Playing with Feel Means Learning Golf Mechanics

Chuck Evans working with students

“But I’m a ‘Feel’ player!”

This is a phrase that always makes me smile. How can someone be a “feel” player without knowing what it is that they are trying to feel.

We learn feel from mechanics not vice versa. As a teacher it is impossible to teach someone feel but it is possible to help them understand the mechanics that will allow them to reproduce that mechanic into a feel.

You see there are two computers in golf.

1. The Brain

2. The Golf Ball

We must first program the brain to execute and send the necessary data to the golf ball via the hands. There is no such thing as “Muscle Memory” – muscles do not have brain cells! So all of the programming is done through the brain.

Players must have a vivid, clear picture of what they are trying to accomplish before it can be executed. This information is then sent to the hands to complete the motion.

Any shot you hit is perfectly executed based upon the information the golf ball received. If you top the ball, congratulations, you did everything absolutely correct to produce this result! If you want to change the outcome of the shot then program what you do want!

You see, the ball does not go into the water because it wants to – it goes in the water because it has to!

So basically we learn feel from mechanics not the other way around. If the player has a picture of trying to help the ball into the air then that’s exactly what they will do. Change the picture then the motion and result will change.

“But I’m a ‘Feel’ player!”

This is a phrase that always makes me smile. How can someone be a “feel” player without knowing what it is that they are trying to feel.

You see there are two computers in golf.

1. The Brain

2. The Golf Ball

We must first program the brain to execute and send the necessary data to the golf ball via the hands. There is no such thing as “Muscle Memory” – muscles do not have brain cells! All of the programming is done through the brain.

Players must have a vivid, clear picture of what they are trying to accomplish before it can be executed. This information is then sent to the hands to complete the motion.

You see, the ball does not go into the water because it wants to – it goes in the water because it has to!

The majority of golfers practice time is a fruitless and frustrating experience! practice game situations of the golf course on the range

Why?

Because they spend most of their time working on swing “mechanics” instead of practicing game situations.

Let me define this statement a little more.

While mechanics are certainly important I have personally seen players that have great golf swings but cannot play golf! They simply cannot get the ball in the hole! They are consumed with how their swing “looks” instead of scoring.

If you are working on mechanics focus on ONE aspect of the changes you are trying to make instead of ALL the pieces. NO one can think about 3,4,or even 10 different things when making a swing! So focus on the ONE piece that will have the MOST influence on your swing.

Put yourself in game situations. Hit shots from around the green – high, low, and mid trajectories and LEARN to control the clubface and your hands to hit these various types of shots. By learning how to control the golf ball around the green you WILL gain an understanding of clubface control which can then be incorporated into your full swing.

The beauty of putting yourself in game situations is two fold.

1. Experiencing the shot BEFORE you have to hit it on the golf course
2. It’s fun – make a game out of it and challenge yourself.

If you are having difficulty with a particular shot – for instance a high soft lob – then this will tell you to not leave yourself this shot when playing. It also tells you that this shot needs to be practiced until you are comfortable with it.

Remember, there is no value is practicing something you already do well, practice on the things that you DON’T do well!

In this article I am going to show you how to set up your video camera for analyzing your swing.

First, make sure that you have the shutter speed set on a minimum of 2,000 fps. Any slower then this and the club becomes a blur. Most camera nowadays have a “sports mode” so this will be fine.

Secondly the camera MUST be placed properly or you will not be able to accurately view the swing plane from the down the line view.

In the picture below you want to have the player in the middle of the frame when looking through the camera. The camera height should be at hands height and directly ON the hands. If the camera if too far out, toward the target line, then the club will ALWAYS look like it is moving under plane. Conversely if the camera is too far inside the hands, the plane will look like it is going too far to the outside.

From the face on view have the camera at hands height and directly on the hands. The camera should be 90 degrees to the player and the target line.

Follow these simple steps and you’ll be able to accurately assess your swing plane.

How To set up your camera

What Controls These Three Parts?

As players we NEED to understand that we MUST control the three parts of the golf club in order to strike quality golf shots. These three parts are:

1. The clubface

2. The clubhead

3. The clubshaft

These three parts MUST be controlled through three Stations – from Address, to the Top, and to the Finish.

You’ll notice that Impact is NOT included in these locations. Impact does not have the rank of a station simply because it happens if you have controlled the club through the three Stations.

1. The left hand controls the clubface and its job is to impart “Hinge Action” to the face supplying direction, trajectory, and curvature. These three “Hinge Actions” are known as (1)Vertical – a wall, (2) Horizontal – a floor, and (3)Angled - somewhere in between.

In a Geometrically correct golf stroke (ideal application) the Horizontal Hinge Action is used. This action works just like a door that is opening and closing. While on a Horizontal Plane it is clear to see that there is NO turning or rolling in either direction. But on an Inclined Plane of motion there is a turn to the right and a roll to the left.

2. The right hand – more specifically the first joint of the right index finger – controls the clubhead, its job is to sense where the clubhead is at all times and to direct the action of the clubhead.

Using what is known as the “Aiming Point Concept” the direction and point of location in the downstroke varies according to hand speed, and the club being used. The shorter the club the more in front of the golf ball the “Aiming Point” is.

For example, when hitting a greenside bunker shot the player should be looking at a spot behind the golf ball. This is because that’s where we want the club to strike the sand.

The same principle applies here. A wedge for example would be in front of the ball, a 5 iron would be at the ball, and a Driver may be behind the ball.

3. Finally, the clubshaft controls the Plane. The Plane is the angle that the club moves back and down on. It can stay on the same Inclined Plane back and down, shift to another angle, or even have several shifts during the stroke. The simplest is to NOT shift at all.

The next easiest is to only shift this plane angle once, then two shifts, then three shifts, etc. Annika Sorenstam, Tiger (when he’s on), Adam Scott, Michelle Wie, and host of others use either a “single” shift in their procedures. Nick Price, Nick Faldo and others use a “double” shift while Jim Furyk uses a “customized” plane and multiple shifts.

You can use any of these and obviously play great golf, but remember…

-ANY PLANE SHIFT IS DANGEROUS!-

Learn to control these three parts of the golf club and you will be on your way to golfing “Nirvana”.

Low and Slow….NO! Keep Your Hands Moving At The Same Speed For Better Distance.

Chuck Evans Golf - Endless Belt Effect -

Did you know that if you try and swing faster in the downstroke you’ll actually cause the clubhead to slow down! Take a look at this diagram and you will see how the club goes around the corner of the pulley.

Did the club speed up? YES! Did the belt speed up? NO!

YOUR hands are the belt and any attempt to speed them up in the downstroke changes what’s called the “surface speed” of the clubhead and SLOWS it down!

If you want to swing down fast then simply take the club back faster so that the back and down speeds match…just like the belt in the diagram.

Chuck Evans Golf

Playing with Feel Means Learning Golf Mechanics

Practice Game Situations for Golf

How to Position Your Video Camera for Golf Swings

As Players We NEED To Understand That We MUST Control The Three Parts Of The Golf Club In Order To Strike Quality Golf Shots

How You Can Improve Your Timing and Increase Your Swing Speed!

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