Tweet
I'm wondering about the advisability, or lack thereof, of taking one or more practice swings before actually setting up to the ball and hitting it, during a round of golf. Personally, I tend to do it, to "rehearse" the swing and get some sort of feedback. For example, if I am going to make an iron shot and my practice swing doesn't even touch the grass, I can be pretty sure that that swing would have topped the ball, so I try to make an adjustment, then another practice swing to see if it "worked." Then I hit the ball.
As I say, that's what I usually do, and it has become a habit. If I skip the practice swings, I feel less confidence in my actual swing--like playing without a safety net!
HOWEVER...I can also see some reasons to try to break the habit of practice swings. First is the fact that often what feels like a "perfect" practice swing is followed by an actual hit that is rubbish anyway. So maybe I'm deceiving myself in thinking that the practice swing is helping in any tangible way (other than the way I feel about my actual swing). Second, over the course of 18 holes, all those practice swings add up to a lot of extra energy expended.
When I'm at the driving range, I don't take practice swings before hitting each ball. I suppose I should try doing so, to see if it improves my ball striking.
I don't see the pros taking a lot of practice swings, but I also don't think that what the pros do is necessarily a model for the rest of us.
Incidentally, by "practice swing", I mean a full swing without a ball, not a sort of lazy half swing to loosen up.
As I say, that's what I usually do, and it has become a habit. If I skip the practice swings, I feel less confidence in my actual swing--like playing without a safety net!
HOWEVER...I can also see some reasons to try to break the habit of practice swings. First is the fact that often what feels like a "perfect" practice swing is followed by an actual hit that is rubbish anyway. So maybe I'm deceiving myself in thinking that the practice swing is helping in any tangible way (other than the way I feel about my actual swing). Second, over the course of 18 holes, all those practice swings add up to a lot of extra energy expended.
When I'm at the driving range, I don't take practice swings before hitting each ball. I suppose I should try doing so, to see if it improves my ball striking.
I don't see the pros taking a lot of practice swings, but I also don't think that what the pros do is necessarily a model for the rest of us.
Incidentally, by "practice swing", I mean a full swing without a ball, not a sort of lazy half swing to loosen up.
Comment