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What Exactly Is A Swing Thought?

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Being a golf coach goes further than the golf swing. That’s why golf coaches call themselves “coaches” and not “swing instructors.” Their role is to help golfers perform better on the course, and perhaps even off of it, which takes a lot more than a perfect golf swing. For that reason, the mental game has become a key part of golf coaching, as it should be; I think we’re often approaching the mental game the wrong way, though.

Golfers are told to read golf psychology books for all their tips on how to think more positive. Why? Most golfers are better on the range than they are on the course, and they want to reach their on-course potential. But have you performed better on the course practicing these self-help tools? Did it help your thoughts… or even your first-tee jitters? For most golfers, the answer is no.

We will start with swing thoughts. Many golfers ask me if they should have a swing thought, or if they should “just focus on the target.” What they often don’t realize is that picturing the target is a thought. A mental image is a thought, too.

A swing thought, like a normal thought, is simply energy. When a thought pops into your mind it’s considered neutral; it does not have a negative or positive effect on your feelings. Only when we begin to “think about a thought” will it determine both emotions and feelings. It’s important to understand feeling and emotion are a product of your thinking, not the other way around.

Thoughts can be completely random. They can come from outside our conscious control, as the vast majority of our thinking occurs subconsciously. Think about how many random thoughts you have per day and how random they were when they suddenly popped in your mind. You may be walking down the street when a negative thought pops in your mind. What if I lose my job? What if this or that happens? One can dismiss these thoughts and carry on, or they can think about them and enhance the thoughts, which will further effect their emotions.

The same is true on the golf course. When you approach that hole with out-of-bounds on the right that’s been giving you trouble, it’s natural to think about it. It’s only when we intentionally try to do something to that thought that we get in trouble. Don’t immediately go through your rolodex of self-help tools or try hard and ignore a thought; that’s where we get in our own way. In other words, don’t add fuel to the fire by thinking more. You will have positive and negative thoughts throughout a round on the golf course; none should be attempted to be controlled.

“How stupid I really was trying to fight against something that you really can’t fight,” said Masters Champion Sergio Garcia. “I needed to just accept things.”

The mantra of just picturing the target may work for some golfers, but not for others, and every player can be different. That’s why it’s absolutely OK for golfers to have swing thoughts or swing feels that are related to what they’re working on in their swing. So when are swing thoughts beneficial or harmful? When they’re paralyzing your natural talent or getting in the way of making solid contact. To quote author Garret Kramer, “Anything that obstructs your instincts, toss it out.”

It’s up to golfers to figure out what their body and mind can handle, as well as when a swing thought is needed. This can be the feel of a drill they have been working on or an external focus, like a body part moving a certain direction. If they’re driving the ball poorly that day, the thought can simply be the player’s go-to shot — maybe a low cut off the tee.

That’s why it’s important that you take note of what works and what doesn’t for you on the golf course. Keeping a record provides an arsenal of thoughts or feels that you can go to when you’re struggling. Note the dispersion of your misses and what you may or may not of been thinking about when they occurred. If your misses were wide, that could be a sign of too much thought.

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Kelvin is a Class A PGA golf professional in San Francisco, California. He teaches and has taught at some of the top golf clubs in the Bay Area, including the Olympic Club and Sonoma Golf Club. He is TPI certified, and a certified Callaway and Titleist club fitter. Kelvin has sought advice and learned under several of the top instructors in the game, including Alex Murray and Scott Hamilton. To schedule a lesson, please call 818.359.0352 Online lessons also available at www.kelleygolf.com

23 Comments

23 Comments

  1. Larry

    Apr 20, 2017 at 5:49 pm

    Great read. Interesting perspective

  2. Dave R

    Apr 20, 2017 at 3:36 pm

    So if I have a swing thought I’m cheating ? WOW Really. There is nothing like a lesson from the pro who can’t break 80..

    • Larry

      Apr 20, 2017 at 5:48 pm

      I would re-read the article bud

    • Yoohoo

      Apr 21, 2017 at 3:28 am

      Now you’re definitely thinking too much here. I think about what I’m a gonna eat after the round during my downswing. Helps me just pound it and not worry about the other stuff

  3. Tom C

    Apr 20, 2017 at 11:18 am

    Interesting. I’m a lefty and my first instinct is usually to do something I’m only capable of doing 50% of the time on the course, and now this article tells me to follow my instincts. Every time I read something on swing thoughts I get more confused. lol

  4. Taylor

    Apr 20, 2017 at 9:36 am

    I have just ONE swing thought and make sure I do that on that swing. If I do it on a consistent basis I move to something else to focus on. I think people’s problems is they try to do stuff on the course that is meant for the range, so they have too many focus points in their swing thought. Just focus on one, mine is to make sure I finish my turn, and do it. Even if the shot is bad, at least you did what you wanted to do. Over time everything tends to fall into place.

    • Yoohoo

      Apr 21, 2017 at 3:26 am

      You can think anything ya like. It don’t mean ya body’s gonna do what you tell it to. May be y’all should just think and focus harder on making the body move like ya want it to.

  5. Smizzldik

    Apr 20, 2017 at 7:37 am

    He thinks he’s smart. Therefore he isn’t.

    • Double Mocha Man

      Apr 20, 2017 at 11:25 am

      Who would take the time and be anal enough to change their username almost every time they post?! Someone needs to get a life.

    • Yoohoo

      Apr 21, 2017 at 3:24 am

      Whoa. Y’all just need to chillax. Might help you to swing easier and freer

  6. PatMcKok

    Apr 19, 2017 at 11:46 pm

    Damn Dog, dis don’t make no sense!

    • Sid

      Apr 29, 2017 at 11:51 am

      YouTube has put a lock on this tv commercial because it’s too pornographic. LOL

      • Kenn

        May 11, 2017 at 11:52 pm

        Yup…. they ran the zoolike commercial on network tv and then pulled it for another ad…. because it was obvious the big shaggy dog was attempting to shag the young hot wife…. who even put her hand down between the dogs rear legs as the dog jumped her on the sofa and while the porcine husband just looked away and back to his newspaper while the dog and laughing wife were frolicking about next to him …. btw, there are no ‘mistakes’ in advertising …. believe it…

  7. John Hanley

    Apr 19, 2017 at 9:06 pm

    In Tom Watson’s book “The Timeless Swing”, he suggests one kind of swing thought. To maintain the pace of the swing: repeat the word “ed-el-weiss” during the swing. He timed his swing to the three syllables. The first syllable took him about halfway to the top, the second to the top, and the third down through impact.
    I make this my mantra before the round, and during each swing. If I adhere to a slow repetition of that mantra, my swing will generally be a good one.

  8. Rony

    Apr 19, 2017 at 6:44 pm

    Im a song guy as well. The right song will help with tempo as well. Mine (I blame my mother for embedding it into my brain as a kid) is If I were a Rich Man from Fiddler on the roof. Starts at the practice swings and finishes after the shot.

  9. AussieAussieAussie

    Apr 19, 2017 at 6:01 pm

    Probably the single most important article an aspiring golf coach will read on this site. Not to mention the players wanting to see actual scoring improvement!

  10. Eddie

    Apr 19, 2017 at 2:14 pm

    Just a single swing thought – hit it solid.

  11. Bob Jones

    Apr 19, 2017 at 11:14 am

    “Arrgh! How can you think and hit at the same time?” – Yogi Berra

  12. Double Mocha Man

    Apr 19, 2017 at 11:04 am

    I have two rules in life. The length of preparing dinner should be less than the time it takes to eat it. And a swing thought should be briefer than the time it takes to swing a club. Oh, and always tip well if your bartender comps you your drink.

  13. Steve S

    Apr 19, 2017 at 10:14 am

    Best swing thought I have is when I can sing a rhythmic song in my head. Sometimes I sing out loud when practicing. Focusing on the song frees my brain to make a good swing without me thinking about mechanics. Also tends to slow me down….

    • Double Mocha Man

      Apr 19, 2017 at 11:06 am

      Remind me to never practice next to you on the practice range… 🙂

  14. Garth

    Apr 19, 2017 at 9:58 am

    Try http://www.thoughtfreegolf.com to help take your practice swing to the course.

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Instruction

Clement: Stop ripping off your swing with this drill!

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Not the dreaded headcover under the armpit drill! As if your body is defective and can’t function by itself! Have you seen how incredible the human machine is with all the incredible feats of agility all kinds of athletes are accomplishing? You think your body is so defective (the good Lord is laughing his head off at you) that it needs a headcover tucked under the armpit so you can swing like T-Rex?

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How a towel can fix your golf swing

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This is a classic drill that has been used for decades. However, the world of marketed training aids has grown so much during that time that this simple practice has been virtually forgotten. Because why teach people how to play golf using everyday items when you can create and sell a product that reinforces the same thing? Nevertheless, I am here to give you helpful advice without running to the nearest Edwin Watts or adding something to your Amazon cart.

For the “scoring clubs,” having a solid connection between the arms and body during the swing, especially through impact, is paramount to creating long-lasting consistency. And keeping that connection throughout the swing helps rotate the shoulders more to generate more power to help you hit it farther. So, how does this drill work, and what will your game benefit from it? Well, let’s get into it.

Setup

You can use this for basic chip shots up to complete swings. I use this with every club in my bag, up to a 9 or 8-iron. It’s natural to create incrementally more separation between the arms and body as you progress up the set. So doing this with a high iron or a wood is not recommended.

While you set up to hit a ball, simply tuck the towel underneath both armpits. The length of the towel will determine how tight it will be across your chest but don’t make it so loose that it gets in the way of your vision. After both sides are tucked, make some focused swings, keeping both arms firmly connected to the body during the backswing and follow through. (Note: It’s normal to lose connection on your lead arm during your finishing pose.) When you’re ready, put a ball in the way of those swings and get to work.

Get a Better Shoulder Turn

Many of us struggle to have proper shoulder rotation in our golf swing, especially during long layoffs. Making a swing that is all arms and no shoulders is a surefire way to have less control with wedges and less distance with full swings. Notice how I can get in a similar-looking position in both 60° wedge photos. However, one is weak and uncontrollable, while the other is strong and connected. One allows me to use my larger muscles to create my swing, and one doesn’t. The follow-through is another critical point where having a good connection, as well as solid shoulder rotation, is a must. This drill is great for those who tend to have a “chicken wing” form in their lead arm, which happens when it becomes separated from the body through impact.

In full swings, getting your shoulders to rotate in your golf swing is a great way to reinforce proper weight distribution. If your swing is all arms, it’s much harder to get your weight to naturally shift to the inside part of your trail foot in the backswing. Sure, you could make the mistake of “sliding” to get weight on your back foot, but that doesn’t fix the issue. You must turn into your trial leg to generate power. Additionally, look at the difference in separation between my hands and my head in the 8-iron examples. The green picture has more separation and has my hands lower. This will help me lessen my angle of attack and make it easier to hit the inside part of the golf ball, rather than the over-the-top move that the other picture produces.

Stay Better Connected in the Backswing

When you don’t keep everything in your upper body working as one, getting to a good spot at the top of your swing is very hard to do. It would take impeccable timing along with great hand-eye coordination to hit quality shots with any sort of regularity if the arms are working separately from the body.

Notice in the red pictures of both my 60-degree wedge and 8-iron how high my hands are and the fact you can clearly see my shoulder through the gap in my arms. That has happened because the right arm, just above my elbow, has become totally disconnected from my body. That separation causes me to lift my hands as well as lose some of the extension in my left arm. This has been corrected in the green pictures by using this drill to reinforce that connection. It will also make you focus on keeping the lead arm close to your body as well. Because the moment either one loses that relationship, the towel falls.

Conclusion

I have been diligent this year in finding a few drills that target some of the issues that plague my golf game; either by simply forgetting fundamental things or by coming to terms with the faults that have bitten me my whole career. I have found that having a few drills to fall back on to reinforce certain feelings helps me find my game a little easier, and the “towel drill” is most definitely one of them.

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Instruction

Clement: Why your practice swing never sucks

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You hear that one all the time; I wish I could put my practice swing on the ball! We explain the huge importance of what to focus on to allow the ball to be perfectly in the way of your practice swing. Enjoy!

 

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