How to trust your golf swing [part 2]

In yesterday’s lesson I discussed the important of trusting your golf swing. Today’s lesson is going to go deeper. Here are some practical drills you can use to build trust and help remove the straitjacket from your game.

• Hitting shots with eyes closed – Start at home in the backyard or garage. Without a ball, make swings with your eyes closed. Instead of thinking technique, place your attention on what you can feel and hear. Later you can introduce a ball and move to the putting green. Progressively hit longer and longer shots with all of your clubs. Be sure to to keep things safe and don’t try and go too quickly. Enjoy the experience of swinging and feeling and hearing what happens with YOUR swing. For many this will be an eye opener (pardon the pun) that will help unlock your senses and help you experience something extraordinary.

• Test your limits – By performing tasks that might seem impossible or just push your boundaries will help you learn and build trust. Have you ever tried to escape from a bunker with a six iron? Hit an eight iron 160 metres? What about swinging with one hand or playing in reverse? Don’t try and figure out how to do it, make an attempt and feel what is happening. By exploring your limits you are increasing the chances of remarkable, learning new things and making the game fun. Open up – think outside the square and see what new shots and skills you can learn.
• Dare to be different – My advice is to ignore conventional advice if you want to remove the straitjacket. All of the coaches, tips and lessons out there can’t tell you exactly how YOU should play. The buck stops with you. Listen to your gut and have the courage to play how you want to play. Following traditional advice too closely makes you a clone. With most golfers disillusioned with their play it’s time to break the mold and play golf your way! I have learned to break the rules of course strategy and swing theory. Not only is this fun – but I am playing better than ever. I spent years trying to confirm to normality and was left disappointed. I wouldn’t swap my game now for anything, despite what the purists would say.
• Have the courage to take it to the golf course – The final step is to be brave enough to play this way out on the course. This is when it matters! It can take courage and fearless attitude but it’s well worth a few scars. It’s one thing to try something different and let go on the practice fairway, but it takes a real commitment to do it from the first tee onwards. Only the brave and those prepared to experience remarkable golf can do it. My best advice is to start with non competitive games (like playing a few holes by yourself) and then progressing to full out competition. This is when the fun really starts!

The above steps have transformed my game. I hope you can glean from these words the meaning of trusting your swing, letting go and playing the best golf you’re capable of. Give it a go and let me know how you go.

If you’d like to get the full story on trusting your golf swing, playing without fear and bucking the traditional golf learning system, please check it out over here.