The "Hit Reflex"

[Big Johnny69]

Anyone have any drills to get that mentality out of the system? I'd really like to smooth my swing and tempo out, but just can't seem to get by that urge to knock the living snot out of the ball.

Am heading down one road now and I'll report back on my results, but anyone have any ideas on how to help with this problem??? I'd like to start swinging the club as opposed to hitting the ball.

Or is this even something that can be worked on??????

[jvincent]

Brain transplant is the only one I can think of.

I'm usually pretty Zen on the course but every now and then I "forget" that smooth and easy usually works better than "kill the ball"

[Big Johnny69]

Brain transplant is the only one I can think of.

I'm usually pretty Zen on the course but every now and then I "forget" that smooth and easy usually works better than "kill the ball"

So I guess I'm a hopeless cause then????

[BC MIST]

Anyone have any drills to get that mentality out of the system? I'd really like to smooth my swing and tempo out, but just can't seem to get by that urge to knock the living snot out of the ball.

Am heading down one road now and I'll report back on my results, but anyone have any ideas on how to help with this problem??? I'd like to start swinging the club as opposed to hitting the ball.

Or is this even something that can be worked on??????

www.clearkeygolf.com

"Double Connexion"

[Gapwedge]

Anyone have any drills to get that mentality out of the system? I'd really like to smooth my swing and tempo out, but just can't seem to get by that urge to knock the living snot out of the ball.

I am working on the same problem and find that I am swinging smoother on the course since I started using the Zelocity PureContact on the range. I can measure that a slower fluid backswing consistently produces better results.
________
Suzuki gn250

[Powerdraw]

i double the doubleconnexion.

[Started2k3]

One thing that I read on another forum that may help is to try to hit your driver 50yds, 100yds, 150yds, ... while taking a full backswing. At the shorter distances it is almost impossible to use the "hit reflex". Good luck. Chas

[Big Johnny69]

One thing that I read on another forum that may help is to try to hit your driver 50yds, 100yds, 150yds, ... while taking a full backswing. At the shorter distances it is almost impossible to use the "hit reflex". Good luck. Chas

Now that's the type of response I was looking for. Thanks Chas.

I would really like to become a swinger and not a hitter.

[Powerdraw]

Geoff, personnaly, so far this season, when i get off my game, i take one more club (or two in the wind), still make a full swing, but your noodle will tell ya to take it down a tone on the speed meter. great in wind as well. then build it back up.

i doubt very much you will go out on the course and hit driver 150yards. its a good idea on the range, but it would be fun that you can take something to the course.

[Big Johnny69]

Geoff, personnaly, so far this season, when i get off my game, i take one more club (or two in the wind), still make a full swing, but your noodle will tell ya to take it down a tone on the speed meter. great in wind as well. then build it back up.

i doubt very much you will go out on the course and hit driver 150yards. its a good idea on the range, but it would be fun that you can take something to the course.

Thanks for the idea, but I just need something to engrain that smooth swinging feel. And this driver drill sounds like it could do the trick. I'm pretty good at picking something up once I do it a few times. So just need something to get me started on the path to smoother swings.

[BC MIST]

Now that's the type of response I was looking for. Thanks Chas.

Two of us recommending "Double Connexion" may not be what you are looking for, however, reading it should radically alter your thought process, which currently is not right as evidenced by your requests for help. Hit impulse occurs because of FEAR and fear is caused by WHAT you think when you play on the course. Change what you think on the course, and fear is controlled, and when fear is controlled, your game will improve. "Double Connexion" teaches you what to think and how to practice how to play, when you practice. It is like a PhD thesis compared to Bob Rotella's finger paintings. While it is easy to dismiss this help as not what you are looking for, if you know what you are looking for when you think you see it, then why ask for help? Perhaps the help that you truly need is outside your current mindset and a willingness to think "outside the box," may help your game.

Having played golf with a hit impulse for too many years, believe me when I say that I understand what you are going through.

Reactions to poor play fall into 2 categories, (1) emotional, (2) analytical. Typical emotional reactions are anger, frustration, banging or throwing clubs, swearing, "I give up," trunk slamming, or constantly changing clubs. That is not a shot, but characteristic of someone who is looking for the magic bullet, the club(s) that are going to turn the game around. They don't exist because it is not the clubs, it is the player's way of thinking. Change your thinking; change your game. Negative reactions to bad shots reinforce the bad shots and you will tend to repeat them. Positive reactions to good shots reinforce the good shots and you will tend to repeat them. Therefore, get excited about your good shots and remain non-plussed about the bad ones. Find a set of club heads that look good when you put them down behind the ball and get a shaft that suits your method of swinging. Then, you must take the time to become friends with your clubs so that you after you know them and what they are going to do, your confidence in them soars.

When you hit a bad shot, analyze why. You need only look at two things: (1) where the ball started, (2) how the ball curved. If the ball started straight or right of target line, DO NOT change your swing. If your ball started straight or right of target line. but curved off line, the problem is club face position, and that is normally cured with a grip adjustment. Either reaction is a choice. One can be constructive, one obviously not.

There is nothing wrong with the suggestion above, to swing smoothly for specific particular distances. However, the problem is on the golf course, not on the range and it does not matter a hoot what the driving range swing is like unless you can take that to the course. The thinking that goes into this kind of "drill" is CONSCIOUS and if it remains CONSCIOUS when you play, you are unlikely to improve. "Double Connexion" teaches you how to combine the conscious thoughts necessary to make a mechanical change and a way of allowing the SUBCONSCIOUS swing you have to perform on the course, without FEAR.

As the suggestions from your previous thread "Looking for two drills" went unacknowledged, I may have wasted my time with the above response because you seem to be looking for another magic bullet that does not exist. This will definitely be my "final answer." But, I have seen a huge number of golfers who had/have the potential to become very good players, but their attitude prevented them from doing so. We played only once but I remember the swing, and there is no doubt in my mind that the potential to become accomplished is there. The solution, however, is likely outside what you want to hear.

[Started2k3]

Now that's the type of response I was looking for. Thanks Chas.

I would really like to become a swinger and not a hitter.

No problem, and yes I did mean for you to do this drill on the range. Hope it works for you.

[Big Johnny69]

Two of us recommending "Double Connexion" may not be what you are looking for, however, reading it should radically alter your thought process, which currently is not right as evidenced by your requests for help. Hit impulse occurs because of FEAR and fear is caused by WHAT you think when you play on the course. Change what you think on the course, and fear is controlled, and when fear is controlled, your game will improve. "Double Connexion" teaches you what to think and how to practice how to play, when you practice. It is like a PhD thesis compared to Bob Rotella's finger paintings. While it is easy to dismiss this help as not what you are looking for, if you know what you are looking for when you think you see it, then why ask for help? Perhaps the help that you truly need is outside your current mindset and a willingness to think "outside the box," may help your game.

Having played golf with a hit impulse for too many years, believe me when I say that I understand what you are going through.

Reactions to poor play fall into 2 categories, (1) emotional, (2) analytical. Typical emotional reactions are anger, frustration, banging or throwing clubs, swearing, "I give up," trunk slamming, or constantly changing clubs. That is not a shot, but characteristic of someone who is looking for the magic bullet, the club(s) that are going to turn the game around. They don't exist because it is not the clubs, it is the player's way of thinking. Change your thinking; change your game. Negative reactions to bad shots reinforce the bad shots and you will tend to repeat them. Positive reactions to good shots reinforce the good shots and you will tend to repeat them. Therefore, get excited about your good shots and remain non-plussed about the bad ones. Find a set of club heads that look good when you put them down behind the ball and get a shaft that suits your method of swinging. Then, you must take the time to become friends with your clubs so that you after you know them and what they are going to do, your confidence in them soars.

When you hit a bad shot, analyze why. You need only look at two things: (1) where the ball started, (2) how the ball curved. If the ball started straight or right of target line, DO NOT change your swing. If your ball started straight or right of target line. but curved off line, the problem is club face position, and that is normally cured with a grip adjustment. Either reaction is a choice. One can be constructive, one obviously not.

There is nothing wrong with the suggestion above, to swing smoothly for specific particular distances. However, the problem is on the golf course, not on the range and it does not matter a hoot what the driving range swing is like unless you can take that to the course. The thinking that goes into this kind of "drill" is CONSCIOUS and if it remains CONSCIOUS when you play, you are unlikely to improve. "Double Connexion" teaches you how to combine the conscious thoughts necessary to make a mechanical change and a way of allowing the SUBCONSCIOUS swing you have to perform on the course, without FEAR.

As the suggestions from your previous thread "Looking for two drills" went unacknowledged, I may have wasted my time with the above response because you seem to be looking for another magic bullet that does not exist. This will definitely be my "final answer." But, I have seen a huge number of golfers who had/have the potential to become very good players, but their attitude prevented them from doing so. We played only once but I remember the swing, and there is no doubt in my mind that the potential to become accomplished is there. The solution, however, is likely outside what you want to hear.

I appreciate the reply BC. Two things:

1) I don't think I feel fear. I just have that urge to hit the ball as hard as I can when I know that is not the best course of action to take. Its always a last split second decision while playing, just before impact.........SWING AS HARD AS YOU CAN is what goes through my mind. Its not fear, as much as I can tell, its just my instinct. I feel pretty confident in my game, but you never know what the sub-concious is trying to tell us.

2) And as for the other thread, "Looking for two drills", going unanswered, I haven't had a chance to try them yet. I've been real busy so any free time I've had I've been hitting the course with friends instead of the range. Once things quiet down a bit I'll get out the range and give the drills a try.

And thank you for the comment on my game. I have worked hard at the game, and have only been playing for 6 or 7 seasons.

[moochie]

I am with you Geoff as I have been struggling with this since day one. It is not fear but more of a primal instinct that the harder you hit something, the further it will go (case in point: slapshot in hockey). It is getting better the longer I play but still creaps in and stays for the duration. Using a 3/4 backswing fixes it for me when it does creap in.

[Big Johnny69]

I am with you Geoff as I have been struggling with this since day one. It is not fear but more of a primal instinct that the harder you hit something, the further it will go (case in point: slapshot in hockey). It is getting better the longer I play but still creaps in and stays for the duration. Using a 3/4 backswing fixes it for me when it does creap in.

You've obvioulsy have never played with me before moochie, my backswing is already 3/4 if not less.

[moochie]

Length is all relative (in golf too). A John Daly full backswing is obviously fuller that that of Allan Doyle.

I discovered this year that I am hitting the ball allot better with only a 3/4 backswing as attempting to make a full swing was causing me to straighten up and sway to the right. Having to make due with shorter.

[Big Johnny69]

Length is all relative (in golf too). A John Daly full backswing is obviously fuller that that of Allan Doyle.

I discovered this year that I am hitting the ball allot better with only a 3/4 backswing as attempting to make a full swing was causing me to straighten up and sway to the right. Having to make due with shorter.

A few years ago I made a conscience effort to shorten my back swing. So I kept working on starting my downswing once it felt like my hands had reached my ears. So I haven't looked at my swing in the mirror or on video in a while, but a comment overheard at a gathering this winter at Golf-O-Max was that I have the shortest backswing for the tallest guy he had ever seen. The way I see it, the shorter the swing, the less that can go wrong.

[Golftime]

The swish drill often helps. Turn a driver around and take a normal grip by the head of the club. Then take a series of swings and listen for the 'swishing' sound that the grip will make. The sound should be the loudest at the bottom of the swing. Make sure that you swing through to a normal finish position. Since there is very little weight in the grip you feel like you cannot 'strike' anything with it, so the tendency is to swing the club in a nice relaxed motion. The drill also has the benefit of giving you positive feedback on good rhythm.
Absorb the feeling of the swing and then carry that sensation over to a normal swing.

[dH]

I use the clearkey that BC_Mist talks about and I'm playing golf this year. Also my furthest drives have been easier swings. You got to much tension bro swing it like you are laying up before the creek. Ever notice when you do that and swing it slow it goes further and into the creek?

Either way clearkeys have changed my game. Used ema bit last year then stopped been doing it all year and brought my regular game down 8-10 strokes a game. Now I just need to learn how to stick a wedge from 80 in.. argh.

Anyone have any drills to get that mentality out of the system? I'd really like to smooth my swing and tempo out, but just can't seem to get by that urge to knock the living snot out of the ball.

Am heading down one road now and I'll report back on my results, but anyone have any ideas on how to help with this problem??? I'd like to start swinging the club as opposed to hitting the ball.

Or is this even something that can be worked on??????

[Powerdraw]

BC, if ever thinking of visiting quebec city, let me know, i think we could have a few too many after 18 or range time, would be a pleasure, mucho chin waggin.

Lets say Geoff plays to a Driver trait but actually is an analyser with just a pinch of Driver....now mother nature gave him some goods to work with but he might be playing outside his style, i know i did and still do at times.

choose your poison.

Geoff, its not just doubleconnexion or clearkeys its also knowing what type of player-trait you are and work from that strongest link.

cheers

[Gropper]

What are clearkeys????

[Hacker]

What are clearkeys????

Do you remember the "Invisible Jet" from the Wonderwoman TV show...............it had clearkeys

[Gropper]

LOL...thanks!

[Hacker]

LOL...thanks!

Seriously though, if you do a search on the site you should be able to find more info. There have been a couple of well written and informative posts on this topic over the past few months and I'm sure you can easily find them.

[GarthM]

What are clearkeys????

http://clearkeygolf.com/

[leftylucas]

This may sound really stupid and it started with me as a joke but it actually works. I also suffer from the nice smooth downswing to the macro-second decision to flail away. I thought of a tempo mantra that was funny but fit the driver swing. Like Feng Shui but mine is Full Schwing. I repeat it to myself in a nice relaxed manner on the practice swing and then I repeat it to myself during the actual swing. Oddly enough it works to help me find the right tempo to hit driver and prevents the rapid fire kill the ball thought.

[Powerdraw]

This may sound really stupid and it started with me as a joke but it actually works. I also suffer from the nice smooth downswing to the macro-second decision to flail away. I thought of a tempo mantra that was funny but fit the driver swing. Like Feng Shui but mine is Full Schwing. I repeat it to myself in a nice relaxed manner on the practice swing and then I repeat it to myself during the actual swing. Oddly enough it works to help me find the right tempo to hit driver and prevents the rapid fire kill the ball thought.

lefty, you might have stumbled on a section of clearkey by accident...Carey can take it to another level.

[little brit]

Geoff, you can take this one with a grain of salt coming from a newbie, but I have had issues with hit reflex, strongly right handed. I have found that if I concentrate more on left hand and sometimes remove my right forefinger and thumb off the club, it forces me to swing and not hit at the ball.

[Powerdraw]

Geoff, you can take this one with a grain of salt coming from a newbie, but I have had issues with hit reflex, strongly right handed. I have found that if I concentrate more on left hand and sometimes remove my right forefinger and thumb off the club, it forces me to swing and not hit at the ball.

holy crapolla batman!!!

aoeey doe jumping out of my shorts here, but NO.
oh contraire.

the right forefinger if placed well between the first knuckle and second knuckle on the right forefinger is LAG, secret of golf feel, the heaviness...that is swinging the sweetspot through the ball, through the downswing.

take the right thumb off if you will ala vijay, but note how his right forefinger stays...hes looking for a fade with a draw swing, but keeps the pressure and feel throughout...

always always always feel the clubhead-sweetspot with the right forefinger...no in wonder they call it a trigger finger...

dont tell me youve never seen Hogans home vid on the pacific showing this.

geez.

sorry little brit, but you are way off on this one....sounds like a bandaid but not the truth to good golf. my .02$

[little brit]

holy crapolla batman!!!

aoeey doe jumping out of my shorts here, but NO.
oh contraire.

the right forefinger if placed well between the first knuckle and second knuckle on the right forefinger is LAG, secret of golf feel, the heaviness...that is swinging the sweetspot through the ball, through the downswing.

take the right thumb off if you will ala vijay, but note how his right forefinger stays...hes looking for a fade with a draw swing, but keeps the pressure and feel throughout...

always always always feel the clubhead-sweetspot with the right forefinger...no in wonder they call it a trigger finger...

dont tell me youve never seen Hogans home vid on the pacific showing this.

geez.

sorry little brit, but you are way off on this one....sounds like a bandaid but not the truth to good golf. my .02$

Yes, I have seen it and I agree totally about the lag feel on the right forefinger. If the finger and thumb are off then you have even more lag. I have been scouring Golfing machine more than any other instruction. This tip comes from Brian Manzella, a Golfing Machine teacher. as a way to help with creating lag as a lot of people with a hit reflex are concentrating on hitting the ball and not allowing the club to lag. Removing the offender helps with that feel, in practice shots. I have used this with success and can hit straight shots with my thumb and forefinger totally off the club.

But as I said I am a newbie and just passing on a tip from a pro. So my ability to discuss the merits are negligible.