I love the recent blog from Hank Haney where he said that he’s not a big fan of the hocus pocus suggestion to focus on a target and expect that the ball will go there. Picking your target is a critical starting point but simplifying our thoughts to create the swing to get your ball there is the only thing that counts.
You have to choose your target, decide on the best shot shape, finalize your setup to execute the shot and then and only then focus on a swing thought to make the shot.
1/ Determine your target direction and draw an imaginary line back to your ball. (Your target direction is the line where you want your ball to launch and then draw or fade to your target.)
2/ Then choose a leaf or fat blade of grass at an intermediate point on that line a few feet out from your ball (so that you can still see it when you setup to the ball).
3/ Set your toes on a parallel line to your target line in preparation for you practice swing.
4/ Adjust your feet and ball position to achieve your desired draw or fade.
5/ Take your practice swing exactly at the speed that you want to swing and finish.
6/ Move up to your ball, relax your shoulders and wrists. Inhale and exhale.
From this point onward you are NOT looking up at your end target. You are only looking at your club face pointing a few feet up your target line to that blade of grass. Your only goal is to launch your ball up your line.
Complete your setup and THEN lock into a single swing thought and make it happen.
Now that you are lined up you need a single thought in your mind to make sure that you are creating the swing for a perfect impact to launch your ball and finish with a balanced stance on your leading foot. At the driving range before your round you may determine a swing thought for that perfect hit.
Your thought might be one of these:
– “Slow my backswing and transition for time to lag my wrists”
– “Swing from the inside and up my target line”
– “Rotate my arms, shoulders and then my hips for a full backswing.”
– “Swing up my target line to a balanced finish.”
– “Hold my head to prevent any swaying as I coil my body.”
– “Keep my eyes focused on the back of the ball”
– “Sweep in annnnd Balance” [say it as you swing and impact the ball on the word “Balance”.]
If you want longer and more consistent hits, practice with your GOLFSTR+ to learn to swing with a straight leading arm, flat wrist and lag. By one today at www.golfstr.com
