

 

I hope that this made some sense though I actually was not addressing my post to you but to Dead Solid as you have enough guys giving you advice Brother, you don’t need one more, hahaha?

 

The only thing that matters once ya step into the box is the target?

 

All the Best?

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever My Friend⛳️

Richard

[wmblake2000]

I know virtually nothing about technical swing mechanics. What is EE? And the "P" numbers I've seen referenced, P6, or P4 for instance.

Believe me Brother, ignorance is bliss here����

 

To this I will quote someone that you are very familiar with~

 

"Ya'll are using trigonometry when it's nothing more than basic arithmetic," lolol����

 

Under the gun, under competitive pressure, on a course with that club in your hand??

 

You even entertain a technical thought and you might as well flip a coin, cuz a Pro would miss that next shot more than he/she'd nail it~

 

An Am, regardless of their cap????

 

Yea right������

 

One thing that I was taught on a football field though it has applied in every area of my life, especially on a golf course in a competitive round..

 

You play as ya practice!!

 

Some reverse it but my teacher used this because the thoughts that one ingrains into their mind(subconscious) on the practice line, is what they will resort to and think of under pressure.

 

If one starts thinkin "P this" and "P that" under the gun, they might as well bend over and take one for the team cuz they sureTF ain't gonna answer that next bell, lmao��

 

All the Best Bro, and a Happy Healthy New Year to You & Yours��

Richard

 

Richard -

 

This year I've been working on a lot of technical stuff in my swing. How can one practice/improve technical stuff without thinking about technical stuff?

 

I have always thought the progression was from lesson to driving range to course to competition. Each phase is pretty separate from the other. You can't improve a swing motion without practicing a new (hopefully) better motion. How people describe this new motion varies, how they perceive it varies. It is a technical thing; a foreign motion at first. What I see in common from a wide range of people is they have to practice doing the new motion correctly, and this means slow motion and come kind of objective confirmation (eg, mirror and not just ball flight).

 

But getting to playing - hitting shots - requires the kind of relaxed body/confidence that trusts you know how to do it. A BIG part of this, for me, is finally embracing the new motion as part of 'my' swing. I don't know how to describe this, but it seems like a big deal to me. Once a motion/set of feels fits into my overall map of 'my swing' I make a huge leap in doing it on the course. It's no longer hard or alien. I don't know if my new swing (I have fundamentally rebuilt my swing in my 60's) will ever be fully unconscious where I just think 'target' and this new motion will happen. But it's now embedded enough that it's no big deal to have the swing image/feels/thoughts associated with it.

 

I think the core thing is to really focus in on what you really think you need to change and stop chasing some elusive, always moving target, and then really stick the landing, so to speak. Again, for me, this has been enormously helped by better feedback so that I could tie feel to motion to ball flight.

[nikegal]

This was an enjoyable thread Ebras. The best to you as you continue your journey :) Madison

[nikegal]

I know virtually nothing about technical swing mechanics. What is EE? And the “P” numbers I’ve seen referenced, P6, or P4 for instance.

 

EE = early extension

 

The Ps are just different specific points in the swing. For example, P4 is top of the swing. P6 is shaft parallel to the ground on the downswing

Sometimes ignorance is bliss!

Sometimes, haha? You’re fine DS!! Happy New Year :) Madison

[ebrasmus21]

This was an enjoyable thread Ebras. The best to you as you continue your journey :) Madison

 

Thank you, and thanks to Richard as well. Happy new year to you both :)

 

 

Richard, I can’t wait till I get to a point where I don’t have to think about my swing. That’s how it used to be for me (just visualizing target) but my poor mechanics caught up to me at which point I lost my game entirely and started this journey.

[ebrasmus21]

I know virtually nothing about technical swing mechanics. What is EE? And the "P" numbers I've seen referenced, P6, or P4 for instance.

Believe me Brother, ignorance is bliss here����

 

To this I will quote someone that you are very familiar with~

 

"Ya'll are using trigonometry when it's nothing more than basic arithmetic," lolol����

 

Under the gun, under competitive pressure, on a course with that club in your hand??

 

You even entertain a technical thought and you might as well flip a coin, cuz a Pro would miss that next shot more than he/she'd nail it~

 

An Am, regardless of their cap????

 

Yea right������

 

One thing that I was taught on a football field though it has applied in every area of my life, especially on a golf course in a competitive round..

 

You play as ya practice!!

 

Some reverse it but my teacher used this because the thoughts that one ingrains into their mind(subconscious) on the practice line, is what they will resort to and think of under pressure.

 

If one starts thinkin "P this" and "P that" under the gun, they might as well bend over and take one for the team cuz they sureTF ain't gonna answer that next bell, lmao��

 

All the Best Bro, and a Happy Healthy New Year to You & Yours��

Richard

 

Richard -

 

This year I've been working on a lot of technical stuff in my swing. How can one practice/improve technical stuff without thinking about technical stuff?

 

I have always thought the progression was from lesson to driving range to course to competition. Each phase is pretty separate from the other. You can't improve a swing motion without practicing a new (hopefully) better motion. How people describe this new motion varies, how they perceive it varies. It is a technical thing; a foreign motion at first. What I see in common from a wide range of people is they have to practice doing the new motion correctly, and this means slow motion and come kind of objective confirmation (eg, mirror and not just ball flight).

 

But getting to playing - hitting shots - requires the kind of relaxed body/confidence that trusts you know how to do it. A BIG part of this, for me, is finally embracing the new motion as part of 'my' swing. I don't know how to describe this, but it seems like a big deal to me. Once a motion/set of feels fits into my overall map of 'my swing' I make a huge leap in doing it on the course. It's no longer hard or alien. I don't know if my new swing (I have fundamentally rebuilt my swing in my 60's) will ever be fully unconscious where I just think 'target' and this new motion will happen. But it's now embedded enough that it's no big deal to have the swing image/feels/thoughts associated with it.

 

I think the core thing is to really focus in on what you really think you need to change and stop chasing some elusive, always moving target, and then really stick the landing, so to speak. Again, for me, this has been enormously helped by better feedback so that I could tie feel to motion to ball flight.

 

For the last several months I’ve really just been trying to improve my pivot - that’s been the focus of my mechanical/technical practice. I think it’s starting to come around, slowly. The feel that seems to work for me is getting pressure into my left foot and then pushing into the ground hard. At this point it’s a feel that I have to focus on but hopefully in the future it will be more natural for me and I won’t have to think about it, like Richard recommends.

 

Honestly, the last thing I want to do is constantly think about my swing. Feel compelled to at this point however, since it’s still a work in progress.