How to get rid of self-talk during the swing

[SFLOrange]

I think any thought that addresses a specific body movement activates your conscious mind and is a recipe for disaster.  I try and keep all of my swing thoughts abstract and/or positive, like "solid contact" or "smooth".  On the range, making intentional manipulations of certain body parts is a must to improve, but in those instances the result means far less than the swing mechanic you are working on.  When I get to the course I picture where i want the ball to go and how, then let all your practice and years of playing take over.

[ChuckZ]

I play on occasions, with a good friend who does this, BUT he talks out loud and it affects everyone's game.  Analyses every shot, every mistake and it is very irritating.  If he did it quietly, it would be ok, but I do ride with him.  He is a very nice guy but this habit really slows down play and drives me nuts. Have said to him that he would stop self analyzing and just hit the ball he would score much better he would be much happier.  He says, I know and reverts back to his annoying habits.  Did not ride with him today and scored twelve strokes better.  Makes a difference.  

That little thing between the ears is a dangerous thing.  Thank you for not sharing your thoughts with your partners.  We all have that problem at times.  My golf coach tells me to to stop overthinking, relax and hit the ball.   Just sayin'.     

[MacTourney]

This happens a lot and is a great feeling when that premonition washes over you complete with a way, a why, and a how, then just enjoy the show.  It may not always have the anticipated ending but it's a great movie.  

 

 

 

[Bdm1507]

I say one hundred and one in my head while I swing. Goal is to hit the ball on the last one. helps with tempo and gets me out of the clouded thoughts mid swing. if it’s a bad day I will say it out loud. Helps me hear if I’m putting too much arm in my swing. 
 

if your talking too much during the approach. Set up a routine and each movement is assigned a number. Practice it and so that every time. I will get my grip and line up to the ball with my feet together. Count goes:

1. Set up lead foot

2. set up back foot

3. look to the target 

4 waggle 

5. Relax grip

and then 101. 
 

this helps a lot but requires some humility on the driving range as you do this out loud haha. 

[Golf Dawg]

 Vision 54 talks about the think box, where you do ALL the thinking and planning. When you go to the play box, just hit the ball - no more thinking. 

Having a consistent process, like others have mentioned, helps too.  
 

Like the AT&T commercial says “Just hit the ball!”

[Chester3488]

On 6/3/2022 at 2:45 PM, NC Golfer said:

As avid golfers, we often know too much and over analyze our golf swings. What I realized today, especially on the backswing, I do a lot of self-talk. Such as oh, you are taking it on the outside again or that's a sway. This can't be good. What is a good way to get rid of the self-talk during the swing, so it becomes more fluid?

Okay, I'm going to make a suggestion that works great, but that you probably won't try. 

To get rid of that, I suggest, talking to yourself OUT LOUD during your backswing. Seriously, if you try this you may end up loving it. But you will likely not try it. Here's what you do.

During your backswing. Literally talk out loud to yourself. Talk about what your backswing would look like, or what your perfect swing thought is. Talk about anything that's positive and promotes what ever it is your are working on. Right now, I like to say something like this "I'm going to take this club back, keeping its face pointed at the ball and make my weight shift to my front side as early as possible...." 

Now normally you won't get all of that out. You don't have time. But the awesome thing is it is all but impossible to think about anything other than what you are talking out loud about. 

A side benefit is that nobody else can distract you either. Who gives a s#!t if Bob is talking in your backswing when you, yourself, are talking in your backswing? 

Give it a try. But I warn you. It works great and you may want to keep on doing it. 

[PMookie]

As someone who fights his mind over the ball, those that are replying, “Don’t think,” or “Don’t have those thoughts,” um, if it WERE that easy we wouldn’t have the issue.

For those giving TANGIBLE ideas: GREAT STUFF! Positive thoughts, a phrase, “counting”, boxes, Mary had a little lamb, etc, all good ideas, and THANK YOU.

[Syks7]

This is a variation on the practice/swing box.  @DiscipleofPenick suggested to use a start line.  At its core its an imaginary line that is the border between having swing thoughts and making a swing.  Once you cross it, no more swing thoughts.

For me this means standing behind the ball, taking a couple rythmic swings to find a particular feel or swing key, deciding what yardage it would be best to hit it to based on my visualization of the shot, committing to the shot, then picking an alignment point.  The moment I step toward the ball the only things I'm supposed to do are to align, address, look at the target, look back at the ball, and swing. 

It's taken some practice but I find that if I'm committed to the shot the less time I spend over the ball the better.  When it works its surprisingly quick.  I've gotten to the point that I can mostly just think about only two things.  The target and the yardage.  I'm also generally talking to myself about both as I address the ball.  (165 yards at the palm tree right of the flag.)  I don't conciously start the swing anymore.  I just feel ready and swing.  The hardest part about it for me is teaching myself to back off the ball if I lose my alignment, my focus, or if it doesn't feel right.  My striking has never been better...  my aim and decision making need work though.

Edited August 12, 2022 by Syks7

[chisag]

6 hours ago, PMookie said:

As someone who fights his mind over the ball, those that are replying, “Don’t think,” or “Don’t have those thoughts,” um, if it WERE that easy we wouldn’t have the issue.

For those giving TANGIBLE ideas: GREAT STUFF! Positive thoughts, a phrase, “counting”, boxes, Mary had a little lamb, etc, all good ideas, and THANK YOU.

 

... There really is no "don't" in golf and channeling my inner Yoda there is just "do". When you are struggling with your swing it is a learned, although very difficult discipline to play with what you have that day instead of an attempt to fix it during a round if you struggle with swing thoughts. Ideally go to the range right after the round and address it or the next day or whenever you have the time. A positive swing key is always a good idea to give your brain something to focus on if you can't just think about your target. "Make a smooth swing ... Make an aggressive swing ... Complete my follow through" kinds of swing keys can compliment hitting your target. You can look at your target and think one positive thought and accomplish both. But if you give your brain negative thoughts like "don't over swing" or "don't keep my weight on my back foot" it can't do both. 

... Fwiw, you can hit your target with a square, very open or very closed stance because your brain will adjust to get the ball to your target. It is a very powerful computer and given the right instructions, it will do it's best to accomplish the task it is given. So give it the task you really desire, hit the ball at your target and train your brain to have one swing key at a time. Not easy to break a bad habit I know but like Sheryl Crow lamented:


 

You say "It's just a question of eliminating obstacles" 
As you throw your dinner out the kitchen door 
You say "I know how you try" 
But honey let's eat out tonight
 

No one said it would be easy 
But no one said it'd be this hard

[NC Golfer]

Great ideas guys - thanks. An offshoot issue of this problem, is getting the thought out of my head, that you must swing from the ground up on the through swing or similar lower body key. If I just swing, how is the lower body supposed to move first? For some reason when throwing a pitch or football, the lower half engages effortly. Will it do the same in golf, if we allow it to?

Edited August 12, 2022 by NC Golfer

[artful_golfer]

As I've been reading this thread the past couple of days I'm beginning to understand why with every lesson I've ever had part of the instructions were don't think about it too much just hit it. Truth is I've never thought about the mechanics much (ok maybe a a little when I first started playing or during a lesson). Maybe it's a woman thing but I swing by feel and try to make my real swing feel like a practice swing I liked. It never enters my mind to process swing mechanics while I'm swinging. I'm starting to feel like I've been missing something and maybe if I thought about the mechanics more I could have better scores. Now I'm concerned that when I play tomorrow I will make myself have some of your swing thoughts. 

When I start to line up, I do quietly talk to my ball about whatever I write or draw on it. Right now I write "F--- Cancer for Nancy" (my sister), talk to her like she's playing with me and sometimes tell her good shot. After the round we talk (for real) about how "we" played and she loves it. I draw angel wings on my ball when my nephew is deployed with special forces to remind me that the reason people like me get to play golf is because people like him do what they do (and I talk to my ball about where he might be). Then during my swing I focus only on how it feels.

[chisag]

54 minutes ago, artful_golfer said:

As I've been reading this thread the past couple of days I'm beginning to understand why with every lesson I've ever had part of the instructions were don't think about it too much just hit it. Truth is I've never thought about the mechanics much (ok maybe a a little when I first started playing or during a lesson). Maybe it's a woman thing but I swing by feel and try to make my real swing feel like a practice swing I liked. It never enters my mind to process swing mechanics while I'm swinging. I'm starting to feel like I've been missing something and maybe if I thought about the mechanics more I could have better scores. Now I'm concerned that when I play tomorrow I will make myself have some of your swing thoughts. 

 

... NOOOOOO! It is a good thing you don't think about mechanics while you are swinging on the course. The goal is to have a thought free swing while focusing on your target. Having your real swing feel like your practice swing is a great swing key. 

... When you say "a women thing" I discovered that giving lessons. When men did a reverse pivot I would ask them to move their head away from the target 2 feet on their backswing to counter moving their head forward and most would barely move their heads or at least keep their head stationary. The first woman I asked to move her head 2 feet moved her head 2 feet!   I realized women are much more literal than men, which made them much easier to teach. 

[artful_golfer]

34 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... NOOOOOO! It is a good thing you don't think about mechanics while you are swinging on the course. The goal is to have a thought free swing while focusing on your target. Having your real swing feel like your practice swing is a great swing key. 

... When you say "a women thing" I discovered that giving lessons. When a man did a reverse pivot I would ask them to move their head away from the target 2 feet on their backswing to counter moving their head forward and most would barely move their heads or at least keep their head stationary. The first woman I asked to move her head 2 feet moved her head 2 feet!   I realized women are much more literal than men, which made them much easier to teach. 

Thanks for the thought I'm doing something correct!

[MacTourney]

The ball, if the truth be known, plays a brilliant defensive game.  Confident in its own emplacement it does nothing to interfere, but waits for the player to attack.

Consider the matter a moment in a mood of exaggeration.  The course is empty and you are without a partner.  You and the ball are about to start the intimate personal duel in which only one can survive.  You know you must attack and you are wondering about your plan.  The ball is perfectly calm and brilliantly on the defensive.  

You tee up and grasp the club, perhaps a little quickly, and with a number of plans in your mind.  You start the address, that preliminary reconnaissance, the probing of the enemy line.  Then you launch the assault, trying to stick to one plan, but halfway up the back swing you decide that the time is not ripe.

You drop the club and light a cigarette, and you give the enemy a threatening look while trying to conceal your fear.  You walk away and take in the surrounding view.  Everything is peaceful.  Some cows are grazing quietly in the field to the right of the tee.  A shot landing in that field will hardly disturb their peace, but you know that it will disturb you because it will cost you a stroke.  Trying to eradicate such thoughts you turn again to the tee, eagerly hoping that perhaps you can see a gap in the defenses.  Everything is just as it was.  The ball is impregnably calm, awaiting the expected attack.  You walk to the start line once more, muttering as you go.  "I wonder who it was who said that this is a cold-blooded business."

Only good generals survive...

 

1946, E. M. Prain, Live Hands

[artful_golfer]

On 8/12/2022 at 9:32 PM, chisag said:

... NOOOOOO! It is a good thing you don't think about mechanics while you are swinging on the course. The goal is to have a thought free swing while focusing on your target. Having your real swing feel like your practice swing is a great swing key.

I now unfortunately (or fortunately) fully understand swing thoughts. This past weekend I needed hit my ball left of a tree about 10 feet in front of me and had plenty of space to do that. But as I was lining up I thought "hope I don't goof and hit the tree". My next thought was "oops is that a swing thought, where did that come from". Sure enough, my ball sailed barely past the right side of tree and almost out of bounds. Then my thought was "well, how about that, it's true". I'm much happier concentrating on swing feels. I think next time that happens I'll back off and start over. 

[Goober]

On 7/30/2022 at 8:33 PM, RickyBobby_PR said:

No such thing as an arm swing. There a 2 page thread on wrx about this. I’m going to post two screen caps from a very respected pro.

 

When I read posts from some of us AM’s looking for that illusive. “ I think I can fix this on my own mentality” . It only screams to me “go get a lesson ASAP”

[RickyBobby_PR]

On 8/12/2022 at 7:46 PM, NC Golfer said:

Great ideas guys - thanks. An offshoot issue of this problem, is getting the thought out of my head, that you must swing from the ground up on the through swing or similar lower body key. If I just swing, how is the lower body supposed to move first? For some reason when throwing a pitch or football, the lower half engages effortly. Will it do the same in golf, if we allow it to?

Yes. If one sequences properly the lower body leads the movement. It also is what starts the swing via a pressure shift into the trail side.

If done right the pressure is going from 70/30 trail side to 50/50 by or before lead arm parallel and to 70/30 to lead side by top of swing and the really good ones have the lower body starting the downswing before the arms and upper body finish the swing. 

[NC Golfer]

9 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Yes. If one sequences properly the lower body leads the movement. It also is what starts the swing via a pressure shift into the trail side.

If done right the pressure is going from 70/30 trail side to 50/50 by or before lead arm parallel and to 70/30 to lead side by top of swing and the really good ones have the lower body starting the downswing before the arms and upper body finish the swing. 

 

Agreed. But, trying to do this seems hard for high handicappers. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

54 minutes ago, NC Golfer said:

 

Agreed. But, trying to do this seems hard for high handicappers. 

Because there are other issues at play as well like improper wrist movements. Not engaging the bigger muscles to move the club.

Many average golfers and I did for a long time thing in terms of the swing as a backswing and then a downswing. What they end up doing is shifting mass to the back leg instead of pressure and then all the mass has to go back to the front side. This causes a bunch of issues.

Athletic motion golf and Monte Scheinblum imo have the best content on Instagram for this proper movement and amg has a ton of videos on YouTube for it and about it. Their free version of their website has drills for this as part of their swing training 

[TitleistMike]

I try to give myself two thoughts

Pre-swing- firm up the left side (let my left hand arm control the swing 80% of time. Maybe swing through, maybe 3/4 pace (slow down) other 10 and 10 according to swing faults occurring.

 

Immediate Start of swing  - load the right side..90% of time...10% it is low and slow.

Repetition builds consistency and self trust.

 

[ChuckZ]

My instructor tells me, just hit the ball and stop thinking...makes sense. Golf is an easy game that we make hard.  

[CaptStang]

Rhythm is a great concept to overcome mid swing thoughts...

I have used rhythm coaching kids and beginner adults who tend to freeze up over thinking their swing.

Give some consideration to a simple backswing/downswing with "one thousand one (backswing) one thousand two (downswing) while on the range...

Another technique that seems to work well is to tee up 5-7 balls and using the above, hit each one after another-move through the line of balls with no practice swings, just use the above and move through he line quickly...

It sounds like you are paralyzing yourself from over analysis...

 

Hope this might offer some thoughts!