The moment of truth.......

[Rackster]

IMPACT......

That's it.

But why in golf do we make it so difficult?

If I was attacked by someone, then, KAABOOOSH, right handed puch to knock them out. No thought.

I am going to pass a rugby ball. Bang in their hand. No thought!

I am going to shoot a ring on the basketball court. Flick my wrist. It's a net (sorry for the yanks I don't play basketball). No thought

I'm Roger Federer, returning a serve, booooiiiinnngg, I've returned the serve! No thought

i'm David Beckham, crossing thr ball. No thought.

What I am trying to get at here, is that in golf we think too much about the process rather than the ouctome. We address the ball- "one piece takeaway", "set the wrists", "turn the back towards tghe target" etc Alll goo thoughts if we are working on specifics.

But as golfers we should also let natural instincts flow.

Try this:

You will need: an impact bag or car tyre.

Action: address the object (impact bag or tyre) in the normal golfing way. Hit the object naturally.

There you have it.

You can even do it with visulaisation to feel it.

[BrianW]

Re: The moment of truth.......

Hi Rackster,

Is it really that simple? When you are at the range or on the course do you see these people slicing, making reverse "c" 's , topping, flipping etc etc, I do. Why do they do it? because they have too many swing thoughts or because a good golf swing is difficult to understand and needs a high level of skill and practice. I would suggest the latter.

You can hit the car tyre or impact bag or practice net but have no feedback of ball flight, did it slice, did it hook, did you top it or hit it fat? you wont know.

I think you are underestimating the skill levels of these other sports, take David Beckham, Federer, Johnny Wilkinson, Tiger Woods or Jahangir Khan. How many hours, days, weeks, months, years of practice have they put into their game?

Before playing Golf I played Squash to a fairly high competitive level, I needed to practice many many hours a week to improve or maintain my skills. IMHO Golf is just the same, it is not a natural or easy game to master, the skill levels for driving, fairway shots, escapes, varied lies, pitching, chipping, sand, putting and the mental approach are wide and varied.

Please don't underestimate this fantastic game. I agree that one should use natural instincts where possible and try not to over complicate things. We have to identify what it is we wish to achieve, if its a weekend hack with some mates then that's one thing, if it's the competitive game then that's another and you have to be prepared to put in the thought process, hours and slog to bring out the best of your ability. Just like any other competitive sport.

[LowPost42]

Re: The moment of truth.......

I'm with Brian.

As a 20 year basketball vet (player, coach and official), I can vouch that the concept of 'use it or lose it' fully takes hold. The first time you try and dribble a basketball, it takes all your focus to keep from dribbling it off your foot, knee, or body. By dribbling more and more you learn how to dribble without always looking at the ball. The same goes for shooting. Kids that learn the game young almost always shoot with two hands. But that's not the 'textbook' way to shoot a ball (nor is it particularily effective). They have to be taught proper form, and even then, if it's not practiced properly proper form is eluded. I can probably count on both hands the number of players I've seen that have fantastic form. Without fail, these players are also great players. But they didn't just grab a ball and start with this - it was taught, practiced, and perfected.

Can you play basketball by dribbling the ball while always looking at it and shooting with both hands? Sure you can. But it doesn't look good, it's not particularily effective, and you're prone to missing shots and having the ball taken by the defence.

The same can be said for golf. I had a strong baseball background, and was quite an accomplished hitter. I could hit to any field, had an insanely high batting average, and was intentionally walked on a few occasions. So golf should be easy, right? The ball is just sitting there, you just walk up and smack it.

I'm a 23 handicap after 3 years.

There's more to it than just swinging naturally.

[Rackster]

Re: The moment of truth.......

Hi guys / Brian and Lowpost.

I agree with both of your posts. And yes you do need to have some technical proficiency, talent and time to be a success in your sport. I do not doubt this.

What I was trying to show is that sometimes we get to immersed in the technical aspects of the game. One plane swing , two plane swing, stack and tilt etc. The impact drill I mentioned with the tyre or bag for me simplifies and strenghtens the swing- you swing the club in reaction to the object, rather than your conscience thought of technical jargon. Simplicity and feel are for me are the best ways to improve your golf on the course. If you get in a muddle with your swing I find "feeling" drills such as the impact bag can get you back on track.

[vp27519]

Re: The moment of truth.......

I hear what you are saying Rackster. I agree entirely.

A matter of trusting what you have practiced and taking it out onto the course in comp play.

It's just a matter of finding a way to trust your ability.

[BrianW]

Re: The moment of truth.......

I think we are all saying the same thing in different words. None of us would suggest that a person learning golf should fill there heads with lots of unnecessary complex thoughts on the golf swing, the same for someone improving or trying to fix a problem.

For most of us the journey is not short, parts of the track are straight and we can sprint down them, others twist and turn and seem to never end, at times when we make another lap the bit that was straight now seems to have become curved and bendy. As our old friend Shootin4par tells us "Enjoy the journey"

Finally: As Freud said: " Golf is a participatory form, wherein a person actively engages in behavior that mimics an earlier stressor, either deliberately or unconsciously. "

But then again he'd never hit five shanks in a row had he?

[Scragger63]

Re: The moment of truth.......

The thought that comes to mind after reading this thread is.....

"Paralysis by analysis......"

IMO, golf is played on the course during a round and trained/practiced on the range and NEVER the two should meet......

Or something like that...

[BrianW]

Re: The moment of truth.......

The thought that comes to mind after reading this thread is.....

"Paralysis by analysis......"

IMO, golf is played on the course during a round and trained/practiced on the range and NEVER the two should meet......

Or something like that...

Well! Not really Scraggs, I don't think anyone has suggested that you should over analyse. The point is whether you accept that playing Golf is a simple matter, I think the threads in this posts have put their views on that. Again, no one suggests that someone should fill their heads with endless swing thoughts when playing or the skills to play well are easily learned, rather they require a degree of dedication and slog on the range, just like any other sport.

[cyc53870]

Re: The moment of truth.......

This is certainly the most difficult sport in the world but also the most rewarding, eh? Yes, there's nothing like a good shot...

A few people (not me) have an easier time... the rest of us gotta practice more...

[bartpapke]

Re: The moment of truth.......

The toughest being you had it for years then lose it. Body changes, life changes, whatever. To play good golf requires much dedication and thought. But in a tourney I don't remember thinking any more than one swing thought. Interesting thread. Very reflective for me personally.

~b

[Timothy Slaught]

Re: The moment of truth.......

Hello All:

Rackster you did bring up an exellent point and that is that IMPACT is the moment of truth and the most important millisecond in the golf swing. Even with comments by todays analysts that all the young pros swings look the same it is really not true. Each swing is like a finger print but most good swings share a very similar impact position.

This is not to belittle the rest of the swing because all facets are important but that moment of truth separates the good from the not so good. To me the key is keeping the head and body mass behind the ball.
It is a tricky thing to be able to move the lower body, arms and club targetward at rates of 100 plus MPH while keeping the head shoulders and torso behind the ball but this is the fundemental that allows a 300 yard shot to a landing area 30 yards wide. No easy feat! but.. impact is a good place to focus some real understanding. I've studied hundreds of pro swings and zero lunge ahead of the ball at impact...none.

Good post.

[golfer woman]

Re: The moment of truth.......

One of the things that amateurs do is they do not post their right leg firmly - it moves and with it goes their power. Make sure that you set up feeling your weight through your feet to the ground. Then, on your backswing, you have the foundation to coil into your right side properly. You won't be sliding, you will turn and maintain the coil. Also, because you are "planted" on your downswing you can now spring off your right side with some force instead of just trying to shift the weight to the left side. Hopefully that helps.