Changing your swing is REALLY hard

Quahog217

Does anyone else find this? For context I'm playing around 20 years. Index 2.0. and I have a really funky swing. Have gone to numerous pros the years but I cannot seem to implement any changes. My old habits are so ingrained it seems.

FixdePitchmark

It is hard..but you need to commit to get worse and hit 1000s of ..and I mean 1000s of balls..

I think most amateurs go to lessons and don't really commit to.the process.

Your a serious golfer and you probably are very ingrained.

But , we can all change ..but I think we often fail in the commitment stage.

Who genuinely wants to go out and be bad at golf for say 3 months in a change process.....particularly with about 12 competitions in your club in that period...

slave1

I changed my grip from baseball to vardon and took a year of shanks before it settled, a full swing will require big investment

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058312346/changing-your-swing-is-really-hard

Very curious as to why you want to change. I'd imagine at your level it's hard to make improvements to lower your index.

Have you a physical problem or are you looking for something else (eg distance)?

Russman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121070772#Comment_121070772

This exactly.

Is it for aesthetics or is your swing stopping you getting lower ? If it's not injury related or something, I wouldn't bother tbh, and take pride in doing it differently and VERY well, as a 2 H/C.

Also, changing your swing can mean pretty much anything from incremental changes, tidying up some bad habits, to a complete revamp of your action.

Just my tuppenceworth.

Quahog217

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121070721#Comment_121070721

I agree it takes a lot of time. I was listening to the hack it out podcast earlier and they made the point that when practicing new movements its best done without a ball a lot of the time as we tend to just revert to our old habits when the ball is there. And then try to bleed it into hitting balls over time.

Quahog217

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121070807#Comment_121070807

Partly for distance, I hit it quiet short and spinny a lot of the time. My driving has been very bad this year. And partly to try improve my miss with wedges/irons which is always left.

Russman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121071386#Comment_121071386

I'm certainly no expert and haven't been quite as low as 2, but I'd say be careful. If its just a few small tweaks, its probably very doable. I'd be a bit more dubious of a complete change of your action. Its not scientific, but from everything I've seen over the years, most people are stuck with their swing after a certain period of time, or maybe with their swing DNA is more accurate, if that makes sense. I fight the right side miss myself (I'm a lefty) and it always what I work on with the guy I get lessons from. He may say things slightly differently from lesson to lesson, but its the same couple of things all the time. Maybe that just shows I'm not able to change 😁

You say you've got a funky swing - that could make it hard for a pro to give a few tweaks as oppose to a rebuild. Like, where would he start if a Bubba Watson or a Jim Furyk came for a lesson ? Much easier to work with something somewhat conventional. Make sure you pick a pro who knows you and your game, your goals etc. IMHO that will be half the battle.

Quahog217

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121072342#Comment_121072342

Thanks. I have been to multiple top coaches around the country over the years. I enjoy going for lessons and hearing different opinion's. The scary thing is you can get completely different advice. And I'm not saying they are bad coaches at all. Some of them have coached major winner, tour players and Internationals.

I think your point about finding the right coach is very apt. I'm beginning to think going back to basics is the way forward. and try just a little better at what I already do. Maybe work on some fitness to pick up a few yards and work on centering the strike with the driver.

soverybored1878

I started playing 2 years ago and never took a lesson, just picking things up from friends, the internet and trial and error. It's managable but wildly inconsistent.

Went to a coach and turns out I'm coming over the top. It's so ingrained that no matter how hard I try or whatever drills, it just won't go away. It's very disheartening.

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121079282#Comment_121079282

Did you play hurling or tennis by any chance?

I played hurling and it definitely helped with picking up the swing mechanics. When I started to progress a bit, I plateaued pretty quickly. It was lessons that made the difference. My pro would make some adjustments over time (grip, path, ball position and takeaway). A slice turned into a draw, and my speed and distance went up also. Just being more efficient and consistent. However, the lessons were of no use without practice sessions twice per week and a round each Sunday.

Stay away from amateur swing "experts" and the internet. Honestly, it's a waste of time and just brings headworms. Get a decent pro on board and buy a few lessons for a discount. Stick with it and it'll gradually click into place. There will be plenty of chunks, tops, $hank$ and thins along the way. We still all get them just less often as we improve.

Ultimately it is always down to consistent reps and drills done in the correct fashion. Same as any other sport or even studying a subject for an exam. Golf is easy to play but hard to master and we're not all savants who can become scratch overnight. There's a large element of grind to improve and not "this one simple fix solves everything, drives the pros crazy".

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084528#Comment_121084528

However, the lessons were of no use without practice sessions twice per week and a round each Sunday.

I had lessons earlier this year that changed both my grip and my swing and it's definitely very hard. I've noticed a bit of an improvement, but I've also realised that:

1. Improvement is going to be really limited if you're not playing a round at least weekly as you'll just forget too much
2. The range isn't a substitute for playing a round. The range has its uses but it's just not the same.

Ottoman_1000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084713#Comment_121084713

I agree to an extend about the range, it can be a complete waste if you're just bashing ball after ball without thought. But for me, I use range sessions, I also have a net a home, just to get a more natural feel in my swing. I have to be hitting a lot of balls for my swing thoughts to become more natural/ingrained to me...I play off 7 currently and most of the guys I play with are in or around the same, 1 or 2 of those guys can go 2/3 weeks without looking at their clubs and rock up on a Sunday and their game will be pretty much intact. If I go 2 or 3 weeks without touching a ball, it could be the 7th hole by the time I hit anything that resembles a decent golf shot.

REFLINE1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121085431#Comment_121085431

Very much in this category myself although not playing as low as you. Once i take a break of more than a week or so it really sets me back and I struggle to get the good feels again for a while.

Ottoman_1000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121088915#Comment_121088915

Ya, for me it's tempo, I'm not an aggressive striker of the ball ala Rory and the likes. My best swing is a smooth, almost effortless stroke...The plus side for this for me, is when I'm playing regularly and well, there is very little that can go wrong, no wild snaps or mad pushes or shanks, it's almost boring golf tee to green and the days I don't score is because my putting is letting me down. The negative on this for me, if I go 5or6 days without swinging a club my tempo is well off and I spend 6 odd holes trying to find my grove, a good example of this is. I was over in Spain last week for my friends wedding and we managed to sneak in a round. I hadn't played in almost a month for various reasons so I wasn't expecting a lot. I had a grand total of 7pts on the front 9 which included 4 scratches! The back 9 I was level par and I missed birdie putts on both 17 and 18 from inside 10ft to go under. I think it's more physiological at this stage, I have it in my head that I'm not going to play well if I haven't played or hit a ball the weeks previous, and that thought is in my head standing on the 1st tee...

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084713#Comment_121084713

The context of the range practice I'm suggesting is only for bedding in a new tweak, technique or feel etc. You need reps and time to fundamentally absorb a change and commit it to muscle memory. The swing lessons have marginal value without putting them into practice.

However I'd agree that on course time is 100% more benefit to us weekend warriors. A grass range is also miles better than hitting off mats. Nowadays I'm not working on my swing so it's almost exclusively short game practice when I do get time. If I do hit the range it's to iron out the driver or hit a few longer clubs. My long will be up an down each round but short game is king. 32-35 putts and all the chips/pitches per round are probably the biggest influence on scoring.

Couldn't agree more with the last couple of posts about losing feel after a break from the game. It's the same as when I use to hurl. You'd be noticeably sluggish with your touch and eye after a break. Every training or game had a block of constant catch, fist touch and short strike fundamentals for this reason. I definitely find a parallel with golf.

BraveDonut

I can spend lots of time on the range - starting off hitting quite badly and then working through what I know I need to do to get to good shots.

However, I find it very difficult to bring it to the course - meaning I either start badly or completely revert to my old swing with problems. Any advice on bringing it to the course?

spacecoyote

Change your range practice. I'm assuming you're just hitting balls without any real pressure or focus. Make sure you change clubs regularly, and targets.

Try out games that add some pressure. Something like a 50 yard shot at a target the size of a small green. Round 1, 5 shots, and you have to get 1 in the zone. Round 2, 5 shots, and you have to get 2 in the zone, Round 3, 3 out of 5. You have to stop, or start again, if you fail any particular roind. Adds more pressure to each round as you progress.

Or try play your home course in your mind.

So, if you'd hit drive on the first, pick an area roughly the width of a fairway and aim through it. If you hit it way right and would be in trees, your next shot should be a 5i hit low and 30 yards "back into the fairway", etc...

IrishOwl...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058312346/changing-your-swing-is-really-hard

Any progress on the swing changes Quahog? I'm going through somewhat the same process myself and its draining.

TheRoomWrecker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121071364#Comment_121071364

100% agree with this! changes without a "outcome" like looking at a scruffy shot going out in a range are easier to make working with drills or a mirror etc, as its very hard to commit to a big or small changes when you see the ball not doing what you want it to do....can be soul destroying tbh

I made a big grip and takeaway change and spent most of the time working on it in a mirror during lockdowns when WFH (10 mins every hour pretty much during a working week) but I was adamant to change it. You have to commit and try enjoy the process along with trusting it.

FixdePitchmark

Have had a changed process last 9 months ...very hard as playing a long time and deep rooted flaws.

But have noticed my bad shots not as bad .

Hard work and lots of balls..and actually getting worse part of process.

Hard thing to do ..you can nearly wipe a full season..

At least this year worked on it in winter and going to leave it off and work with what I have from March on..

token56

I've just started to implemented some changes recently, at the moment a big enough change to my grip and other posture changes. Some more changes to come to over the next few weeks. It all feels very unnatural which is to be expected. I'm just about managing with my irons but really struggling to adapt the changes into my driving. I played my first round on the course last weekend trying the changes and had my worst driving round in a long time. But it is very early days yet that and just have to be patient. I know if I want to move up a level and get into single figure handicap ranges I have to get my issues fixed and I'm finally feeling confident in the instructor that I'm working with.

What is encouraging is that the shots that do come off feel really nice and I think I will pick up a bit more swing speed with little change in effort.

Quahog217

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121740387#Comment_121740387

I'm taking a different approach this year. No lessons. All my practice will be more skill based kind of like Adam Young stuff. Low point drills etc. Simple face control drills. Little and often is the plan and working well so far. I have also made a huge putting change going left hand low and got fit for a new putter so 10 mins a day on the putting mat for now to try settle in new technique. This in particular makes is making a huge difference. I actually switched to left hand low in October but only in the last few weeks been really good at finding 10 mins everyday to hit some putts. So far so good.

IrishOwl...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121748711#Comment_121748711

Ah very good, best of luck with it.

I've always putted left hand low. I don't know why, but i just can't get my head around the traditional putting grip.

billy3sheets

I've been left hand low for ages too. Padraig popularised it. Not sure if he still uses it. Among other things it helps to stop you being too wristy

IrishOwl...

Ya I've been putting that way since i was a kid. I'm guessing a coach or someone in the club started me on the trend...

Bizarrely my dad, played right handed but putted left. I've yet to come across anyone with set up since.

TrueDub

I'm in the midst of swing changes too. Having not played for a few years and scratched around in 2023, I booked lessons with a local pro who was recommended to me.

It's been a revelation. I've discovered flaws in my assumptions, which were colouring my thinking badly. I've changed my grip, causing a new setup routine. I've changed my takeaway, trying to get shallower, and my wrist break, and my hip turn. Essentially a new swing.

It's going well - I'm already more confident standing over the ball and I have positive things to think about, instead of "don't hit it fat, don't hook it into the trees". I'm never going to be an outstanding golfer, but I reckon I can enjoy the game more by playing better. Having just got my handicap before qualifying closed in October, I'm really interested to see what I settle at as I rack up the counting rounds.

Probably the greatest revelation came 10 minutes before the end of my most recent lesson. It turns out I've been aiming at the wrong point all my life - or at least thinking I'm hitting it at one point but actually aiming at another. I hit a shot and groaned about going left. The pro looked at me and said "that's a perfect line". He then showed me the aiming sticks he had at 10 yards, 20 yards, 100 yards etc. "You hit it straight over them all", he said. I was stunned.

Lots of practice needed, and lots of play. I can't wait!

slingerz

Changing your swing is an interesting thing. I think you should just swing your swing. Jim Furyk hadn’t the prettiest swing but he got the club face square at impact and that’s the name of the game

FixdePitchmark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121755299#Comment_121755299

Yes but you can have fairly fundamental flaws that - you are not going to be able to do that consistently .

I know we are not full time golfers - so it probably is unrealistic that we can do massive rebuilds.

But there are lots of players that were world number 1 - who made fairly serious changes to their swing.

For every Jim - there are 10 who have done changes.

VW 1

My cousin does this. Everyone in the family was left handed so only left handed clubs. She started putting left handed from young and never stopped putting like the rest of us even after she figured out she's right handed :D

ShivasIrons

There is function and there is form, the misunderstanding of these holds golfers back more than anything else.

slingerz

Plenty have done swing changes, often in the search for extra length and to their detriment for a number.