Imagery, not mechanics
I would be willing to bet that there is not one successful tour
player who plays by mechanics. They all play by feel and imagery.
The entire golf swing takes less that two seconds from start to
finish. While the human brain can process thought very fast, your
body can’t react as quickly. So the thing you need to do when you
play is find an action or a picture that will create the movement
you want to perform.
Imagery, not mechanics
I would be willing to bet that there is not one successful tour player who plays by mechanics. They all play by feel and imagery. The entire golf swing takes less that two seconds from start to finish. While the human brain can process thought very fast, your body can’t react as quickly. So the thing you need to do when you play is find an action or a picture that will create the movement you want to perform.
I just finished Jackie Burkes’ book, “It’s Just a Game.” He talked about some of the things golfers like himself, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson used to think about when they played. Back in their days they all spent a lot of time together both playing and practicing, and shared what they used from week to week. Here are a few of their pictures they used.
Ben Hogan said that almost all amateurs he played with hit at the ball and didn’t accelerate through it. He told them to think about how they struck a match – that you don’t move the match head to the striker and stop but accelerate forward as the head makes contact. He said that is the way he swung at the ball. Jackie Burke said that when he picked the line to the hole when putting he didn’t see a thin line running to the hole, he saw a line that was made as if someone painted it with a three inch paint brush, I like this one because it takes the pressure off getting the ball to the hole. It makes me feel like I am rolling the ball on a sidewalk and not a tight rope.
These are just a few visual images of thousands you can use – there is no limit if you are creative. All they will do is give you the confidence to play golf the way we all want to, without fear or confusion, maybe not all the time but start with a little but aim for a lot.
Eagle Ridge’s Kids Course is open every Sunday at 3 p.m. for kids 12 and under. Cost is $5 for all the holes you want to play. We provide clubs, balls and tees. Have any golf related questions? From rules to club fitting you can call me at 408-846-4531 or e-mail me at [email protected]. If you would like to read some of my past tips, you can do so at www.pinnaclenews.com. And don’t forget, if you’re not having fun playing golf call your local PGA instructor, we will help. Golf is more fun when you’re improving. Don’t be afraid to be good.
