Are you over-thinking the game?

[Micah T]

I’m a chronic over-thinker in life: I try not to duplicate that on the golf course.  Over time I’ve learned to turn off my brain before I step into a shot: I never thought about my form or footwork while  throwing a football or shooting a free throw in a game, practice was where I thought about technique.  I try to bring that idea to the course. Once I begin to take the club back I want to be an athlete, not a thinker. 

[stephenmatt]

Part of who I am as a person is an overthinker. I love this game so much so it would be almost impossible for me to not overthink it and overcomplicate it. Sometimes it makes the game more frustrating than it has to be.

[BostonSal]

I WILDLY over think the game while typing at a laptop.

On the course, I have a worse habit.

I often take thinking completely out of the equation when a little might help.

[NC Golfer]

I definitey over think it. Some say, they just swing the club, But, I think there must be some body parts that need to move a certain way like start the downswing with the hips. I wish I could get this down to only one swing thought or better yet - none. But, I can't stop thinking about it, lol. 

[Goober]

Not at all. And maybe that is why I feel so level headed on the golf course. It’s just me versus the score card. I haven’t been subjected to online lessons / YouTube instructors / or people who have this one size fits all secret to sub 70 golf mojo. 
 

im from the school of take what you have to the course and learn thru playing the game. Versus, taking endless lessons with little to no return on investments 

would have to add that if one was going to go down analyzing this game heavily. And you had a swing coach. My suggestions would be will this work lead to straighter shots / longer drives / and most importantly lower scores. If not , or if the process is years and years of getting ideal golf camera positions. Than my answer would be why bother. That really isn’t golf. Having a perfect looking golf swing never has any factor on what scores are on the card 

[tdc1]

Swing thought(s) = swing through the ball and tempo

Motto = I'm not good enough to think on the golf course

[billybogey]

Know what?? I do not like timing of year end as people start accusing me of "How To Golf" Reading & Thinking. & that Sport's Fans is a scary thought.!!

Like a few people here I played Hockey & even played in MLG & sometimes I scored & sometimes I didn't. I just learned to play Smarter

& sometimes it worked & sometimes it didn't.  Took me awhile, from having Hair to not having, to recognize "WIN" as in "What's Important Now"!!

That has brought me smiling & Ah-Ching!! Ah-Ching!!

Happy Holidays!!

& Stay Safe. 

b

[BGRI]

This is one of those questions that has a binary conclusion built into the answer and as a result may or may not add any identifiable value to one’s game.

To start what does overthink even mean? Is it time spent over the ball or is it the time spent getting ready to get over the ball and all the other things pre address?

Do the pros and their caddies overthink when they discuss a shots a half dozen environmental inputs, club choices and trajectory options?

So what is the problem that you think needs solving  and that the question begs an answer for ? Slow play, inconsiderate etiquette, wrong or wasteful thinking or ……?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JeremyD]

Overthinking is a huge part of many games, myself included. I am a fan of listening to the Par Train. They talk a lot about the mental aspect, as I believe it's a big part of Evan's work background. I often start the day pretty quiet, and the noise gets louder. I think the majority of everyone's handicap could drop multiple shots (depending on current handicap) if we could all think less. I agree with a comment above. I've recently played with a 15 who thinks he can shoot at the flag stick every time. I'm about a 5 with 35 years golf experience and have found the more I play, the worse it gets. 

[singleta]

I was playing great golf in April but I had 5 swing thoughts and I felt that was too many. Tried for a few months with just one or two and my game got so much worse.

Returned to the five thoughts this last month and I'm playing my best golf of the year!

[cnosil]

1 hour ago, singleta said:

I was playing great golf in April but I had 5 swing thoughts and I felt that was too many. Tried for a few months with just one or two and my game got so much worse.

Returned to the five thoughts this last month and I'm playing my best golf of the year!

Tough to say too many if they are simple keys to establishing a good grips, setup, and swing.  Having a long checklist of items that breakdown the swing into multiple steps is probably too many.  What are your 5 thoughts?   

[Bulldog]

Favorite sign in a pro shop at a local course, "It's not a space shuttle, it's a ball and a stick."

[6 Million Dollar Man]

With rare exception...

Stay.  Away.  From.  YouTube. 

 

That should help.

[Shapotomous]

I think about a lot of things impacting a shot when coming up to an approach shot to a green but I am not overwhelmed into swing paralysis or slow play by them.  When it comes to the swing, I might have a single swing thought about something I have had to work through in recent rounds.  Right now it's maintain shaft lean on iron shots and finish with my hands high on driver swings and shoulder alignment on putts.

Coming up to an approach shot I consider distance, elevation change, wind, stance angle, ball lie & turf direction, pin placement, green slope, hazards, best/worse miss location, club selection, shot shape, shot height & proper swing to pull it off, one maybe two 3/4 practice swings while thinking of those things & visualizing the shot and picking a target.....then swing.  Never timed myself but I am sure it takes less than a minute.  

Driver takes a lot less time as I usually play the same shot shape.  I take two practice swings to loosen my back, pick a target and swing.  Might be an extra 10 seconds if I am figuring distance to a hazard or dogleg, shaping it differently or practicing a stinger swing or something similar.

Typical round for my wife & I is 2:45 so it doesn't seem to be slowing us down.  

[NC Golfer]

Today I played with back to the target on the backswing and get to the left (target side) - through swing. Great ball striking day with just two thoughts. This takes care of the turn and prevents from hitting off the back foot on the DS. I think great suggestions for beginners or sr's too , without getting too technical.

Edited December 17, 2021 by NC Golfer

[Dweed]

Holy smokes...Who's on First.

 

[fixyurdivot]

20 hours ago, Bulldog said:

Favorite sign in a pro shop a local course, "It's not a space shuttle, it's a ball and a stick."

Some truth to that, but just hang with this us for a bit longer and you'll see the error in that statement .

19 hours ago, Birdiecock said:

With rare exception...

Stay.  Away.  From.  YouTube. 

 

That should help.

What about our forum members "swing in progress" clips?

[singleta]

On 12/16/2021 at 12:54 PM, cnosil said:

Tough to say too many if they are simple keys to establishing a good grips, setup, and swing.  Having a long checklist of items that breakdown the swing into multiple steps is probably too many.  What are your 5 thoughts?   

Turn shoulders to line them up with the target line (I naturally stand with them very open), squeeze shoulder blades together, low takeaway, keep shoulder blades squeezed, keep lower body still (i.e don't slide back from the target) swing in-to-out (my natural swing is out to in so this thought helps to neutralise the path)

Then watch it sail down the fairway with a gentle fade

[cnosil]

3 hours ago, singleta said:

Turn shoulders to line them up with the target line (I naturally stand with them very open), squeeze shoulder blades together, low takeaway, keep shoulder blades squeezed, keep lower body still (i.e don't slide back from the target) swing in-to-out (my natural swing is out to in so this thought helps to neutralise the path)

Then watch it sail down the fairway with a gentle fade

seems like a lot to me, but that is just me.   Guess it depends on how fast you go through those thoughts when preparing to swing.    

[saz0418]

I agree in terms of not being too technical when  you are PLAYING golf.   Fine for swing thoughts while you are practicing-- maybe even during a pre-shot routine/practice swing.  But once you step in to hit the shot your focus should be on your target and the image of the shot you are trying to hit, however you think of that.   In yesterday's interview following the PNC Pro Am, Tiger said one issue is that his swing is not producing the ball flight or speed for the shots he is "seeing".   Some teachers even draw a line-- on one side is the planning and preparation and practice, and the other is clear the mind of swing thoughts and execute.  

All that said, I adopted an acronym for shot preparation when I was in my teens that I still use today.  Plan to hit each shot SWEL (Slope, Wind, Elevation, and Lie) -- meaning you take your stock shot pattern and distance, and then (try to ) account for how  changes in slope, wind speed/direction, elevation change (uphill or downhill to the target), and lie will affect it.   In the Midwest this time of year, we also have to account for temperature and ground conditions (wet or soggy fairways, greens and aprons.)  Its not unusual to add 3 clubs for an uphill, into the wind iron shot on a day that is 42 degrees.  

I still think its best to  step in to hit your shot   and focus on rhythm, tempo and execution.  But I also believe a mind toward's planning and course management are an important element if you are going to score.   Know where to miss.  Play a shot that matches your game and ability, especially THAT day.   Play to targets and percentages.   Know when to take on risks.  

In the cold OHIO  December weather, my last 4 rounds have been 77, 77, 73, 80.  Not bad for a 62 year old, 9/10 HDCP.