Continuing with my snow bound conversation with JM on swing improvement, a few other points came up that are interesting and likely points many of you can identify with.
Once we had agreed that focusing on setup and swing adjustments was the key while working on your swing when playing , if there was any counting it should be to keep score of good and better swings and better ball striking and results. On the other side of the coin, the scoring should also be to keep track of the number of less bad shots and how much less bad they were. Playing while working on and practicing your swing should have your focus on the swing. Scoring is OK, but your judgment of success should be based on your ball striking and swing scores, not shot score.
Now, it is obvious that as your swing gets fine tuned and your ball striking improves where your swing is dependable, you can now start thinking and focusing on scoring. Once you have chosen the shot you will hit and the club you will use, you then transfer into the 'practice swing awareness mode' to feel the swing for the shot you just decided to hit.
At this point I recommend that your practice swings be very intense and deliberate in making good and accurate swings. The swings should be rather slow and low in power so you can feel every muscle move and lock in the feelings, especially the one or two you are focusing on. The key is to make one or two real good test runs of these low power practice swings. Once you have made good swings then just step into your setup and swing to hit the shot you planned. Focus on replicating the feelings and movement you just completed in your last practice swing.
Remember, this practice swing exercise is all about 'perfect practice makes perfect.' I teach and preach that whether on the range and especially on the course, if you make practice swings, 'THEY MUST BE PERFECT SWINGS.' I have a 'Surgism' relative to practice swings that states: 'You have to earn your golf ball on the range and on the course with good practice swings. You only get to hit a ball after a perfect practice swing.' There are no exceptions. I am adamant about this!
Perfect practice swings are the key to good and perfect swings and better shots. With this agreed to, JM then dropped a pearl of a comment. He mentioned that even as good as he is now hitting it, playing to a 3 handicap and getting close to his old days of being a plus handicap player, he has a new found point to evaluating and judging his ball striking. After years of rotational swinging and hitting numerous drives off the planet and re-loading another ball, he has a new perspective to evaluate his round that involves his golf ball.
JM said he is really pleased how many rounds he now finishes and he still has the ball he teed up on the first hole. He said at one point he quit playing just before starting to work with me because one day he lost 9 balls, mostly with bad drives, and didn't break 50 for 9 holes. That was the end of golf for him. His score was obviously bad, but the reality of being clueless where his ball was going made playing golf hopeless and senseless. Now, when he finishes his round holding his starting ball, he now knows he has control of his swing and control of his golf ball. That is the joy and reality to playing golf for him now.
I agreed with him, telling him that I can't count how many times students have walked up to me holding a ball in their fingers and asking me, 'Do you know what this ball is?' I knew but would yank their chain a little, saying it was whatever the name on the ball was. They would seriously answer, 'Yes, but more importantly, it is the ball I teed up on the first hole and played the entire 18 holes with it.' Many times they added it was their first time ever to have done it. Like JM they considered it an awesome accomplishment.
Swinging better and controlling your golf ball is what playing golf is all about. The other good point in not loosing golf balls is now you can build a shag bag for short game practice. Another benefit of swinging better brought to you by the PPGS.
The Surge!