Is it just a matter of semantics? What’s the difference between golf exercises and golf drills? Are they just different methods of learning? Is one method more effective than the other? Let’s examine golf exercises vs. golf drills.
If you’ve followed some of my Instinctive Golf blog posts you probably realize that I often question traditional golf instruction methods and conventional “wisdom.” This will be no different.
Golf drills are generally attempts at repeating parts of the golf swing so that the golfer learns proper golf swing positions to try to put them together to form an effective golf swing. Golf exercises are generally movements with a whole golf swing focus with the purpose of stimulating abilities that already exist in one’s body/mind to perform an effective golf swing. For example, Awaken Your Inner Golfer includes golf exercises with variations in grip, swing, stance, use of subtle senses and imagination to stimulate innate adaptive abilities.
Comparing golf exercises and golf drills is not just a matter of semantics. It is about assessing the effectiveness of the modes of learning or improving your golf swing. Golf exercises connote using or activating an inner sense or ability that you already possess. Golf drills connote effort and repetition to force something into your bodily movements and golf swing.
Each golfer’s body and kinesthetic instincts are different. Does it make sense to force “correct” golf swing mechanics, golf swing positions and movement into each golfer’s unique body? Or does it make more sense to allow each golfer to explore different movements and use their innate adaptive ability in order to produce the “correct” movements and golf swing positions that produce the desired result of pure impact and an effortless golf swing?
Which method is indicative of effort, work, control and frustration and which method is indicative of effortlessness, fun, flow and instinctive response? Most importantly, which do you think might be more effective for long-term learning? Golf exercises help to quiet your mind and awaken your body where instinctive kinesthetic senses and movements reside. Golf drills tend to put the golfer up in their conscious thinking mind to try to control bodily movement, and even work against kinesthetic instincts. This is not how we are designed. Our subconscious body/mind is responsible for our bodily movements (along with thousands of other internal functions!) rather than our conscious thinking mind.
Golf drills may have value for professional golfers who are refining their already awakened instinctive movements, but some experts say that it may not be that the repetition of the drills produces improvement, but the deepening of the body/mind connection just through exercising their adaptive instincts while performing the drill.
“I know asking golfers who are learning
to move away from using drills is controversial,
but it’s a decision that studies (and my experience)
show will lead you to long-term learning.”
Michael Hebron (PGA Maser Professional)
(Golf Swing Secrets….And Lies,
Six Timeless Lessons)
One of the UK’s top sports scientists Chris Riddoch, in his book The Golf Swing, offers scientific analysis based on more than 200 research articles addressing both golf swing mechanics and effective learning and teaching strategies. He writes that the type of golf practice we undertake determines the progress that we make, and states, “If our practice involves simply repeating the same swing – searching for technical perfection – we’ll experience that most frustrating phenomenon – a learning plateau.” His research shows that stagnation comes from inappropriate practice, and that “practicing fixed golf swing mechanics effectively stifles the freedom of movement our joints require to exert fine control.” The research indicates that a better strategy for improvement would be practicing a variety of challenging golf shots outside of our comfort zone – called deliberate practice or creative practice. He presents the real life example of the development of one of the finest shotmakers in history, Seve Ballesteros, who learned and constantly challenged his golf swing while growing up swinging only a 3 iron on a sandy beach in Spain.
He encourages creative practice to allow the intelligence of our body/mind to “develop adaptable, self-correcting golf swings….it liberates us from the confusion and complexity of intricate golf swing mechanics…..and our bodies have the freedom of movement they require to produce subtly different swings with equal precision.”
A brief summary of golf exercises vs. golf drills follows:
- Golf exercises: Awakens something you already have.
Golf drills: Tries to force something in. - Exercises: Allows your body’s kinesthetic intelligence to express.
Drills: Tries to control your body’s movement through conscious effort. - Exercises: Stimulates right brain freedom and creativity.
Drills: Relies on left brain instruction, judgment and analysis. - Exercises: A whole swing focus; expanding awareness.
Drills: A segmented focus on parts of the golf swing; contracting awareness. - Exercises: Learning; self-discovery; internal; empowering.
Drills: Teaching; instruction; external; disempowering. - Exercises: Process oriented; fun; freedom.
Drills: Results oriented; work; restriction.
Golf exercises can be fun and stimulate self-discovery of the whole golf swing without trying to make a mechanically correct golf swing. Self-discovery of effective movement that works for your unique body tends to have a greater permanence in the body/mind than trying to fit your body into proper golf swing mechanics. Golf exercises also promote a quieting of your mind and an awakening of your instinctive kinesthetic intelligence.
Golf drills generally consist of work and effort and may not contribute to long-term learning and the feel of the entire golf swing. This results in the continual need to rely on mental effort and attempts at control. Research shows that a quiet mind allows the intelligence of the body to perform physical motor skills most effectively.
I believe your golf game will prosper more under the quality of your golf practice and the fun of self-discovery rather than the quantity of mechanical repetitions. The joy of self-discovery motivates. May you enjoy the exploration of your potential through a variety of golf exercises and discover your instinctive golf swing!
Keep it Simple Golf 