what to think during the golf swing

• Internal Focus: Concentrating on the movement itself, your actual golf swing. For example, what your arms or wrists are doing throughout the swing.
• External Focus: Thinking outside your body. This could be concentrating on striking a certain part of the clubface, brushing a blade of grass in front of the ball, or envisioning ...
• Neutral Focus: Unrelated to the movement or process of the shot. A simple example is focusing on breathing. Another could be humming a song.

Full Answer

Do you think about anything during your golf swing?

In one survey, 75% of PGA Tour players said they don't have a single thought while swinging. You could probably flip that percentage for amateurs. Most of us get so wrapped up in technical details, our swings become rigid and wooden. That doesn't mean, however, that you shouldn't carry a thought into every swing.

What are your good swing thoughts?

All good swing thoughts are going to be simple, and this one certainly fits into that category. As you stand over your ball preparing to swing, you will focus your mind on telling your eyes that they need to watch the ball from start to finish. That's it.

How to improve your mindset in the golf swing?

Make sure the face is open Try to limit the length of backswing Don’t hit it there! There’s also ample evidence that focusing on something unrelated to the golf swing at all can help your subconscious mind take over. It could be something like humming your favorite song under your breath during your pre-shot routine and during your swing.

How do you know when you’re ready to swing a swing?

When you exhale, feel as if you’re pushing it all out as your body relaxes before you swing. Three – The willingness to do things different than how they’ve always been taught to you.

How do I clear my mind in the golf swing?

Instead of thinking “don't have swing thoughts”, work on staying relaxed through the round. Incorporate a deep breath in your pre-shot routine, take deep breaths walking between shots, and read up on meditation or hypnosis.

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

0:5213:10The Most Important Part Of The Swing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipImpact.MoreImpact.

What is the secret to the golf swing?

Here's the secret: Gravity creates constant acceleration. If you swing the club downward, it automatically accelerates. The problem is that most people stop the club when it hits the ball. Don't hit at the ball; swing through it.

What should I focus on while swinging golf clubs?

2:337:15Where Should Your Eyes Focus In The Golf Swing? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd I want to just see the entire shot like it's playing in a movie. Now if you want something toMoreAnd I want to just see the entire shot like it's playing in a movie. Now if you want something to focus on. What. I would say is as you step up to the ball.

How do you stay focused in golf?

3:355:40HOW TO MAINTAIN FOCUS ON THE GOLF COURSE - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo like the first shot where I was hitting towards the flag. I've. Got an exact point that I'mMoreSo like the first shot where I was hitting towards the flag. I've. Got an exact point that I'm aiming towards I'm now gonna be a lot more focused when I'm here on visualizing.

Should a golf swing feel effortless?

The golf swing should feel effortless, with minimal tension. Think of it like a coiled spring: as you rotate and load into the backswing, you are storing up energy (just as a coiled spring would) before releasing all that energy – in one sweeping downswing motion – through the ball at impact.

What is the most important move in the golf swing?

The first move down from the top is one of the most important in the golf swing. No matter how you take the club back, the transition into the downswing has to be smooth, and the club needs to come into the ball from inside the target line. And the overall downswing has to start from the ground up.

What creates power in the golf swing?

5:198:35HOW TO CREATE EFFORTLESS POWER IN THE GOLF SWINGYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWorking more inwards to kick the club head out. So in that whole downswing. My motion isMoreWorking more inwards to kick the club head out. So in that whole downswing. My motion is accelerating the club towards the ball as opposed to this golfer who's trying to rectify some things.

Why is it important to focus on swing thoughts?

Focusing on key swing thoughts will allow a golfer to bring his swing back to where it was, or to where it needs to be. Alternatively, focusing on an entirely new swing key can help any golfer who is struggling with a particular aspect of his game fix that problematic area.

What is swing thought?

What are swing thoughts? A swing thought highlights a very specific element of the swing that a golfer tries to focus on when hitting a golf shot. They often take the form of metaphors that lead your brain (and muscles) into executing specific actions.

When to use a golf swing?

They are best used whenever you are trying to correct something in particular or whenever you need to bring your golf swing back to the basics, or to one of its core elements. Over the course of a long enough stretch of time a golf swing will gradually and incrementally change and it will do so often without the golfer realizing it.

Do swing keys help focus?

Still, it is important to remember that swing keys steer your brain into focusing on a specific aspect of your swing. And filling one’s head with too many at a time will negatively crowd your brain and will not allow it to focus properly.

Do golfers have thoughts?

Golfers that play at their best will usually carry no swing thoughts at all during a round and instead will swing instinctively at the ball. Indeed, a study found 75 of PGA Professionals have no swing thoughts at all. At most, a typical golfer should refrain from having more than one swing thought at a time when playing a round of golf.

What are the most detrimental thoughts golfers can have?

To me one of the most detrimental thoughts golfers can have is about the swing itself . Golfers will have a checklist of golf swing thoughts that they go through before, and during their actual swing.

What happens when you watch the speedometer?

All of a sudden you’re watching the speedometer, your hands might get a little stiff on the wheel, and you are consciously thinking about what you need to do in order to avoid a ticket rather than just drive normally. Dave Stockton found that many golfers putt like a police car is following them.

What is Dave Stockton's metaphor?

Dave Stockton made a great metaphor in his book Unconscious Putting that I have never forgotten, as it relates to putting. When you drive a car you aren’t thinking about all of the mechanical things necessary to safely get your vehicle from point A to point B.

Is golf a difficult game?

It’s ourselves, and many times our golf swing thoughts. There are so many reasons why golf is an endlessly difficult game, and one in particular that separates it ...

Do golfers have internal thoughts?

A lot of the research that Adam has looked into has shown that internal thoughts, or ones that are linked to the motion themselves, typically don’t help golfers perform under pressure. They can be debilitating and prevent your body from making the natural motion that it subconsciously knows how to do.

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 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?

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.

How to get power and speed in golf swing?

Specifically, your lower body still needs to fire aggressively from the top of the swing if you want to generate power and speed through the hitting area. Allow your hands to hang at the top of the swing for a moment while your lower body starts to rotate toward the target.

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 speed up when golfing?

The reason that this notion can function as an effective swing thought relates to how people respond to pressure while golfing. You may have noticed that when you golf, it is natural to speed up when you start to feel pressure. In fact, that is a natural reaction for most people in just about any walk of life.

How to know how well you are doing with regard to the control of your right knee in the swing?

If you would like to determine how well you are doing with regard to the control of your right knee in the swing, take a moment to record a video of your swing when at the driving range. As a friend to record your swing, and then watch the video back quickly with a close eye on the movement of your right knee.

What is internal focus in golf?

Internal Focus – The Default. While this drawing has become satirical, there is a lot of truth to it: For the most part, golfers play the game thinking about all of the internal movements of the golf swing. While internal thoughts can be productive and suit certain players better, they can limit many players from reaching their potential.

What are neutral swing thoughts?

These are neutral thoughts such as humming the rhythm of a song or focusing on deep breathing in times of stress. Many athletes refer to these thoughts as being “in the zone.”.

Why is it important to have neutral thoughts in golf?

Neutral thoughts aren’t for all golfers. On the whole, they’re probably better suited towards more skilled players. Thinking about something entirely different from golf can help certain players get out of their own way and allow their body to do what it knows how to do.

What is the focus of golf?

Generally speaking, there are three different loci of attention as it pertains to golf (or just about any other sport): Internal Focus: Concentrating on the movement itself, your actual golf swing. For example, what your arms or wrists are doing throughout the swing. External Focus: Thinking outside your body.

Why is it important to focus on the golf course?

This is why an external focus on the golf course can be so helpful to many golfers. It can get you out of “swing jail,” where you are constantly thinking about what your body is doing and moving more towards creating the result you want.

What is neutral focus?

Neutral Focus: Unrelated to the movement or process of the shot. A simple example is focusing on breathing. Another could be humming a song. These can be broken down further, especially external focuses, but it’s best to think of them in these three buckets for the sake of simplicity.

What happens when you see a police car in the rear view mirror?

However, if all of a sudden you see a police car in their rear-review mirror, your body will likely tense up, and you will start thinking about what your hands, arms, and legs are doing. Instead of driving the car, you are ...

What's my swing thought?

"What's my swing thought? Absolutely nothing. That sounds completely corny and rubbish to the outside world, but when your focus point is literally a pin head, and that's where your level of concentration is, you don't need swing thoughts. You just need to be clear on what it is you need to do. You don't have to make a perfect swing; you just need to execute a shot."

Who said "You turn off your mind"?

Graeme McDowell. “You turn off your mind. You feel your golf swing without really thinking about it. It’s almost like you you don’t think at all. Maybe you have one little thought, and everything else becomes automatic.”.