So it begins… the deconstruction of my golf swing…
…shortly followed by, I hope, its reconstruction in a new and better form!
The cover image for this post shows seven stages in the golf swing, modelled by a skeleton (which will be male, I think we can safely assume) taken from a 2022 review paper about golf swing biomechanics. Currently I’m not even going through all these motions when I’m practising, just a partial back swing and follow through as I chip/pitch my way to success (maybe).
Of course, when I’m playing a round I’ll still be using a full swing, so it’ll be interesting to see how the new setup and feel of my practice swing works with that! It could be good… but it could be awesomely bad. I suppose you have to expect to make a mess if you want to tidy something properly.
Process to remember:
- Occipital bones stretched up and level
- Know and set club face direction (ie take a line on the target and find an aim point about a metre in front of you)
- Lay down the club with the butt in line with right side collarbone, inner right hip
- Take a balanced stance (ball and club head position will change depending on club and shot type, but for now it’s a wedge so that is pretty central in the stance)
- Swing according to feel for carry distance to target
Things to watch:
- Tendency will be to move butt of club forward, so watch this and reposition or reset completely if necessary
- Swing back and through in balance, ie let the club move easily back and forth, not falling behind you (exerting a force outside of the natural swing direction)
- Thumbs down (neutral hands, no flipping/twisting)
Things to try:
If you lose the feel/it feels awful:
- Use right hand only to place the club and align the butt with inner right hip line to right collarbone
- One handed (right hand) chipping for a few balls
Aims:
- Clean strike (means you at least have some chance to finesses shots reliably to different distances)
- Get a feel for the natural flight and distance for the club in hand given the extent of swing and “oomph” applied
I’m a “feel” player (ie I need to see things, visualise what I’m trying to do, allow my body to do what it feels it needs to do to achieve the goal). This is an art, not a science, from my perspective (although there is plenty of science in the biomechanics of the golf swing).
Notes for my coach:
- If possible, explain less why I am about to do something and just tell me to do the thing
Sometimes I’ll probably need to know why you’re asking me to do something, but, in general, reducing my brain’s cognitive, analytical and critical load might allow me to be more in tune with the moment, the movement and the physical feel of the swing. I will just do the thing if I can (normally very poorly the first time and then much better, if my body gets it) without needing to know why.
