Swing Changes That Only Work When They Feel Wrong
If it feels different and awkward, it's probably working. If it feels the same, you haven't changed anything.
When retraining motor patterns in golf, the sensation of awkwardness isn't a flaw—it's a feature. This discomfort indicates that you're stepping out of ingrained habits and forging new neural pathways essential for lasting improvement.
1. Shallowing the Club (Feels Like You're Laying It Off Behind You)
For golfers accustomed to an over-the-top swing path, attempting to shallow the club can feel as though you're dragging it excessively behind your trail hip. This exaggerated sensation is necessary to counteract the dominant existing pattern. Research in motor learning suggests that amplifying the error during practice can enhance the brain's ability to detect and correct movement discrepancies, leading to more effective learning (Milanese et al., 2016).
2. Opening the Hips (Feels Like You're Spinning Out)
Many players believe they are rotating their hips adequately, but in reality, they may be under-rotating. Training to open the hips earlier in the downswing often feels like an over-rotation or spinning out. This exaggerated movement helps in developing a new motor pattern that promotes effective hip clearance, crucial for generating power and consistency. Motor learning studies emphasize the importance of varied practice and contextual interference to facilitate the development of adaptable motor programs (Magill & Hall, 1990).(Wikipedia)
3. Wrist Structure (Feels Like You're Bowing Too Hard)
Adjusting the lead wrist to achieve a flatter position at impact may feel like an excessive bowing or shutting of the clubface. However, this exaggerated feel is often necessary to replace a flippy, high-loft impact position with a stronger, more controlled one. Proprioceptive feedback plays a critical role here, as it allows golfers to sense and adjust their wrist positions more accurately during the swing (Proprioception and Motor Control).(Wikipedia)
How We Train It at ATX Golf Performance
At ATX Golf Performance, we specialize in transforming these awkward sensations into powerful, repeatable movements. Our approach is grounded in the latest motor learning research and tailored to each golfer's unique needs.
We employ:
Exaggerated Movement Drills: To disrupt old patterns and establish new ones.
Proprioceptive Training: Enhancing body awareness to fine-tune movements.
Variable Practice Structures: Incorporating contextual interference to promote adaptability and retention.
By embracing the discomfort that comes with change, our athletes develop swings that not only look better on video but also perform under pressure.
References:
Milanese, C., Corte, S., Salvetti, M., Cavedon, V., & Agostini, T. (2016). Correction of a Technical Error in the Golf Swing: Error Amplification Versus Direct Instruction. ResearchGate.
Magill, R. A., & Hall, K. G. (1990). A review of the contextual interference effect in motor skill acquisition. Human Movement Science, 9(3-5), 241-289.