golfrewind.com

I've read loads of instruction books and watched the DVDs, found quick fixes which have faded away, but haven't improved in a year.
I usually have half a dozen swing thoughts running through my head.
This weekend I had to put up a new fence in the back garden.
While hammering in a fence post with a very heavy sledgehammer, I realised that all my focus was on the top of the fence post - the part I wanted to hit. If I missed, as I did when I got tired, it wrenched my arms, so I really wanted to strike the post square on.
I was not thinking about the mechanics of swinging that hammer. No swing thoughts !!
So took that logic to the range today. focused entirely on a spot on the ball I wanted the clubhead to strike - guess what ? My slice with the driver, which haunts me relentlesly, was replaced by a straight flight. All through the bag I was rewarded with lovely shots. So is this another quick fix or am I onto somrthing?

Hard to say until you play more and see if your fix holds up. But what's interesting is how you didn't need a hammer "Swing Coach" to learn how to hammer a post into the ground. Makes you wonder if we golfers really need all those golf instructors just ot hit a stupid white ball. Ever hear of a carpentor having a Swing Coach, just to hammer in a nail? I doubt it.

You're onto something. There's a friend of mine who plays mini-tour events and $2,000 money matches on weekends (he can play) says he doesn't look at the part of the ball he wants to hit.... he looks at the DIMPLE he wants to hit.

Another friend, who coached Gary Player in the 60's and 70's, keeps it simply to "look at the back of the ball."

Either way, you're on to something.

As long as it works for you...
I pick a dimple about 1/4" from the back of the ball, and that's what I try to swing through. It's helped me tremendously.

Well there goes the golf instruction industry down the toilet. Now they'll have to get real jobs. IB

Wow, I'll try that next time i'm on the course or on the range....I'll let you know what happens.

The "hammer" idea has been used by Natural Golf for several years . . .

The Natural Golf Method: Fundamentals of Better Golf from Moe Norman

That's it mate, keep focusing on a dimple or a letter from the wording on the ball thats on the back inside quadrant and swing through it. Has really helped me although i dont always get it spot on. Where abouts are you in England, i am on the south coast and the weather has put a stop to golf over the last 5 or 6 day's.

I'm in the Midlands Kevan, and the rain prevented play last weekend, and I was gonna play 9 after work tonight but it was thundering and torrential rain !! What happened to global warming ?

There are no quick fixes in golf or in life. It may be that your new focus on the a dimple will help you hit a ball. Whatever works.

Long term improvement will come from a better mental approach (course management, confidence, etc.), improved physical ability (flexibility, strength, etc.), and a better swing (setup and execution). Followed by practice.

Even then, the golf gods will always mess with your head, so improvement is not guaranteed.

This does work. This is how learned to hit a baseball. I was taught to never take my focus off of the laces until after I felt the ball hit the bat. Its not foolproof, I know because I'm one of the fools that disproved it. But on the 2nd or 3rd tee once I'm settled into my game. I pick a one word swing thought to say to myself and focus on that one dimple and nothing else and hit solid drives. Well until I hit a bad one a couple holes later.

I think everyone except for OnePutt is missing the bigger point here... it's not that he is thinking about hitting a single dimple, it's that he isn't letting those 5 other thoughts cloud his focus. Every good round I have ever played was almost thought free, just step up and hit it. Conversely, when I am trying something new and go out there with "ideas" on how to swing the club a little better, I feel like I am searching for a good shot all day.

Focusing on a dimple or a letter is good, and if it is the trick that gets you to forget the other thoughts then definitely stick with that. Just try to keep the game simple, just like hitting that nail.

I offer this word of caution.

Don't quit AT the ball.

When you're sledghammering a post into the ground, you can give up a bit just before impact. In golf, that is a recipe for disaster.

Right, tried this technique on the course for 1st time yesterday and shot my lowest ever score - 83 !! And this with erratic putting. I think 505 zoom has a good point, focusing on the ball clears the mind of swing thought clutter, thats how it seemed yesterday.