|
From Perry Andrisen, PGA Professional
"Hit the ball." "Keep your eye on the ball." "Make good contact." "Rip it." "Hit it." "Swing at it." "Hit another one." "Try to hit the back of the ball." Is this your internal dialog as you stand over the ball? For some, it's the only swing thought. We fear that if we think of anything else we will miss the ball completely. And if we miss, we will embarrass ourselves. This thought probably dates back to the first advice you ever received, "keep your eye on the ball."
There is good news. You all are doing exactly what you are trying to do. My experience of watching miles of video tape has convinced me that we are thinking about the ball. And I've never seen anyone, in my short 8,500-lesson career, look up.
After several sessions (from 10 to 10,000) at the driving range trying to focus on the ball, you decide to take a golf lesson. You come out of the golf lesson with some new ideas, and hopefully a new perspective. But when you try the new approach the next day, you hit several awful shots, worse than ever. Your next move is what will put my kids through college. You abandon the idea of feeling something new, because you need the instant gratification of seeing that the new approach is working. So you go back to thinking about the ball. You come back to the next lesson, and nothing has changed. Of course nothing has changed, you decided to think about the ball again.
You need something to think about. Would you rather make solid contact, or have your ball go to the target? I'll give you a hint: pros don't always hit it solid. Think about the goal. The goal is the target.
Steps to Remove Ball-Bound Thinking
The first step to freedom from the ball ... is to remove the ball! The next step? Throw clubs at the target. That's right, let 'em fly! To consider such an act requires an open mind. Do you think it is possible to feel your natural swing by throwing clubs? Do you think if you could throw a club straight and far that it might reassemble your natural swing? And that swing might possibly be filled with effortless power and be tension free? The freedom you could feel could be enlightening.
The idea of club throwing is not mine. Sixty of my closest friends and I learned this phenomenal experience from Fred Shoemaker, the author, golf instructor and founder of the golf school, Extraordinary Golf. Club-throwing was just a small part of the workshop with Fred, but very empowering. Throwing clubs empowers you to feel and be aware of your movement and tempo. And it's yours. Some people can't put the feeling into words, but after some practice they know their swing and own it.
How It Works
Gather about a dozen old clubs and head to a field or park. Find an open area, where no people or fragile objects are around. Safety is very important, especially in the early going when your throws likely won't be on target.
When my colleague Ernie Barbour and I first started having our students throw clubs, we just about tore the teaching bays apart. We had students tossing clubs with so much tension that they wouldn't let go of the club until it was too late. That's right, several throws never made it out of the building! Ouch, lots of broken glass and close calls. Thankfully, there was no bodily harm. So please find an open area and be aware of your surroundings at all time to maintain safety.
The first dozen times you throw a club, make your throws only about 15 feet to get a feel for it. Then, take it back and let it go - make a golf swing, but let the club go. My advice is to look at the target (not down) as you throw clubs. This will make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your practice. After a couple hundred throws, shift to a fuller swing.
Focusing on Ball vs. Focusing on Target
Below is a swing comparison of a gentleman who has a fixation with the ball. The top row of pictures illustrates his repetitious, ball-bound swing. Many would say he has bad habits that will take a long time to correct ... unless he does one very simple thing. Stop thinking about the ball. The bottom row of pictures shows the same gentleman's "swing" when he is throwing clubs. Once you take your mind off the ball you will have the freedom to swing naturally.
The picture comparisons are unbelievable, even to me. And I'm not easily surprised. Dramatic shifts from poor body positions and tension-filled bent arms on the follow through. The results are amazing, especially since there are no swing thoughts! None! Zilch!
I can tell you from what I've experienced and the feedback from several hundred others that the feeling of throwing the club is exactly what every golfer needs to feel in the swing. You can read Fred's book, Extraordinary Golf (compare prices), and acquire even more knowledge on this topic. But you will never get the true experience from a book or this article. You will actually need to embarrass yourself by throwing clubs.
Other golfers who see you may not understand what you are doing. They might look upon you as an outcast. If you are a person to whom image matters more than results, club-throwing is not for you. Besides, it's not polite to throw clubs. But give it a try (always keeping safety in mind). It's a lot of fun seeing how good you can get!
About the Author
Perry Andrisen is a PGA Teaching Professional at The Bridges Golf Club in San Ramon, Calif. He has previously worked at Indian Wells and Hazeltine National. Perry has coached players from the PGA Tour, Nationwide, Hooters, Teardrop, Spanos, Pepsi, Dakotas, and Golden State golf tours. Among his PGA Tour clients is his former college teammate Aaron Barber. For more information, visit Perry's Web site at www.perryandrisen.com.
|
| 