Prevailing Instruction vs Enjoying Golf

[Nels55]

@PedronNiall

I think that you would enjoy Adam Young's book "The Practice Manual" if you have not already read it? 

 

In the book Adam talks about the five levels of focus:
1) Internal focus, this is where you focus on body movement usually on a specific one.

2) External focus, this focusing on how the club moves or where the buttons on your shirt are pointing and so on.

3) Target focus, focused on the target and letting the swing happen.

4) No focus, focusing on a song or something that is completely unrelated to golf.  Clear Key is or was a method designed to use this focus.

5) The zone, no thinking.  Something that produces the best golf when it happens.   LOL I have visited the zone rarely in golf and only for very short periods of time before I start thinking and screw it up.

 

Anyway generally speaking the levels of focus are from weakest to strongest so staying on external focus is not necessarily a good idea.  Also everyone is different and some actually do better on internal focus then on the other 'better' ways to focus.

[PedronNiall]

On 6/18/2023 at 7:28 PM, Nels55 said:

@PedronNiall

I think that you would enjoy Adam Young's book "The Practice Manual" if you have not already read it? 

 

In the book Adam talks about the five levels of focus:
1) Internal focus, this is where you focus on body movement usually on a specific one.

2) External focus, this focusing on how the club moves or where the buttons on your shirt are pointing and so on.

3) Target focus, focused on the target and letting the swing happen.

4) No focus, focusing on a song or something that is completely unrelated to golf.  Clear Key is or was a method designed to use this focus.

5) The zone, no thinking.  Something that produces the best golf when it happens.   LOL I have visited the zone rarely in golf and only for very short periods of time before I start thinking and screw it up.

 

Anyway generally speaking the levels of focus are from weakest to strongest so staying on external focus is not necessarily a good idea.  Also everyone is different and some actually do better on internal focus then on the other 'better' ways to focus.

I'll take a look. Having very good results simplifying with an external focus when I'm actually over the ball on the course/range and only using the internal focus elements when I'm working in the mirror to tweak or solidify where I want the club to be at the top or the path I want it on.

 

One of the things I'd been working towards was zero swing thoughts, but having only one of delivering the club back to the ball seems to be doing it for me, with the speed continuing to come naturally on its own with a relatively relaxed grip. Wish I'd been exposed to that kind of simplicity from the start, but c'est la golf.

 

Although I can go the full zen route of no thoughts at all, my results seem most consistent when I'm honed in on getting the club back to the ball. We can do some pretty amazing things when we're in the zone, but even on the range I'm usually trying to hit specific shots, so I don't know that no focus would serve me any better. That's also one of the only two core tenets of Sisson's method, so for now I'm going to give him a little credit and see where it takes me. Liking it so far.

[tm3]

On 6/18/2023 at 5:42 PM, PedronNiall said:

 

And here are two other videos that touch on Dr Wulf's work in more detail, some contemporaries in tennis and golf that use them, as well as in the second vid, some very straightforward thoughts about Internal vs External Focus.

 

Fred Shoemaker, of Extraordinary Golf, promotes focus on club head awareness as opposed to focus on body mechanics.  His book is interesting, and he runs a very high dollar school in CA.

 

This dude IMO does a better job than Shoemaker at explaining how to develop club head awareness:

 

 

[virtuoso]

54 minutes ago, Sixironvswedges said:

Oh I agree! Its game!

 

Tournaments & pro’s ruined golf, banish the wretched “Driven for success” mentality!

It’s Bassackwards:

Golf is an Art not a science 
Game not work
Fun enjoyable experience 
Great outdoors
Fresh air 
Rest & relaxation 
have fun for a change, chill out, laid back, no stress!

Enjoy the wonderful game of golf!

 

swing thought? No

the swing only lasts 1 second no time to think according to the “automatic golf” system

an automatic reflex instead.

 

mental picture maybe

example: driving have a mental picture as high and far as you can see.

 

I don’t think we realize or appreciate the great game of Golf and time spent in the great outdoors!

 

 Thanks 

 

Actually, golf is whatever you want it to be.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, Sixironvswedges said:

swing thought? No

mental picture maybe

 

Not sure you know what a "swing thought" is. Or, like most of your posts, what this has to do with the topic.

[aggiegolfer21]

On 6/10/2023 at 1:10 PM, orr444 said:

what do you mean by club focus?

Any swing thoughts should have to do with what the club is doing rather than what the body is doing.

[Nels55]

17 minutes ago, aggiegolfer21 said:

Any swing thoughts should have to do with what the club is doing rather than what the body is doing.

Some folks actually do better with internal focus.  Everyone is different and there is no one correct way to think.

[nitram]

1 hour ago, Nels55 said:

Some folks actually do better with internal focus.  Everyone is different and there is no one correct way to think.

 

And some folks just can't grasp how to play golf.

[bladehunter]

On 6/21/2023 at 9:00 AM, tm3 said:

Fred Shoemaker, of Extraordinary Golf, promotes focus on club head awareness as opposed to focus on body mechanics.  His book is interesting, and he runs a very high dollar school in CA.

 

This dude IMO does a better job than Shoemaker at explaining how to develop club head awareness:

 

 

I’ve never heard this from an instructor…. But it’s alwasy the way I have thought of  he swing. What’s he clubhead doing ?  That’s all that matters.  Let my body manipulate the clubhead by instinct. 

[naval2006]

On 6/21/2023 at 10:00 AM, tm3 said:

Fred Shoemaker, of Extraordinary Golf, promotes focus on club head awareness as opposed to focus on body mechanics.  His book is interesting, and he runs a very high dollar school in CA.

 

This dude IMO does a better job than Shoemaker at explaining how to develop club head awareness:

 

 

When I was a kid that’s what most pros and teachers I used to hang around with said. Funny thing is this never worked for me and a couple of other grinders that used to play very good golf at amateur level. I was a pretty curious boy so I’d ask good players if they felt the clubhead. All the gifted golfers said they would. 

[nitram]

Most modern equipment is made with swingweights too light to "feel" the clubhead . . .

[bladehunter]

31 minutes ago, nitram said:

Most modern equipment is made with swingweights too light to "feel" the clubhead . . .

Very true.  Which is why a lot of it doesn’t work . For me.  At least without some magic tape all over it. 

[Zitlow]

3 hours ago, nitram said:

Most modern equipment is made with swingweights too light to "feel" the clubhead . . .

Mike Austin's driver was 43.25 inches and a D7. Dunaway's driver was 44 inches and a D6. 

[RoyalTroon]

On 6/16/2023 at 1:40 AM, PedronNiall said:

Skiing:

 

...and when the snow melts there's water skiing...Bradley Hughes says the hands are the boat, but I like body being the boat, but when he says the whip and body move at the same time that's spot on. 

 

 

 

 

 

[aggiegolfer21]

On 6/25/2023 at 8:39 AM, Nels55 said:

Some folks actually do better with internal focus.  Everyone is different and there is no one correct way to think.

Correct, this is in response to the one player this thread is talking about.  See my earlier comment and the OP's response.