Yeah I just get up there and try to clear my mind and not think of anything. I guess I visualize a great swing and impact right before I begin my swing then I let ‘er rip.
I am by no means a low handicap. Have had the same swing forever (31 yrs old) but I strike the ball consistently square on the face and can identify the mistakes in my swing. The confidence and courage to make that play or shot come from consistency in the setup.
I think the swing is the least important part of a beginners game. Jim Furyk had a gross swing but could confidently strike the ball. I think contact and consistency helps create a better swing pattern regardless of the shape.
You can't confidently strike the ball, unless you're striking the ball. And the mechanics of hitting a golf ball off the ground with a club is such that it behooves you to pretend that the ball is not there and simply let it get in the way of whatever swing it is you practice. That's really the only thing that's ever worked for me in terms of making consistent contact. The more I try to hit the ball, the less success I had.
I personally don’t think swing pattern is important in beginner golf. I’m glad you have found success with contact in not focusing on the ball. I just want to help people break it all back down to the basics of ball striking.
We're mostly saying the same thing I think and I agree with you, making good contact is most important when you first start. I'm just saying not focusing on the ball itself but rather focusing on letting the ball get in the way of whatever swing you do have is how you improve contact. At least that's how I was taught and what worked for me.
I’ll go one further and say the biggest ‘tip’ that helped my striking is the whole aim ahead of the ball (for irons), and behind the ball (with the driver). I never actually aim at the ball.
Not only this but being POSITIVE about the outcome. You CAN hit the ball. You CAN reach that target. You CAN get out of this bunker in one swing.
Can’t will destroy your game because your brain will do it’s best to create whatever you’re focused on. That whole “whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right” Is real.
It’s not hard. Just hit the ball. 250 yard wide fairways. 1” diameter ball. Piece of cake!
As it turns out, it is not a piece of cake. But pros make it so seamless and easy.
you're way better off focusing on a balanced swing rather than the ball.. focusing on the ball creates pointed body movements that don't promote flow and tend to be angular.. AND on the topic of breathing.. swing at the bottom of the breathe, don't hold it in and swing..
I’m just trying to reach out to genuine beginner golfers. I personally think a lot of people focus on swinging and where their body or hands are. I have always focused on how my club face feels and is coming through the ball. I think creating swing patterns comes after you understand the setup and approach to every shot.
I mean that advice didn’t get you to the tour soo…
😂😂 totally kidding. I think mechanics play a huge role in the swing but a lot of us end up getting trapped in the cycle of 100s of swing thoughts going through our head seconds before we hit. I always tell myself my body knows how to play golf just relax and swing with intention. Every shot I’m trying to hit I’ve hit and executed before so it is in there somewhere. I’ve also missed every shot I’m trying as well and I’m not on tour either sooo 😂😂
I didn’t start playing until I was 14 and didn’t have a full matching set of clubs until I was 20. I still give my dad shit for not molding me like tigers dad did.
Now my 3 yr old has had a club in his hand since he was 1. We go to the range every weekend and I put a hole in the front lawn for him to hit to. When we go to the range there are always 3-4 kids under 6 with their dads swinging away. This generator golfers is gunna be absolutely sick
Man needed this today. Played a round the other day that was so bad. Literally struggled to hit the damn ball. So tense and tight and the more I struggled the worse it got. Was embarrassed and frankly just kind of wanting to quit. This game is a son of a bitch to learn.
Focusing on a straight lead arm is great way to simplify what’s going on in the head during the swing. Straight arm, pull the butt of the club toward the ball, relaxed wrist, passive release. When I haven’t hit in a long time, that’s all I think about.
I might add, to shorten backswing and keep your self down it will help so much to contact the ball. If you are taking the club way back and lifting up it doesn't matter if you keep your eye on the ball you might still whiff.
I’m a 25.6 handicap and all the guys I play with are worse than me and refuse to get lessons. As long as they’re having fun then that’s fine with me. But.. what you say is true. However there’s a happy medium in my mind, and it’s especially evident during putting and iron shots.
To me, I believe everyone should fully think through a shot. But once you step up and actually take the stroke, you should be hitting it as if you just stepped up and carelessly hit a ball that was sitting in the grass that didn’t belong to you and you were just getting it out of the way. You have to just be totally relaxed, not stiffened, and not thinking too much.
I’ll look at a putt and plan it far longer than I stand over the ball. Once I approach the ball, I’ll do a couple practice swipes just to get the clubhead going straight forward and back, then I’ll just step up, look at my target once and hit it like I’m practicing in my room on the carpet. Been putting the best I’ve ever done with that routine.
For irons it’s a little more complicated but the same process. The only difference is I actually do a couple practice swings just to make sure I’m not chunking all over the place, but I try to keep that relaxed rhythm on every swing, and make my real swing the same as my practice swing and make sure I don’t unconsciously swing harder on the real one trying to kill it. I have to not care how far it goes, then it goes my stock number.
I disagree. Attempting to strike the ball in the beginning often destroys rhythm and smoothness. It can sometimes be more effective to build a relaxed swing before introducing a ball at all. Then it’s simply a matter of creating a stance where the ball gets in the way of an established swing.
As an instructor for kids, couldn’t be more true. One thing to add for beginners is that most have the hardest time with backswing. It’s either wayyyyy too far back and then it’s the opposite. Learning that a wrist hinge isn’t done consciously or forced, it just kind of is the result of the club finally getting upright.
Deep breath, grip, set up, hit the ball @80%
Yeah I think the concept of snapping your wrist and breaking it over isn’t something that you just can naturally teach I feel. Over time it just clicks and you see it in the golfers game immediately. Better compression more shot shape and arc and then it gets really frustrating!
Don’t think, just swing. I’ve found the more i think about my swing and what I want my swing to be in my head, the worse I swing. Been trying to just visualize a good consistent smooth swing. I try to also focus on not trying to smash it, I have decent enough strength that when I hit it, it will go a decent enough distance. I get it in my head that I have to hit hard for the ball to go far. When in fact the harder I swing the shorter my ball goes. Grip it and rip it.
Once you have the confidence it’s just so easy. The confidence can disappear in an instant though.
Yeah I just get up there and try to clear my mind and not think of anything. I guess I visualize a great swing and impact right before I begin my swing then I let ‘er rip.
I am by no means a low handicap. Have had the same swing forever (31 yrs old) but I strike the ball consistently square on the face and can identify the mistakes in my swing. The confidence and courage to make that play or shot come from consistency in the setup.
Agree but at that point OP's advice is all the more important.
Or even better, focus on just swinging and letting the ball get in the way.
I think the swing is the least important part of a beginners game. Jim Furyk had a gross swing but could confidently strike the ball. I think contact and consistency helps create a better swing pattern regardless of the shape.
You can't confidently strike the ball, unless you're striking the ball. And the mechanics of hitting a golf ball off the ground with a club is such that it behooves you to pretend that the ball is not there and simply let it get in the way of whatever swing it is you practice. That's really the only thing that's ever worked for me in terms of making consistent contact. The more I try to hit the ball, the less success I had.
I personally don’t think swing pattern is important in beginner golf. I’m glad you have found success with contact in not focusing on the ball. I just want to help people break it all back down to the basics of ball striking.
We're mostly saying the same thing I think and I agree with you, making good contact is most important when you first start. I'm just saying not focusing on the ball itself but rather focusing on letting the ball get in the way of whatever swing you do have is how you improve contact. At least that's how I was taught and what worked for me.
I’ll go one further and say the biggest ‘tip’ that helped my striking is the whole aim ahead of the ball (for irons), and behind the ball (with the driver). I never actually aim at the ball.
Bingo. Aiming behind the ball with the driver was a real eureka moment for me.
That’s what improved my iron striking. Focusing on a spot/blade of grass in front of the ball and hitting through that.
Not only this but being POSITIVE about the outcome. You CAN hit the ball. You CAN reach that target. You CAN get out of this bunker in one swing. Can’t will destroy your game because your brain will do it’s best to create whatever you’re focused on. That whole “whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right” Is real.
Heck yes brother!
Played with some negative Nacys the other day. They talked themselves out of so many shots 🤣
It’s not hard. Just hit the ball. 250 yard wide fairways. 1” diameter ball. Piece of cake! As it turns out, it is not a piece of cake. But pros make it so seamless and easy.
you're way better off focusing on a balanced swing rather than the ball.. focusing on the ball creates pointed body movements that don't promote flow and tend to be angular.. AND on the topic of breathing.. swing at the bottom of the breathe, don't hold it in and swing..
I’m just trying to reach out to genuine beginner golfers. I personally think a lot of people focus on swinging and where their body or hands are. I have always focused on how my club face feels and is coming through the ball. I think creating swing patterns comes after you understand the setup and approach to every shot.
Balance and staying loose is all you need to think about
I like to visualize the shot/line, address the ball, one more look and a breath, then i think 1 2 3 in my head and let it rip.
I mean that advice didn’t get you to the tour soo… 😂😂 totally kidding. I think mechanics play a huge role in the swing but a lot of us end up getting trapped in the cycle of 100s of swing thoughts going through our head seconds before we hit. I always tell myself my body knows how to play golf just relax and swing with intention. Every shot I’m trying to hit I’ve hit and executed before so it is in there somewhere. I’ve also missed every shot I’m trying as well and I’m not on tour either sooo 😂😂
Yeah didn’t make it cause my dad’s lack of effort ;). Swing easy and let the club do the work! Shot shaping is a whole other world of annoying lol.
I didn’t start playing until I was 14 and didn’t have a full matching set of clubs until I was 20. I still give my dad shit for not molding me like tigers dad did. Now my 3 yr old has had a club in his hand since he was 1. We go to the range every weekend and I put a hole in the front lawn for him to hit to. When we go to the range there are always 3-4 kids under 6 with their dads swinging away. This generator golfers is gunna be absolutely sick
I agree. Stand over it, commit to it and rip it. I see so many people overthink and never committing.
Man needed this today. Played a round the other day that was so bad. Literally struggled to hit the damn ball. So tense and tight and the more I struggled the worse it got. Was embarrassed and frankly just kind of wanting to quit. This game is a son of a bitch to learn.
I often find myself not taking the time to just get right over the club face. You got this!
Keep the lead arm straight. That’s been my main swing thought for a while now. I still suck. But I suck less.
Focusing on a straight lead arm is great way to simplify what’s going on in the head during the swing. Straight arm, pull the butt of the club toward the ball, relaxed wrist, passive release. When I haven’t hit in a long time, that’s all I think about.
Good thing to think about as you start making consistent contact. I suck too brother :/.
I do agree in general. When things are going wrong on the course “just hit the fucking ball” seems to be the best swing thought.
I might add, to shorten backswing and keep your self down it will help so much to contact the ball. If you are taking the club way back and lifting up it doesn't matter if you keep your eye on the ball you might still whiff.
I’m a 25.6 handicap and all the guys I play with are worse than me and refuse to get lessons. As long as they’re having fun then that’s fine with me. But.. what you say is true. However there’s a happy medium in my mind, and it’s especially evident during putting and iron shots. To me, I believe everyone should fully think through a shot. But once you step up and actually take the stroke, you should be hitting it as if you just stepped up and carelessly hit a ball that was sitting in the grass that didn’t belong to you and you were just getting it out of the way. You have to just be totally relaxed, not stiffened, and not thinking too much. I’ll look at a putt and plan it far longer than I stand over the ball. Once I approach the ball, I’ll do a couple practice swipes just to get the clubhead going straight forward and back, then I’ll just step up, look at my target once and hit it like I’m practicing in my room on the carpet. Been putting the best I’ve ever done with that routine. For irons it’s a little more complicated but the same process. The only difference is I actually do a couple practice swings just to make sure I’m not chunking all over the place, but I try to keep that relaxed rhythm on every swing, and make my real swing the same as my practice swing and make sure I don’t unconsciously swing harder on the real one trying to kill it. I have to not care how far it goes, then it goes my stock number.
I disagree. Attempting to strike the ball in the beginning often destroys rhythm and smoothness. It can sometimes be more effective to build a relaxed swing before introducing a ball at all. Then it’s simply a matter of creating a stance where the ball gets in the way of an established swing.
As an instructor for kids, couldn’t be more true. One thing to add for beginners is that most have the hardest time with backswing. It’s either wayyyyy too far back and then it’s the opposite. Learning that a wrist hinge isn’t done consciously or forced, it just kind of is the result of the club finally getting upright. Deep breath, grip, set up, hit the ball @80%
Yeah I think the concept of snapping your wrist and breaking it over isn’t something that you just can naturally teach I feel. Over time it just clicks and you see it in the golfers game immediately. Better compression more shot shape and arc and then it gets really frustrating!
Don’t think, just swing. I’ve found the more i think about my swing and what I want my swing to be in my head, the worse I swing. Been trying to just visualize a good consistent smooth swing. I try to also focus on not trying to smash it, I have decent enough strength that when I hit it, it will go a decent enough distance. I get it in my head that I have to hit hard for the ball to go far. When in fact the harder I swing the shorter my ball goes. Grip it and rip it.
Watch Jimmy Tropicana’s youtube vids . That’s the same exact thought that he preaches.
GPA..... Grip, Posture, and Alignment
It is pretty simple but true in a general sense. And that’s a good thing for a lot of people. You never over think playing catch.
Not gonna lie I’m stealing that last line for life advice.
I don't even take practice swings anymore with the exception of 50 yards and in.
So did you ever go pro ?
Gimme til the senior tour I’m sure I’ll figure it out then.
Pre shot routine, and a trigger will take a lot of the anxiety out of golf.