Where to focus with so many movements?

[Geoff]

Hi guys, I love this course but recently my golf game has really fallen on hard times… even after Day 24 and the Pressure material.

The problem for me is with a dozen or so Body Movements, a dozen or so Arm/Hands movements, a dozen or so Pressure movements and a handful of Impact Movements that I am not sure what to actually think about when it comes to actually golf. 🙂 There was an early discussion on “Stopping Time” and that’s exactly where I am right now – I’m stopping time to think and I forget to actually make solid contact with the ball. 😉

Do you have any suggestions of how to make that transition from working through the lessons and what to do once you actually get on the course?

Cheers
Geoff

[David]

Geoff – The approach that I took was to work on movements until they became natural and I did not have to think about them while swinging. I spent a great deal of time taking swings or, in the early phases, just doing body movements. I might then focus on my takeaway until I knew it was as described in the program, then I would move on to the next area. Your instincts are correct in that you certainly don’t want to have all of these thoughts in your head as you’re swinging. Also, I find that slowing down the pace that I hit balls at the range was helpful. For instance, I might think about specific areas of my body motion while doing a practice swing and then hit a ball while sensing greatness. I would then review the swing on video to see what it looks like. Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice does.

I hope this helps.

[Geoff]

Thanks David. Great tips.

[Les]

When I am playing I try not to think of swing and instead think of my target and how I want to shape the ball flight. Difficult to do when things are not going well but I do try. I leave swing thoughts to the range, and then I only concentrate on one or two feelings/thoughts when I am on the range.

If you are finding yourself overwhelmed with swing thoughts I would mentally just take a step back. Go through the lessons and absorb the material but don’t try to think too much on the moves. Just work the movements. Then I would recommend revisiting each chapter movement routine and working on that chapter for a week or two until you get comfortable with that routine before moving on to the next.

I still do that – each week I pick a chapter to review along with at least one day of the strength and speed routine. This way I can focus on one set of movements, plus build my general swing strength. Personally I like to focus on the surfing move and the baseball throw as there is where I am challenged at the moment.

[Geoff]

Les, thanks a bunch for taking the time to respond! I’m out on the course this (very sunny) afternoon so will be working on just enjoying the day and minimizing my (very busy) mind to just a few things. Maybe a (very cold) beer or two will quiet down the mind.

I mean all of these lessons have to be doing me good in some strange way even though I’m not quite seeing the results just yet, right? That visualized ice-cream truck still seems to be blocks away from me and not getting closer. I do hear the music though. Cheers!

[Colin]

Geoff,

I’ve got nowhere near the experience of most, but you and i are around the same handicap (i’m a 28). i’m on day 23 of the training and have certainly noticed areas of improvement since beginning the program.
i agree with les about focusing on a target…i always like to aim at something way behind what i’m actually shooting at (like a bush on a hill a mile past the flagstick). personally, i try to think about where my the shot i’m about to hit is headed — and never where the last one went. i’ve actually stopped taking practice swings all together, because for me, it seemed to be an unlocked window for technical swing thoughts to creep in and cause chaos.
during my last round, i did allow myself to think about building pressure…going from the 2 and finishing at the 8, with everything nearly fired 100% just after impact… i’m not sure if it qualified as a swing thought or not.
i believe there was a mention somewhere that on course, you need to understand you’ve been trained. maybe that should alleviate any need or desire for a second (or third, or fourth) thought while you’re going through your swings. best of luck!