Swing changes can be incredibly frustrating. Stuck “between swings” is infuriating. Here are a few tips to make the process easier, more gratifying and much quicker.
1. Keep in mind, before you begin you should always be very clear as to why you are making a swing change. Is your swing not holding up under pressure? Is your swing causing you physical injury? A swing change is a very big commitment. Many hours of quality repetition and accurate feedback are needed to train the new swing so that it is automatic and instinctive under pressure (“myelinated”).
2. Always start by checking the basic fundamentals: Alignment, ball position, posture, grip, etc. These are considered “static changes” and are much easier to correct than a fault in the actual golf swing itself. Having said this, most swing issues start from a poor set-up position. Develop a plan to monitor and maintain a proper set-up position with your coach.
3. Next, once you are clear as to why you are making the swing change, you must close the gap between the cognitive understanding of the swing change and the actual execution of the new swing. Often times there can be a disconnect between the mind and the body. For example, if you are wanting to change your back swing position, but you can’t feel where the club is now, the new backswing position is impossible. Sensing the club now, whether it’s right or wrong, will at least get you closer to where you want to be with your new swing. You must be able to feel it before you can fix it.
Dodie teaches golf in Santa Cruz, CA and Scottsdale, AZ. For more information on golf lessons, mental strategy coaching and tournament preparation, contact dodiemazzuca@live.com
