Golf is challenging because the golfer must focus on feeling what the body is doing.  Being in tune with the body is very difficult for most golfers because the focus of most golfers is to try to hit the ball or try to help the ball up into the air.  This focus on the ball prohibits any focus on feeling what the body is doing.

If the golfer is successful in focusing on feeling what the body is doing, the next challenge is to accept the fact that what the golfer feels in the body in order to execute a successful golf swing is not reality.  By this I mean that what is felt must feel exaggerated.  The reality is what is felt as being an exaggerated motion would actually measure much less than what is felt.

Here are some examples of exaggerated feelings must be felt:

Grip Pressure – Most golfers grip the club too hard.  This tight grip prevents the wrists from moving efficiently.  The grip pressure must feel like a pressure of 2 where 10 is maximum pressure and 1 is minimum pressure. What feels like a pressure of 2 would actually measure more.

Aim Parallel Left – Most golfers turn their heads to much to the left to check their body alignment.  This causes the body to aim too much to the right.  In order to align the body correctly, parallel left, the golfer must feel as if the body is aiming left.  What feels like aiming left would actually measure parallel left.

Tilting the Pelvis – Most golfers feel self-conscious about sticking their buttocks back in order to develop correct posture in the golf setup.  But if the focus is on tilting the pelvic floor up and back, it accomplishes the same thing.  What feels like an exaggerated tilt of the pelvis is actually perfect posture.

Change of Direction – Most golfers do not have a rhythmic swing. The biggest factor preventing a rhythmic swing is the transition.  A quick transition results in a jerky swing.  It requires patience to feel the half-second pause before starting the down swing.  This pause provides the time to feel the loading of the right forearm and the hands and to feel the energy gather at the start of the down swing.  What feels like a half-second pause would actually measure a one-tenth second pause and appear as a more rhythmic swing to the observer.

Action of the Fingers – The stretch of the little fingers as described in my blog post, “How to Use the Fingers,” is key to preventing the right hand from overpowering the left hand.  What feels like an exaggerated action of the fingers is invisible to the observer.

Vertical Motion Creates Horizontal Motion – The vertical motion of the right upper arm as described in my blog post, “Feel an Efficient Swing,” creates horizontal motion of the golf club.  It is difficult for the golfer to believe that vertical motion will cause the golf club to move horizontally.  Trying to move the golf club by moving the arms in a horizontal motion is a very inconsistent and inefficient motion.

Use Less Force – Most golfers swing with too much force.  If the golfer used what feels like 30% less than their usual force, the swing will be more rhythmic, the contact will be more solid, and the ball will travel straighter and farther.  What feels like using less force will appear as a more rhythmic swing to the observer.

The exaggerated feelings that the golfer feels is not reality but correct. Embrace focusing on feeling what the body is doing in order to become a better golfer.