What do you focus on when you swing?

[golf playa]

It has come to my attention that when I swing, I do not focus on the ball. I am looking in the balls direction but I am not focused on it. Instead, my mind is focusing on the feeling and location of my club. My eyes are sort of unfocused.

 

Anyone else do this and is there a down side?

[596]

I'm the exact opposite. I choose a blade of grass as far as 4" in front of the ball (LW) to a dimple on the back of the ball (driver) to a blade of grass at the back of the ball (FW, long irons). I am fully concentrated on that spot.

My swing thought is low and smooth for the first 12-18" of the back swing.....then no other thoughts at all. I remained focused on the spot throughout the rest of the swing.

[hoganfan924]

I find I'm more consistent when focusing on one specific dimple on the back inner quadrant of the ball.

[juststeve]

When practicing it could be one of a number of things.

When playing I focus on hitting a specific shot at the target.

Steve

[ND Fan]

All I think about is flush contact, clear my head and think about nothing else. It's amazing what your body can do without you forcing it to do it.

[Puppetmaster]

Apparently, too much.

[ugggh]

I tried focusing on one dimple but could never do it. I found that it actually made me tense up more. Instead, I just look at the whole ball and concentrate on making a smooth takeaway.

[PreppySlapCut]

Swinging the handle left as hard as I possibly can.

[hoganfan924]

[quote name='ugggh' timestamp='1308769930' post='3327610']
I tried focusing on one dimple but could never do it. I found that it actually made me tense up more. Instead, I just look at the whole ball and concentrate on making a smooth takeaway.
[/quote]

I got this from the "quiet eye" studies that were done on putting and found that it helped me to make more solid contact in the long game as well:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HFI/is_2004_Jan/ai_112104116/

[BP5168]

[quote name='PreppySlapCut' timestamp='1308770166' post='3327622']
Swinging the handle left as hard as I possibly can.
[/quote]


^^^

What he said.

[tnord]

width
turn
drive the right elbow into hip
turn
stare it down
twirl


i admit i have too many thoughts during a swing, been constantly working on things for 2 years and last night at the range it felt better than ever. after watching golf-fix on monday about rors' swing i tried to turn so much that my back shoulder was pointing at the target during my finish like he does. i also realized watching him that in trying to get width on the takeaway i was casting the club and losing both control and distance. getting that right elbow to drive down close to the body like he does created a lot of lag, power, and a real nice ball flight.

[ChrisSP]

[quote name='ND Fan' timestamp='1308769181' post='3327569']
All I think about is flush contact, clear my head and think about nothing else. It's amazing what your body can do without you forcing it to do it.
[/quote]

I'm in pretty much the same boat as you in terms of trying to be at least somewhat mentally free when I swing, but instead of solid contact I think balance and tempo. If I have both throughout a round, things usually never get very far off track ... knock on wood!

[LottaBalata]

You guys focusing on dimples, LOL, I wish I had your eyesight. I've never had great eyesight-glasses since JR. High.

Anyway. . .For me its rhythm. If I can keep my rhythm back slow, with a good hip turn back towards the target, things tend to fall in place. I have to keep my head down, that's usually 10% of what's going on between the ears.

If I get quick, I may stand up or crouch. The ball is never going where I want it. I just have to stay slow. The ball just freakin flies when I have good rhythm.

I don't know if I can say I clear my mind, but I certainly take a good deep breathe first, and relax with tension, if that makes sense.

[e-dog9]

By focus do you mean visual, or mental. Mentally, I try not to think about anything at all. I like to have the thinking done just before set up. As I measure to the ball, I gradully let my mind go, so that its blank when I'm finally set.

Visually, I just look at the zone between the ball and blad of grass I lined up to. Its not a specific thing, and helps to keep the eyes relaxed as I let my mind go numb.

[vthunder]

[quote name='hoganfan924' timestamp='1308770167' post='3327623']
[quote name='ugggh' timestamp='1308769930' post='3327610']
I tried focusing on one dimple but could never do it. I found that it actually made me tense up more. Instead, I just look at the whole ball and concentrate on making a smooth takeaway.
[/quote]

I got this from the "quiet eye" studies that were done on putting and found that it helped me to make more solid contact in the long game as well:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HFI/is_2004_Jan/ai_112104116/
[/quote]


Good article. How do you use this on your long game? Look at a dimple, ect.?

[Cicero]

I'm thinking "draw" on every shot. It doesn't all the time, but a lot of the bad stuff in my swing is offset by my attempt to hit a draw.

[headz51230]

Smooth tempo, trust your club to do the work.
Woods and long irons "swing through the ball."
Short Irons "Trap the ball."

[g8a_golf]

pure it

[jmtigers]

focused on the front half of the ball throughout. I have a tendancy to get too far inside with an all arm swing so i focus on letting the club head go wherever it wants (trust it) with a free shoulder turn on the backswing.

[honketyhank]

[quote name='LottaBalata' timestamp='1308777670' post='3327948']
You guys focusing on dimples, LOL, I wish I had your eyesight. I've never had great eyesight-glasses since JR. High.

Anyway. . .For me its rhythm. If I can keep my rhythm back slow, with a good hip turn back towards the target, things tend to fall in place. I have to keep my head down, that's usually 10% of what's going on between the ears.

If I get quick, I may stand up or crouch. The ball is never going where I want it. I just have to stay slow. The ball just freakin flies when I have good rhythm.

I don't know if I can say I clear my mind, but I certainly take a good deep breathe first, and relax with tension, if that makes sense.
[/quote]

I think you have something going for you. Focus on the ball often brings on the "hit ball" instinct.

Look at ball. See fuzzy ball. Focus on trajectory going to target. Take rhythmic balanced practice swing while focusing on trajectory and target. Then just step up and swing. Fuzzy ball is there, then it isn't. I like it. Not so much that I am wishing for poor vision, of course. But we all (well, all us duffers) try too hard to hit the ball (or, maybe, "let's make sure we don't MISS the ball."). Maybe if the ball is not in focus, we could mentally focus on the target much better. And maybe we can learn to let our "ball focus" be fuzzy and sharpen our "trajectory focus" .

[LottaBalata]

[quote name='honketyhank' timestamp='1308863970' post='3330747']
[quote name='LottaBalata' timestamp='1308777670' post='3327948']
You guys focusing on dimples, LOL, I wish I had your eyesight. I've never had great eyesight-glasses since JR. High.

Anyway. . .For me its rhythm. If I can keep my rhythm back slow, with a good hip turn back towards the target, things tend to fall in place. I have to keep my head down, that's usually 10% of what's going on between the ears.

If I get quick, I may stand up or crouch. The ball is never going where I want it. I just have to stay slow. The ball just freakin flies when I have good rhythm.

I don't know if I can say I clear my mind, but I certainly take a good deep breathe first, and relax with tension, if that makes sense.
[/quote]

I think you have something going for you. Focus on the ball often brings on the "hit ball" instinct.

Look at ball. See fuzzy ball. Focus on trajectory going to target. Take rhythmic balanced practice swing while focusing on trajectory and target. Then just step up and swing. Fuzzy ball is there, then it isn't. I like it. Not so much that I am wishing for poor vision, of course. But we all (well, all us duffers) try too hard to hit the ball (or, maybe, "let's make sure we don't MISS the ball."). Maybe if the ball is not in focus, we could mentally focus on the target much better. And maybe we can learn to let our "ball focus" be fuzzy and sharpen our "trajectory focus" .
[/quote]


My game just changed recently due to injury and some health issues. But what it came down to, was, I was trying so hard to hit the ball and crush it with my upper body, my lower body wasn't turning enough. So, being a drummer, I figured if I can make a good swing with the proper rhythm, I'd be okay. I've worked hard and getting my core strong and using my lower body to lead my upper body. Now, when I make a good swing, it feels COMPLETELY different than what I used to think was a good swing.

Also, I want to be able to stay healthy enough to play this game for a long time. Its not like I'm taking hits from 330lb lineman, heck, its golf!

[sshadow2]

Lagging my takeaway, and my transition/ right elbow drop.

[mfm22]

I think about all the above and many more
But the most recent & productive is to swing Through the ball .

resulting in

Getting rid of the hit and getting onto left side

Thta dimple thing works but I'll think about puting it forward -