golf books

[Neil18]

Re: golf books

I shall sir!

[BrianW]

Re: golf books

I know! It's tempting fate.

But over the last few years, I've rarely properly looked forward to a round of golf.

I mean, it was nice to get out in the air and try to play the game. But it was always that, I felt. I have never been able to play the game how I wanted to play it.

Now, after yesterday, it's like I've finally got the right spanner for the nut. I've booked in a round on both Saturday and Sunday for the first time in ages. I don't feel like I'm going to go out there and be playing under the well-used and known banner of "barely repressed tension".

I feel like I'm gonna play the game, and play it how I want to play it. I feel like I can hit the shots I want to hit and now CAN approach every individual shot as a creative experience because I CAN hit all the shots I want to hit. High, low, draw, fade, 130 yard 7 iron or 160. I don't feel like it matters anymore.

And all that through monkey see, monkey do. Nothing more.

I think it's horses for courses Neil. Remember you are a good low handicap golfer who knows how to swing a club, it's not necessarily the same for others that are hacking their way around, becoming ever frustrated and disappointed with their results and not knowing what is going wrong.

3 Skills is completely different to the rest, it encourages you to be creative with your swing and focus on the bits that really matter to all good golfers along with imagery of what you want to achieve. I wish I could loan you my copy to take a look at.

[Neil18]

Re: golf books

I think it's horses for courses Neil. Remember you are a good low handicap golfer who knows how to swing a club, it's not necessarily the same for others that are hacking their way around, becoming ever frustrated and disappointed with their results and not knowing what is going wrong.

3 Skills is completely different to the rest, it encourages you to be creative with your swing and focus on the bits that really matter to all good golfers along with imagery of what you want to achieve. I wish I could loan you my copy to take a look at.

A point well made. I've missed this! Damn you long winter!

It's just the more I develop my mind into the game, it seems to me that people would learn more about their own swing by leaving the technical junk that ends up with permanent techno-chatter in the brain behind, and just being in the moment with the club, having the balls to do a whole action that feels different and getting genuine feedback from what they're doing right now, rather than trying to relate it to a list of things that 7 different sources have quoted as being good in the past.

Grass, club, ball, body, conditions. That's all you've got to work with. Anything verbal is a misuse of human resources in the world of accomplished physical activity.

That's why I write huge posts! Makes ya laugh dunnit?! I've substituted thinking whilst playing for being an air-head out there, coming home, reflecting and then boring you lot with it!



Sorry

[bill reed]

Re: golf books

A point well made. I've missed this! Damn you long winter!

It's just the more I develop my mind into the game, it seems to me that people would learn more about their own swing by leaving the technical junk that ends up with permanent techno-chatter in the brain behind, and just being in the moment with the club, having the balls to do a whole action that feels different and getting genuine feedback from what they're doing right now, rather than trying to relate it to a list of things that 7 different sources have quoted as being good in the past.

Grass, club, ball, body, conditions. That's all you've got to work with. Anything verbal is a misuse of human resources in the world of accomplished physical activity.

That's why I write huge posts! Makes ya laugh dunnit?! I've substituted thinking whilst playing for being an air-head out there, coming home, reflecting and then boring you lot with it!



Sorry

Hi Neil
i think you make a really good point about the golfer understanding his swing, if you don't understand your swing then how can you fix it when it goes wrong.
understanding your swing can't be learned out a book, a book can point you in the right direction but you have to have the ability to understand what you do right and what you do wrong when you hit a bad shot.
most golfer have there own swing and never been taught by a pro golfer. most have learned from books, there are some books like Hogans fundamentals where you can pick up golf club for the first time and read his book and you can end up with you having a half decent swing. but it will be mostly your swing and you will have your good and bad points, knowing your swing is what will will make it work or fail.
how many of you have been playing and your playing partner have asked when hit a bad drive, "What did i do wrong."
you have to look at your swing and break down the parts of a swing and see what works well and what parts sometimes break down, the only way you can do that is understand your swing.
cheers
bill

[BrianW]

Re: golf books

A point well made. I've missed this! Damn you long winter!

It's just the more I develop my mind into the game, it seems to me that people would learn more about their own swing by leaving the technical junk that ends up with permanent techno-chatter in the brain behind, and just being in the moment with the club, having the balls to do a whole action that feels different and getting genuine feedback from what they're doing right now, rather than trying to relate it to a list of things that 7 different sources have quoted as being good in the past.

Grass, club, ball, body, conditions. That's all you've got to work with. Anything verbal is a misuse of human resources in the world of accomplished physical activity.

That's why I write huge posts! Makes ya laugh dunnit?! I've substituted thinking whilst playing for being an air-head out there, coming home, reflecting and then boring you lot with it!



Sorry

Sorry to harp on about 3 skills but the main concept is that you should completely clear your mind of swing thoughts and only hold some simple images. It is absolutely nothing like other golf swing books.

[kbp]

Re: golf books

As Brian implied earlier, IMO, it depends on the golfer.....where they are currently and where they would like to go. Beginner or advanced. Good swing or bad swing. Wanting to score better or wanting to swing better or both. Willing to work or no time for practice. Friendly weekend rounds or serious competition. There is no "correct" approach to cover everyone.

Also depends on personality and mental capacity. Some people are linear, analytical, others are circular and holistic. Some can easily grasp complex concepts and apply them. Others need "do this, do that". Others are the Count Yogi type that work off ethereal imagery and complete feel.

Horses for courses.

[BrianW]

Re: golf books

As Brian implied earlier, IMO, it depends on the golfer.....where they are currently and where they would like to go. Beginner or advanced. Good swing or bad swing. Wanting to score better or wanting to swing better or both. Willing to work or no time for practice. Friendly weekend rounds or serious competition. There is no "correct" approach to cover everyone.

Also depends on personality and mental capacity. Some people are linear, analytical, others are circular and holistic. Some can easily grasp complex concepts and apply them. Others need "do this, do that". Others are the Count Yogi type that work off ethereal imagery and complete feel.

Horses for courses.

A very good post.

[rotator]

Re: golf books

As Brian implied earlier, IMO, it depends on the golfer.....where they are currently and where they would like to go. Beginner or advanced. Good swing or bad swing. Wanting to score better or wanting to swing better or both. Willing to work or no time for practice. Friendly weekend rounds or serious competition. There is no "correct" approach to cover everyone.

Also depends on personality and mental capacity. Some people are linear, analytical, others are circular and holistic. Some can easily grasp complex concepts and apply them. Others need "do this, do that". Others are the Count Yogi type that work off ethereal imagery and complete feel.

Horses for courses.

There's a whole lotta sense in this.

[Neil18]

Re: golf books

Great post KBP.

Just finished my second round of the weekend.

Both rounds saw my ball striking far out-do anything I've done before. I used yesterday to prepare for todays stableford.

After 13 holes I had 30 points. I was playing like a scratch man. Consistent yardages form irons. Long and straight fromn the tee. Almost had 2 chip-ins and was putting like a God.

I'm still trying to work out what happened for the last 5 holes though! It's been a long time since I've dropped 8 strokes in 5 holes!

Normally, one facet of my game may leave me, but I have others to cover it up. Not so for the last third of my round today!

Swing went. Putting went. Chipping went. I found all the water and trees the earth provides in those last 5 holes!

Maybe I was tired form practicing all week and playing early round on both weekend days. I dunno.

I was definately in the zone for those 13 holes though. And I felt myself drift out of it on the par 3 14th. Maybe at that point fatigue kicked in.

But I'm massively encouraged.

[mariner]

Re: golf books

Well done, that sounds like you've taken a massive step forward, but your subconscious didn't fancy it and pulled you back a bit towards your old self. Bob Rotella says we do this when we start playing out of our skins all of a sudden!
I had a fantastic range session this morning, right through the bag, a basket of 70 balls and I mishit the 69th one half an inch fat with a 64 degree lob wedge, I can honestly say I would've taken all the others during a real round - no huge improvement like yours, just hitting them all as I wanted, so at least I can start off tomorrow's society day in a really confident frame of mid, but then try and do what Ray Floyd says in the best golf book I have ever read.

[Neil18]

Re: golf books

Yeah I seem to be edging my way towards excellent golf. Something about me won't let me do it all in one go! I make several birdies in the first 12 holes only to chuck it all away later on!

I feel like I should be able to do something about it, but I won't force it. My life has seen a trend of late development at stuff, so I'm hoping my best golfing years will be 35 - 45!

[bdbl]

Re: golf books

Yeah I seem to be edging my way towards excellent golf. Something about me won't let me do it all in one go! I make several birdies in the first 12 holes only to chuck it all away later on!

I feel like I should be able to do something about it, but I won't force it. My life has seen a trend of late development at stuff, so I'm hoping my best golfing years will be 35 - 45!

With your current way of thinking you might want to have a look at a book I've recommended before.

"Mind Swings: Thinking Way to Better Golf by Richard Masters and John Burns

The authors argue that if you have ever hit “that shot” then you already know all that you need to know about the swing; you just have to let yourself perform.

I think they overstate their case a tad but since reading (three times) the book my game is slowly (I'm not that good at "letting go") but steadily improving; for the 3 Skills boys on here I also thought the two concepts matched up pretty well."

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mind-Swings-.../dp/1854103423

[Neil18]

Re: golf books

Nice one cheers Robin

[Ian Hancock]

Re: golf books

Very Interesting post....

I have been very quite just lately because I find myself harping on about 3Skills as a resolve to almost every post, and I am sure that some of you find it a little boring.

I have spent many years reading almost every book available, my favorite for the mind is 'The Inner game of Golf' by Tim Gallwey, with the green cover, truly a great read about one self and the minds inner chatter.

Three skills however completely changed my game for ever and ended all my inner chatter including endless swing thoughts.....!!! All my focus is about set-up and getting ready to do two simple things (not swing thoughts either) the 3rd come natural to me.

Look at the ball and visualize the impact with my mind, i.e downward from the inside, and just lately hitting as hard as I want, which I guess comes from being in the right place to attack the ball at the right time.

Thanks for reading

Ian.