Who takes no practice swings

[Cicero]

I usually don't take practice swings. They make me focus too much on replicating the swing, as opposed to striking the ball, and I often end up hitting it worse than normal.

[GeoffDickson]

And here I was worried that I might be the only half decent golfer in the world who doesn't take a practice swing. Apparently I am not alone.

[baloo]

I don't on full swings unless I just stepped out of the car and need to loosen up before my first tee shot.

I do take practice swings for short shots most of the time.

[scratch72]

Every time I play with someone that takes 3 practice swings before every swing or putt, I know it's going to be a long day.

[RBImGuy]

I've found success with no practice swings, curious if others take this approach?

 

Only those that are going about the game the wrong way does that.

[jut111]

Interesting. I'd think a practice swing would be pointless for someone with 4% dispersion.

 

 

[scratch72]

What exactly does a practice swing do. I mean what are you looking for is it a feel? If it is does it always come on that third swing? If it does why not just hit the ball with every third practice swing.

[Forged4ever]

I've found success with no practice swings, curious if others take this approach?

 

Only those that are going about the game the wrong way does that.

LMAO, Bro you're cute :)

 

Seriously, I've had a rough couple of days and you made me smile :)

 

Thank You!!

 

Fairways & Greens My Friends,

RP

[Hoganstriker]

no practice swings except on a screwy lie or on pitching and chipping

[Forged4ever]

No practice swings or strokes since I was 15yo with one exeption-

 

If I'm in the heavy rough or garbage, I'll take a practice swing or two to gauge the resistance and swing needed.

 

Other than that Pull, PSR, Play~

 

Have a great weeks Gents :)

 

All the Best,

RP

[finleysg]

I do a couple of rehearsal moves if it's not a stock shot. It's like a quarter swing or less, just to feel arm rotation or the path. As many have said, I always test the turf-club interaction around the greens.

 

I rarely see good players do more than this either. Lots are wagglers, though. Very few of the guys who beat me like a drum each week ever stay still for too long before pulling the trigger.

[juggernaut0629]

I normally do NOT take practice swings.

[Forged4ever]

Very few of the guys who beat me like a drum each week ever stay still for too long before pulling the trigger.

Great Point!!!

 

Most mid/high caps spend wayyyyyyyyyy toooooo much time over the ball.

 

If you watch a Player, Am or Pro, they go through their PSR, step into address, Some waggle(I do) some don't however they do not spend time over the ball. When you see a Player spend time over a ball is when there is indecision in their mind and they are no committed to the shot, which unfortunately is the story of a mid/high capper's life.

 

It's Pull, PSR, Play ...

 

NOT

 

Pull, PSR(maybe but most not), Delay, Play...

 

Excellent point!!

 

Have a nice week :)

 

My Best,

RP

[caniac6]

No practice swings or strokes since I was 15yo with one exeption-

 

If I'm in the heavy rough or garbage, I'll take a practice swing or two to gauge the resistance and swing needed.

 

Other than that Pull, PSR, Play~

 

Have a great weeks Gents :)

 

All the Best,

RP

This is exactly what I do. Everyone says that practice swings look good, and I don't want to waste any good swings.

[DevilDog]

 

 

Very few of the guys who beat me like a drum each week ever stay still for too long before pulling the trigger.

 

I like this. See way too many people stand like a freaking statue before swinging the club. Hard to get into motion if you're dead still.

[Rosales]

Only on chip shots for me as well.

[RecreationalHacker]

I don't take any. First, I only have a certain number of swings before I get tired so why double or triple my golf round with practice swings. Second, my practice swings are never the same as my real swings so why bother.

[rcain1us]

Other than stretching a little on the first tee, I hold over the ball and waggle a little to get my feet set (which I am sure looks weird to some people) and then just fire away.

[jpbouffard]

I've found success with no practice swings, curious if others take this approach?

 

I've done both...with and without, and I'm not sure if there has been a difference.

 

But one thing I'll say is that when I went to the Masters this year, I noticed that the players made LOTS of practice swings. EVERY player. Most were not full, complete swings exactly like their real swings; they tended to be slower motion swings, or back and forth repeated swings, or swings with pauses at various points. But they made more practice swings than I ever thought they did, probably because the TV cameras tend to cut in right when they are about to swing.

 

But it got me thinking about practice swings. Obviously, the pros do it alot. As I watched, it seemed to me that they were really working very hard to achieve a certain feel before deciding to step up and hit the ball. I tried this on the course. When I was successful at making a practice move of some sort which seemed correct either in shape or timing or length or whatever I may have been concentrating on at the time, it DID seem to help the real swing.

 

Sometimes I think we as amateurs thing practice swings "don't work" because we simply do them wrong. We don't do them in a mindful way, we do them sort of as a tic or a habit, rather than really USING the practice swing to accomplish something.

 

Last note....it is very hard for me to concentrate like this on every shot. Eventually, my mind wanders, or I get lazy or complacent, and I want to just hit it.

 

I think this speaks volumes about why I am a 7.4 index and not a 2. The game takes alot of patience and mental strength to do the same thing, over and over, and not compromise. You really have to promise and deliver on the mission of being ready to hit and then committed to what you feel and what you want to do.

 

I don't think it means we have to play slowly....I think you can easily do this in a very reasonable time, if you are ready to play when it's your turn, do your practice routine while waiting for others or whatever. But bottom line, if touring pros are any indication, we MUST take very mindful practice swings and use them to set up our real swings.

[highergr0und]

I generally don't. Little waggle and go.

 

Exceptions are when I'm working on something or looking for a certain feeling, like if I'm battling being stuck. Won't be a full practice swing, but just trying to get the feel down like a good takeaway or getting arms clear of the body.

[Jp k]

I've found success with no practice swings, curious if others take this approach?

 

I've done both...with and without, and I'm not sure if there has been a difference.

 

But one thing I'll say is that when I went to the Masters this year, I noticed that the players made LOTS of practice swings. EVERY player. Most were not full, complete swings exactly like their real swings; they tended to be slower motion swings, or back and forth repeated swings, or swings with pauses at various points. But they made more practice swings than I ever thought they did, probably because the TV cameras tend to cut in right when they are about to swing.

 

But it got me thinking about practice swings. Obviously, the pros do it alot. As I watched, it seemed to me that they were really working very hard to achieve a certain feel before deciding to step up and hit the ball. I tried this on the course. When I was successful at making a practice move of some sort which seemed correct either in shape or timing or length or whatever I may have been concentrating on at the time, it DID seem to help the real swing.

 

Sometimes I think we as amateurs thing practice swings "don't work" because we simply do them wrong. We don't do them in a mindful way, we do them sort of as a tic or a habit, rather than really USING the practice swing to accomplish something.

 

Last note....it is very hard for me to concentrate like this on every shot. Eventually, my mind wanders, or I get lazy or complacent, and I want to just hit it.

 

I think this speaks volumes about why I am a 7.4 index and not a 2. The game takes alot of patience and mental strength to do the same thing, over and over, and not compromise. You really have to promise and deliver on the mission of being ready to hit and then committed to what you feel and what you want to do.

 

I don't think it means we have to play slowly....I think you can easily do this in a very reasonable time, if you are ready to play when it's your turn, do your practice routine while waiting for others or whatever. But bottom line, if touring pros are any indication, we MUST take very mindful practice swings and use them to set up our real swings.

I agree you have to be mindful, in general, but mostly disagree on the practice swing point. You can do it if you are trying to get a feel for a shape in your mind but really you should be focusing on external factors only. Look at the analysis of the time Norman lost the Masters against Faldo. You can see Norman in the background practicing, looking at angles, etc...while Faldo was looking up at the trees, gauging wind, talking to his caddie, etc...all external. Practice swings are mechanical and therefore typically bad unless you seek a feel, then quickly switch back to visualizing. I doubt many amateurs are good enough to consciously shape shots and need to do that on every swing....they would benefit more from getting into a positive visual mindset and rhythm.

[uavmx]

Same boat, only if cold or on a low that's unusual that I need to get a feel for.

[Titleist-Golfer]

I normally don't take practice swings (actually, not even one). I'm talking about showing up at the course with no range or not a single practice swing. I suppose I should (pros do), but I stopped when I realized that my practice swings were better than my real swing.

[ofortuna]

I've got only so many good swings in me so don't want to squander them displacing air.

[03SMURF]

I have always taken 1-2 practice swings standing behind my ball before I select my target and step up to the ball and I don't see that changing. However, after a recent putting slump, I'm implementing a new putting PSR. I will eliminate the practice strokes all together and only read the putt, then setup to it and hit it. Previously, I would take my practice strokes between the read and the putt. I feel like I have been losing my target and predicted ball path during the time I was taking my practice strokes.

[GLG20]

I take a quarter swing or two just to make sure my backswing path is where I want it to be.

 

But full swings, no.

Same here, just to get the take away feel I want.

[lloyyd]

personally, it depends on what club i'm using. with driver, i like to take two or three real good practice cuts at the ball so that i'm good and wiped for the actual shot at hand. with the irons, i like to make sure i get in five or six mini practice swings where i take a nice full divot just to make sure i'm compressing the ball properly. with the wedges, i usually don't take any practice swings because my game inside of 80 yards is basically bulletproof as i have perfect inbox feel for every wedge shot. with the putter, i actually like to go through my entire routine, including hitting the putt without the ball first so that i can properly visualize a perfect result and then i put the ball down and just repeat the process.

 

hope this helps.

I do this same thing, only I clean the grooves after taking each iron divot.