A karate chop

Karate chop and golfHere’s an analogy:

A good karate chop is one technique done 1000 times. Not 1000 different chops done once.

The golf swing is the same – you want to find your golf swing and then keep doing it over and over.

Why?

Because when a karate person gets attacked in the street they want to be able to hit the attacker with their best shot – the technique they’ve mastered. This is not the time to try some fancy new technique that hasn’t been learned and perfected.

The same goes for the golfer. When the pressure is on you want to useyour golf swing. You can’t be searching for some new swing. Better you bring the one you have used thousands of times and the one you know works.

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10 Comments

  • Steady

    Reply Reply December 21, 2009

    Hi Cam,
    Great analogy. Yet I must confess that approx 7/10 black belts get smaked by street thugs because they can’t handle adrenaline. The good thing about auto golf is it gives the tools to handle stress and adrenaline when under the pump.
    Don’t get caught in the headlights.

  • Tony Lucas (Lukey)

    Reply Reply December 21, 2009

    Hi Cam
    I take your point but what if you have a swing that is not consistent (my problem)are you not then left in a quandary as to which swing is the correct one.From time to time I swing round my body that results in a big pull hook that does not leave me within a bulls roar of where I should be.Your thought on this would be interesting ?
    Cheers Lukey

  • DP

    Reply Reply December 21, 2009

    Lukey,
    I have had more different swings and swing thoughts than anyone I know.
    Two weeks ago I woke up while watching Cam Strachan doing his powerstool drill and have been delighted with the new feeling which I know is as natural as possible.
    If you sit on a swivel chair or any chair and swing back, parallel to the ground, you can go to only one place if you swing reasonably fully.
    The position is a quiet rolling of the wrists with easy unforced right elbow bend next to the side of your chest, comfortably supporting the club ( also your left elbow must bend unless you consciously force the club backwards off track). You will then want to swing down with arms first because this is what feels right when you are seated.
    This is what Cam wants us to do if you watch his videos.
    Most important – must be relaxed in order to allow these movements to occur.
    I will be interested to read Cam’s comments about this and the use of the swivel stool which I would like to try.
    Cheers,
    DP

  • Cameron Strachan

    Reply Reply December 21, 2009

    @ Steady: I’ll take your word for it about the black belts 🙂

    @ Lukey: I think this is a story you’re making up. Your swing won’t change that much. To the naked eye it will be exactly the same – even with high tech equipment your swing will not differ that much – despite how it feels.

    This is why I gave up on thinking swing and went with what was comfortable and natural. Much better than trying to fiddle all the time and guessing what I was doing wrong. Your swing is the one you feel comfortable with – stop thinking and just swing!!! You won’t be disappointed.

    Also, DP is not wrong. He does everyone’s head in with all of his different swings (i hope he reads above because he needs too). He is always searching for a swing to get him through the day – although he can play well he is always in searching mode and rarely in playing mode.

    I’m hoping the power stool drill will help him.

    The best way to find your swing is to learn to play automatically – this is foolproof. After all, your subconscious is hardly going to be too far wrong.

    Good golfing,

    Cameron

  • Tony Lucas (Lukey)

    Reply Reply December 21, 2009

    Cam and DP
    Thanks for your input and recommendations and I will take them all on board and continue to stick with the auto process as I know it will work.Played today and things worked pretty good so I look forward to things continuing that way.
    Cheers Lukey

  • Cameron

    Reply Reply December 21, 2009

    @ Lukey: Keep going. From what I see I think you are still struggling to let go. Stick with the process – have some fun and don’t try so hard. The scores will come.

    Good golfing,

    Cameron

  • Gregor

    Reply Reply December 21, 2009

    Cameron
    I like the analogy because when you have to react to something you don’t think about it. You do whatever is natural. In golf we have time before the round or time between each shot to think about our swing.
    Recently I have been trying to think about re-commiting to my routine after a bad shot so that I am not thinking about what went wrong. I hit the odd hook or duff during a round of course, but I am starting to find that I don’t have 2 or 3 in a row, because I don’t try to find the cause of the bad shot, I just play the next one. Seems to work
    Gregor

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