what to think about when swinging a golf club

What to Think during Golf Swing

1. Image of hitting it in the middle of the clubface When I swing, I usually try to re-create the image of the best shot I hit in my mind. ...
2. Clubface Angle On the downswing, I try to focus on the clubface angle. Especially at impact, I try hard to direct my attention to the clubface angle.
3. Clubhead path

Full Answer

How to teach a beginner to swing a golf club?

Apr 15, 2021 · Let’s face it, hitting a golf ball is hard. At least, hitting it well is hard. With all the moving parts that go into swinging a club, it is easy to …

How to swing a golf club correctly?

“Straw-ber-ry mousse”: Speaking of tempo, this four-syllable phrase tells you that your backswing should take three times as long as the downswing. Taking the club to the top, think “straw-ber-ry,” then start down on the word “mousse.” You can, of course, substitute an appropriate word or phrase of your choosing.

How to swing a golf club with effortless power?

At the top of your backswing, your hips should have rotated about 45 degrees, while your shoulders should rotate a full 90 degrees with your back to your target. Your lead shoulder should be under your chin and with the ideal wrist-cock, the shaft of your club should be parallel, or just shy of it, to the ground.

Is there a 'right' way to swing a golf club?

There are three things to keep in mind during your backswing: In the first phase of your backswing, you want to move your hands straight back, simultaneously keeping them close to... In the second phase, you want a bit of a wrist break when you move your arm. Keep the club perpendicular with your ...

What should I be thinking during golf swing?

What are two important things to remember when swinging a golf club?

How Do I Stop overthinking in my golf swing?

Should you have swing thoughts when playing golf?

What's the most important thing about a golf swing?

What is the most important thing to do in the golf swing?

How can I improve my mental game in golf?

Why does my golf swing feel awkward?

Why you should slow down your golf swing?

Do you think about anything during a golf swing?

So it’s one thing for a Tour player to say that they “don’t think about anything” during their swing, but that doesn’t mean that it’s going to work for you.

Can you play golf thinking about your swing?

Some sports psychologists will tell you that you can’t play your best while thinking about your swing and there are many coaches who recommend having technical swing thoughts. So what’s right?

Is there a right or wrong answer to swing thoughts?

Research shows that there’s no right or wrong answer. The best swing thoughts for golf have a lot to do with the learning style of the individual and where they are with their game. It’s true that most Tour players don’t have any technical swing thoughts during their swing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it should be the same for ...

How do swing thoughts help you?

Generally speaking, swing thoughts can help you: Keep your conscious mind occupied with something simple so that your athletic mind can swing the club. However, if a player starts to get overly technical and switch between swing thoughts throughout a round, it usually hinders performance.

What happens if you stand over the ball thinking about what you're going to do with your swing?

If you find yourself standing over the ball thinking about what you’re going to do with your swing, you’re losing connection with the intention for the shot and you are less athletic.

What is the best swing thought for golf?

The studies show that the best swing thoughts for golf are those that divert attention away from the positions of the body, but the player needs to experiment to discover what works for them . It’s important not to go by what other players are doing as what works for one player, might not work for you, which is the same for any ...

Which brain type is better for swinging?

A study by Dr. Noel Rousseau showed that someone more “left brained” (logical, analytical and verbal) can get better results when they have some sort verbal instruction or cues during the swing (some individuals are capable of a higher “cognitive load” and multiple swing thoughts).

What to remember when swinging a golf club?

When first learning to swing a golf club, there are hundreds of things beginners try to remember. The amount of white noise rattling around in their head is a constant source of distraction, frustration and knowledge.

How to improve golf game?

However, this list is universal and you may find it helpful as you continue to improve your golf game. Place your feet at a comfortable distance apart. Approximately shoulder width works best. Remember to place your left foot slightly open so your toes are to the left of your left heel.

How to play golf with a driver?

Remember to place your left foot slightly open so your toes are to the left of your left heel. Place the ball forward in your stance. With the longer clubs like your driver, the ball should be in line with your left heel.

How to keep your left arm straight in golf?

Keep your left arm straight as you can through the entire golf swing. By keeping your left arm straight, you can generate power, build consistency, and develop a repeatable swing.

What is the white noise in golf clubs?

The amount of white noise rattling around in their head is a constant source of distraction, frustration and knowledge.

How to get power in golf?

Remember to place your left foot slightly open so your toes are to the left of your left heel. Place the ball forward in your stance. With the longer clubs like your driver, the ball should be in line with your left heel. Keep your left arm straight as you can through the entire golf swing. By keeping your left arm straight, you can generate power, ...

How to keep your golf club in line with your heel?

With the longer clubs like your driver, the ball should be in line with your left heel. Keep your left arm straight as you can through the entire golf swing. By keeping your left arm straight, you can generate power, build consistency, and develop a repeatable swing. Keep your head still.

How to swing a golf club?

As long as you keep swing thoughts simple, positive and non-mechanical, they can actually be a good thing. Here are five tried and true mental cues that can spark your swing: 1 “Back of the ball”: Just before taking the club back, use this phrase to focus your eyes on the precise spot you want to hit. 2 “Through, not to”: An alternative to “back of the ball,” use this one to keep from hitting “at” the ball. It's an especially useful thought for golfers who tend to ease up (decelerate) before making contact. 3 “Low and slow”: A good key for making a smooth, efficient takeaway and setting a good tempo for the rest of the swing. 4 “Straw-ber-ry mousse”: Speaking of tempo, this four-syllable phrase tells you that your backswing should take three times as long as the downswing. Taking the club to the top, think “straw-ber-ry,” then start down on the word “mousse.” You can, of course, substitute an appropriate word or phrase of your choosing. 5 “See ball, hit ball”: The classic, “caveman” approach. This is a good way to flush mechanical thoughts from your mind before swinging. What could be simpler?

How to focus on a golf swing?

Walk up to the ball and take your stance. Settle in to your stance, make sure you are comfortable, and pick out a spot on the ball that you are going to focus on during the swing. Without coming out of your stance at all, turn your head to look out at the target.

Can you practice swing thinking?

After all, you probably don't practice or play as much as the pros, who do their thinking on the range until their keys become automatic on the course. As long as you keep swing thoughts simple, positive and non-mechanical, they can actually be a good thing.

What are some good mental cues for swinging?

Here are five tried and true mental cues that can spark your swing: “Back of the ball”: Just before taking the club back, use this phrase to focus your eyes on the precise spot you want to hit.

Why do amateur golfers slide their backswing to the right?

It is common for amateur players to allow the lower body to slide to the right during the backswing – a mistake which sets up all kinds of problems when the downswing begins .

How to avoid sliding away from the target?

To avoid sliding away from the target you should consider focusing your thoughts on the right knee during your swing. As you swing back, it will be impossible to slide off of the ball if you keep your right knee nicely in place. This swing thought is simple to use, and it is impressively effective.

Why is it important to have a right knee in golf?

The positioning of your right knee in the backswing is so important because it is directly related to your balance. A swing that slides to the right on the way back is sure to be off-balance, and it is nearly impossible to play good golf without having balance on your side.

Impact

Get here however you can, in any way that makes sense to you, and you'll be a good ball striker. You'll see all kinds of different moves each week on TV if you watch golf. Think about these names: Jim Furyk, Adam Scott, Matthew Wolff, Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler. Yeah you get the drift, these are all great players with totally different swings.

Grip

Read our article on how to properly grip a golf club for some good information. This will give you some things to start with, but you can adjust your grip to suit your game. Hogan had a very "weak" grip but Fred Couples has a very "strong" grip. Why? They found that those grips helped them get the proper impact for their swing.

Alignment

If you are aligned 30 yards left of the fairway (an open stance), how can you hit the ball straight down the middle? What if you line up down the right rough (a closed stance)? Well let's go back to the impact keys. If lining up way left of the target, like Trevino did, helps you get into a great impact position then that works for you.

Downswing Plane

I want you to get a vision of the target line - which is the line that extends forever, in both directions, and intersects the ball and your target. The thing you have to know is that your downswing must stay on your side, the golfer's side of that line.

Club Face Angle

Remember impact? We want the club face pointing at the target at impact. If it's pointed way left (closed) or way right (open), you're going to have problems. A little open or a little closed is ok, but a lot and you're not shooting good scores. Think about it ....

Speed

You do not need to hit the ball 300 yards to be a good player. But you need to learn how to generate speed so that you maximize your distance to the extent you can. If your max is 220 yards, fine, but strive to get there.

PGA Setup

The easiest way to remember the keys to a perfect setup position is to think of the PGA. No, not the tour where the world's best golfers compete. When it comes to your golf setup, Posture, Grip and Alignment are key.

The Fundamental Golf Swing

Proper setup may be the most important step of the golf swing, but let's face it, the fun doesn't begin until the club starts moving. Now that you've nailed the setup, here's how to convert it into a picture-perfect golf swing.

Diagnosing the Swing

It’s nearly as important to create good habits after you strike the ball as it is before you hit it. After all, what the ball does is directly related to what you did in your swing, meaning if you don't like the result, the answers lie in your ball flight.

Main Focus

In the early stages of building your golf swing it’s important to keep realistic expectations. Not one single person learned this game overnight. It takes practice and improvement is gradual, yet rewarding.

About the Author

Todd Mrowice is a Staff Writer for GolfLink. He has been writing about golf for over 10 years including a long tenure at GOLFChicago Magazine.

When gripping a golf club, do you want to keep it relaxed?

When gripping your club, you want to keep it relaxed. This allows you to turn over the clubhead when you are swinging, which leads to higher accuracy and in most cases , long distance .

What is backswing golf?

A backswing refers to when you bring the club back from its starting position to above your head. You rotate your torso by shifting your weight from the ball of the foot in front to the ball of the foot in the back.