Every Golfer has thoughts going through their mind when they are swinging a golf club , and when you first learn it is normally “keep your head still ” of ” turn your back to the target on your backswing “. These swing thoughts that we use with such confidence on the practice range are great to make you focus on a particular element of your swing. But are they such a good idea on the course when you are trying to achieve the perfect golf swing?
I really think that when you are playing a match out on the course you do not want to be thinking about the workings of your swing . What you need is rythm and you will not achieve that if you are thinking about the mechanics of your swing. One way of achieving this is to visualise the ball in flight and watch it landing right where you planned it . Keep this mental picture in your mind when you are swinging the club .
For some people it is very hard not to have a swing thought whilst they are playing , and if you are one of them try to keep it simple.
Make sure it is not linked to a mechanical part of your swing – if you start thinking about your stance or your down swing , you are setting yourself up for a bad shot . Think about the feel of your swing or the tempo and rhythm . Ernie Els swing thought is ‘low and slow’.
Professional golfers will always take several practice swings before hitting the ball . This is a very good discipline for non professional to adopt as it gives you a good feel for the shot. When you go to actually take the shot you can concentrate on this feeling.
There is really very little time between your takeaway and your finish , but during this time it is astonishing how many thoughts you can have going through your mind . Get into a routine of having either a visualisation of the shot or a simple swing feeling when taking your shot and you will find your game improves .
We all want a consistent swing that we can rely on and if you get these simple swing thoughts into your head you will find your shots a lot more consistent. Save your mechanical thoughts for the golf swing drills you try out at the driving range when you only need to focus on a one area of your swing.