Simple forgotton swing thought

"Swing the club head"

It's a powerful mantra that frees up the head. Swing a weight to create acceleration into a stationary object would seem to be such a minor detail in this complex operation of the golf swing, but yet we sometimes forget.

We get involved in the details of the minute and cloud our swing with years of analysis - trial/error successes and failures, where eventually this idea easily takes a back seat to the overall goal of why we are doing this crazy motion in the first place: to accelerate a mass into a stationary object.

If you want to try something interesting, and are willing to risk 5 minutes at the range:

* Before hitting a single ball or even warming up
* Take out your 5i & close your eyes
* Feel the true weight of the club head in your hands
* Waggle it back and forth and start to let the weight swing
* Open your eyes and let the weight of the head take over
* Adjust everything to accommodate the swinging of the head

You might be amazed at how simple adjustments to the thought of swinging the "head of the club" will affect the overall force into impact.

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I'm a golfaholic, no question about that. Counseling wouldn't help me. They'd have to put me in prison, and then I'd talk the warden into building a hole or two and teach him how to play. ~Lee Trevino

Nice thought Greg.

Said like a true 3skiller

I completely agree. In fact, I have, in the past, lined up closed my eyes and hit balls with a six iron. It helps me think about being smooth and feeling the club head. Not sure if I would advocate everyone giving it a go, because it makes me feel like Chevy Chase in kaddy shack.

Yup done it and feels great with the eyes closed (talking about golf here!) would also advocate putting with the eyes closed on the practice putting green as this is the best feeling I have ever had for feed back of what goes on under pressure on the course. Feeling the head of the putter through impact gives me a great insight you could say to how I want to feel on the course.

Free up that brain I say!

Think about this for a second, paint this picture...

You leave yourself short of the green. Have about a 20 yard chip. Little ridge on the green with right-to-left break. You pick out your landing spot and decide to use your PW so your shot has a little more roll. You have it all planned out........

Now, how much do you need to "swing?"

1) If you are a technical golfer, you calculate the length of your backswing based on maybe the "clock" method (7 o'clock for 10 yards, 8 o'clock for 25, so on and so on). You break out your "sheet of lengths" or another "cheat cheat." You have a calculated way to hit this shot.

2) If you are a feel golfer, you make lots of practice swings, feeling the weight of the club and the speed of the clubhead. You use your past experiences and your "gut" to hit the shot. You may never have hit a shot quite like this before, but you call on your mind and body to direct you to the right course of action.

IMO, the best golfers do both, but are great with #2. If you have no "feel" for the game, its going to be hard to score well and be consistent. Shots get put infront of you every round that you never hit. You just have to trust your instincts and go.

Greg makes such a powerful point. We all get tied up in the technical. Its a simple game... Use a club to hit a ball into a hole. Do it like Tiger, do it like Jim Furyk, do it like Moe Norman, do it like Jim Dent.....

I actually watched "The Top 10 Weirdest Golf Swings" on the golf channel. Guys like Jim Furyk and Raymond Floyd where on there. 2 very successful golfers. Both said in interviews that coaches tried to change their swings, but they didnt change because their swing "felt" right and got the job done.

My cousin, a teaching pro and mini-tour player in FL, built what Greg is stating into his practice routine. He takes 5-10 minutes to just feel the clubhead travel around his body. Your muscles change so frequently, that one day you may be slightly Over-the-Top, and the next day Inside-Out. He believes that instead of "forcing" your body to do something that doesn't "feel" natural, he'd rather go with what his body is giving him. If its fades, then its fades. Draws, then draw it. Since he plays so much, he stays muscle fatigue is the main cause of the changes.

Wow, thats a lot. I consider myself a great "feel" golfer. Sometimes I can quite figure out how I made the shot, I just do it. Don't get me wrong, technique plays a big role into building a consistent golf swing. But sometimes you gotta trust what your mind and body are telling you to do.

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What's in my bag....
Cleveland VP 2 Blade Putter
Ping Tour Wedges, 54 & 60
TaylorMade rac LT2, 4i thru PW
Tour Edge Exotics Iron-Wood 21* 3i - Aldila NV 90 Stiff Shaft
Ping G5 18* 5 Wood - ProLaunch Blue 75 Stiff Shaft
Ping G5 15* 3 Wood - Aldila NV 75 Stiff Shaft
Cleveland HiBore XL 9.5* - Fujikura Fit-On Red Stiff Shaft

The more I practice the luckier I get . Now who said that! Was it Gary Player?

The "swing the club head" idea was the main philosophy of the guy from who I recieved lessons. At the time I couldn't relate as much as I do now. I had too many things wrong with my setup, grip and swing. I am going to revisit the idea.

One of the reasons I like it is that it has a way of relaxing the hands. They flow more with the swing, rather then fighting "other" forces.

Glad to hear the favorable replies.

Swinging the clubhead. Ah , yes. When I go back and remember my best rounds, then there are two things that are always there.

1 - Confidence - I just can't miss, and if I do it doesn't matter I'll get the next one.

2 - Easy - My swings were all easy. None of that I'll bash the skin off the ball. So I was never getting ahead of myself the easiness of the swing allowed my hands to feel the weight of the clubhead, thus giving a nice amount of lag.

Does "step up and hit it" sound familiar to anyone? Like most people, your best rounds just "happen." The stars align, fireworks go off, its magical....

Greg's point of "soft" or "relaxed" hands is a good one. I hate feeling like I am choking the club. When I am in the zone, everything is relaxed.

My best golf has been played with #2. I remember playing 18 holes (we've a little 9 holer with two sets of tees for front and back 9). I played the front 9 in solitary, shot 43 (good for me!) and after the round was finished noticed that my swings were easy and fluid - relaxed, almost carefree. At the turn, I spied a couple friends waiting on the rest of their foursome. We chatted breifly, then I decided to rip one for them - instantaneously putting myself into the mindset of gorilla golf (swing for all you're worth, try to set new personal distance records with every club). I was 13 strokes worse on the back 9, my ballstriking became inconsistent, and what little short game feel I had was gone. Gorilla golf totally destroys my game.

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True Length Technology Fitter - www.truelengthtechnology.com
It's live! - www.ShipShapeClubs.com
PCS Class 'A' Clubfitter

A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

Gorilla Golf! I like that one Some one one here once used the term "Bulimic Golf" refering to the junk he was throwing up on the course.

At the risk of turning this debate technical (when it was meant to be the opposite!) I think its a great thing to try because IMO the only way you can feel the clubhead is to loosen the hands/forearms and use the body to turn the club. As soon as you use the hands too much to move the club you can feel the hands but the not the weight on the end

At least thats been my experience and its something i do when I feel myself getting handsy/hitty when im playing

No debate here, this is exactly the point of the thread...good posts all.