Practice Swing(s)

[leezer99]

Couple of questions:

1. Does your child take a practice swing or swings before each shot during an event?

2. If yes, how many?

3. Where do they take them? (next to the ball, behind it, somewhere else?)

4. Why do they take a practice swing?

5. What's the value in taking a practice swing?

6. Do they take practice swings on the range while actually practicing?

[kekoa]

1. Yes

2. 1-2

3. Behind the ball

4. I have no clue since he doesn't seem to be practicing anything specific.  I'd rather have him do a slow move to impact where he is getting into the correct impact position.

5. I don't think there is any unless you are practicing something specific (see pt. #4)

6. Never

[wildcatden]

1. Yes

2. Usually one or two.

3. Next to the ball

4. Because that is what he has been told to do. LOL

5. He has been told to focus on shot visualization and feel.  No idea what he is actually doing in his head.

6. Ironically, almost never (unless told to take a practice swing while working on something).

[hangontight]

Couple of questions:

1. Does your child take a practice swing or swings before each shot during an event?  85% of the time yes, 15% no (not sure why not)

2. If yes, how many? 1 or 2

3. Where do they take them? (next to the ball, behind it, somewhere else?) Usually next to ball, sometimes with Driver behind ball.  I've tried to get him to take it behind the ball (in the think box, not the play box) as part of his routine, but have not been very successful. 

4. Why do they take a practice swing?  same as @kekoa, not exactly sure why he actually does it.  Habit maybe, sometimes because he probably knows he is "supposed to ".

5. What's the value in taking a practice swing?  Rehearse the swing that will produce the shot you decided to hit.

6. Do they take practice swings on the range while actually practicing?  Not unless he is working on a specific move or feel.

 

Also important to note - he will practice swing to no end if he is waiting.  Cant get through to him the energy he is wasting with the 75 extra dry swings he is taking that have zero purpose and often with some whacky form  - "WATCH MY MATT WOLFF SWING " isnt what you want to be grooving before you tee off.   The last tournament I told him he couldn't pull his club until it was his turn to hit.  

 

Edited September 1, 2020 by hangontight

[leezer99]

4 hours ago, leezer99 said:

Couple of questions:

1. Does your child take a practice swing or swings before each shot during an event?

2. If yes, how many?

3. Where do they take them? (next to the ball, behind it, somewhere else?)

4. Why do they take a practice swing?

5. What's the value in taking a practice swing?

6. Do they take practice swings on the range while actually practicing?

 

Since I didn't even answer my own questions I thought I probably should.

1. Yes

2. One unless he's 'trying something'

3. Behind the ball looking at target

4. To feel the swing needed for the shot

5. Loosen up if he's been waiting

6. Not a single time ever

[BFD3]

Daughter (11)

1. Yes

2. One, unless she isn’t happy with it.

3. Next to ball then she picks target line behind ball before addressing ball and swinging 

4. It’s part of her pre-shot routine 

5. Partly to get a feel for the specific club/swing and partly because she’s been trained to by her instructor and me

6. No.

 

Son (8)

1. Most of the time (sometimes needs reminders)

2. As many as 5 until he brushes the ground with a good swish

3. Next to ball

4. Because our head pro or I tell him to

5. To get a feel for club/swing 

6. No

[mrshinsa]

For question #2, I've never let my kids practice behind the ball after watching this:
don't practice behind the ball!

[leezer99]

23 minutes ago, mrshinsa said:

For question #2, I've never let my kids practice behind the ball after watching this:
don't practice behind the ball!

 

That's why you're not supposed to hit the ground during a practice swing.  Kids that hit the ground with a practice swing haven't been taught how to take a practice swing.

[BFD3]

4 hours ago, mrshinsa said:

For question #2, I've never let my kids practice behind the ball after watching this:
don't practice behind the ball!

I’ve never seen someone take a practice swing down the line behind the ball. Typically, I take a practice swing from  behind the ball, perpendicular to the target line after I’ve picked the target line. 

[darter79]

1. Yes

2. Normally one swing one feel.

3. Next to ball

4. Because she been told to but it should be to feel what she is working on

5. To get a feel loosen up

6. No - unless she at a lesson with her coach and she wounder's why her lessons go so well. 

[MB19]

22 hours ago, leezer99 said:

Couple of questions:

1. Does your child take a practice swing or swings before each shot during an event?

2. If yes, how many?

3. Where do they take them? (next to the ball, behind it, somewhere else?)

4. Why do they take a practice swing?

5. What's the value in taking a practice swing?

6. Do they take practice swings on the range while actually practicing?

1. Yes

2.  One in the box and on fairways, maybe multiple in short game.

3.  Next to ball

4.  To get a feel for the club/shot

5.  Hopefully increases the chance of a successful shot

6. Only when they change clubs

[kcap]

1.  Yes. But it is not a full swing. He has a routine and it is based on how he is hitting the ball. 
2.  1-2 feel moves to ensure his club and weight is where he wants it.

3. Next to the ball.

4. Why? He exaggerates the motion in the practice swing, knowing that the real swing will be different.

5. Value? To limit the miss.

6. on the range.  It depends, will go back to freezers and slow swing if not hitting the ball well.

 

 

[kekoa]

19 hours ago, leezer99 said:

 

That's why you're not supposed to hit the ground during a practice swing.  Kids that hit the ground with a practice swing haven't been taught how to take a practice swing.

 

I think Tiger has the perfect preshot routine.  A few slow, methodic swings behind the ball.  Looks to me that he exaggerates a swing to the left.

[TripleBogeysrbetter]

On 9/1/2020 at 11:46 AM, leezer99 said:

Couple of questions:

1. Does your child take a practice swing or swings before each shot during an event?

Yes

2. If yes, how many?

1

3. Where do they take them? (next to the ball, behind it, somewhere else?)

Next to the ball

4. Why do they take a practice swing?

Lie conditions

5. What's the value in taking a practice swing?

Freeing up tension

6. Do they take practice swings on the range while actually practicing?

Its the same routine playing or range.  Every shot on the range has a practice swing.