Same is a word that is seldom used in describing the golf swing.  If you want to be a good golfer, you need to focus on doing the same. Same is not the goal of the poor player.  The obvious discrepancy occurs when comparing the practice swing and the swing used when the ball is present.  Most poor golfers have a much better practice swing.  When the ball is present, poor golfers use a different swing, not the same swing that was used for the practice swing.

Same starts with a consistent pre-shot routine.  The pre-shot routine should put you in the mind set of doing the same routine.  If you use a practice swing, focus on using the same swing when the golf ball is present.  Poor golfers have smooth swings for their practice swings but use a jerky swing when the golf ball is present.

Same is the focus in using the same rhythm during the golf swing.  Most poor golfers are not even aware of their rhythm or if they are, they are not using an effective rhythm.  Good golfers have an effective rhythm and they repeat the same rhythm with every swing.

Same is the focus when building and releasing energy during the golf swing.  A big trap is the driver swing.  Good golfers swing the driver using the same swing that they use to swing the wedge.  Poor golfers use a harder swing to swing the driver.

One way of focusing on the doing the same is to take the person out of the swing.  Poor golfers relate their swings to something very personal such as “I need to make a good swing”, “don’t hit it into the water”, “I need to make a par”, etc.  All of these thoughts and all other similar thoughts focus on what the golfer must do.  Good golfers have a different attitude.  Good golfers focus on executing the same swing.

Taking the person out of the swing is not easy.  You must look at yourself not as a person, but as a machine, platform, or robot that is built to swing the golf club.  A swing machine is expected to do what it is designed to do the same way every time: produce good golf shots.  Your focus is to only do the same thing and not let distracting thoughts make you to swing differently.

One tip that helps to take the person out of the swing is given by Ben Hogan in his book Five Lessons.   In his book, Ben Hogan says to visualize a pane of glass resting on your shoulders that slants from your shoulders to the ball.  The objective is to keep your back swing and down swing below this pane of glass.  If you lift your arms too soon you will break through the pane of glass.  The “engine” of the golf swing is the right side that controls the arms and hands.  On the down swing feel the right side, or “locomotive”, pull the arms and hands “the caboose” down and through the “tunnel” formed by the imaginary pane of glass.  Now you have an image of a tunnel formed by an imaginary pane of glass and a train locomotive pulling a caboose down and through a tunnel.  It is no longer about the person needing to accomplish a goal.  Your focus is about making that locomotive go through the tunnel using the same for each swing.  Ben Hogan called the movement of the hips, upper body, arms, and hands as “the machinery”.  Ben Hogan is telling you the secret on how to develop a repetitive swing.  Think of machinery swinging the club instead of a person swinging the club.

The best way to become a good golfer is to not get distracted and to do the same for each swing.  The best chance to not get distracted is to take the person out of the swing.  The best way to take the person out of the golf swing is to think of a machine swinging the club.  One way to take the person out of the golf swing is to use Ben Hogan’s tip to have the machine swing the club back and through while keeping the arms beneath the pane of glass.

If you are serious about improving your golf swing, develop one swing that you can focus on doing the same.