Yesterday I wrote about concentrating on and really paying attention to the Technical Excellence of your setup and swing motion. The PPGS number one principle, 'The setup determines the motion,' states that for a successful swing you first must get into a good setup posture and alignment. With that achieved, you set your swing thought and let it rip.
Today, I want to delve a little deeper into the concept of being a 'FEEL PLAYER.' We hear the announcers on TV during PGA and LPGA Tour coverage always say he or she is a feel player. I often hear this from students during a lesson or when playing with them, when I begin addressing their setup or swing motion, they counter with, 'I'm a feel player.'
When I hear that 'I'm a FEEL PLAYER' statement, after I am talking technical excellence of setup and swing, I see red and it takes a lot of patience to not blow a fuse. To me, they are saying they don't really need to focus on a good setup and good swing motion, because all they need to do is feel it. 'We feel players Just do it!' They are in effect saying that they are above the trivia of having to focus on the technical excellence and attention to detail of the setup and swing motion.
Well, as far as I am concerned, this 'I'm a feel player,' is nothing but a cop out to work hard and concentrate on the fine points of the setup and swing motion. It's a bunch of bull and nothing more than trying to give themselves a pass or excuse to slack off on paying attention to details.
Golf is no different from brain surgery or driving a car or a butcher cutting meat with a cleaver or saw or a dentist pulling a tooth. They pay attention to details, because being sloppy, slack and careless can cause grave consequences that can involve injury or death. Golf is not quite on this level of dire consequences, but bad swings causing bad shots flying into bunkers, lakes or out of bounds, are not good for your score or for your mental attitude and confidence.
Many of the game's greatest players, from Nicklaus to Tiger, work hard on their Technical Excellence and attention to details. They know the importance of a good setup and swing thoughts as the foundation for making good swings. They know that to feel a good shot, you first have to have the feel of a good setup. Because if the setup doesn't feel right, how can the swing be right?
Have you ever stood over the ball and just knew you were going to hit a good shot, just pure it? And then you did. Think about it now. I'll bet you would agree that your setup just felt perfect. Your inner senses were on high alert, because everything from your grip to your head and shoulders and down to your toes felt oh so good and perfect. And, because the setup felt oh so perfect, the swing was oh so perfect and the ball flew oh so perfect.
All this 'OH SO Perfect' is no accident. It was not that the stars were aligned just right for you at that moment, or it was in your horoscope for that day, or your Biorhythm was on a high curve, nor was it just a lucky shot. It was the result of your setup and alignment being correct, being spot on and in harmony with your swing thought. It was the result of good preparation creating good performance. It was the result of paying attention to detail and Technical Excellence rising to occasion. This was good cause creating good effect!
We have to play with feel to swing well and hit good shots. We first have to 'feel the setup' to 'feel the swing.' To address feel in any other, lesser manner, is only delusional and cheating yourself.
The Surge!
P.S. One thing you're going to “feel” right about is checking out our PPGS offer. Click here!