Feeling the Whole Golf Swing

The proliferation of golf instruction that emphasizes golf mechanics and positions in the golf swing often stifles many golfers’ improvement and enjoyment of the game. The focus on conscious attempts at controlling parts of the golf swing and parts of the body may be at the cost of the body/mind feeling a sense of the whole golf swing. Focusing on conscious control of golf swing mechanics rather than the feel of the whole golf swing is at odds with how our body/mind learns physical motor skills.

For example, we learned to walk through the kinesthetic feel of the whole movement and not by focusing on legs, hips, arms, positions, or mechanics. The complex motor skill of walking was achieved rather easily because it was learned instinctively at an age before the conscious mind had developed enough to interfere by focusing on individual parts of the body and movement. We learned to walk through the feeling of all the body parts involved moving in unison. The brain recognizes body movement as a whole, all body parts working in unison to support an intention.

Might our golf swing benefit by taking a page out of a child’s learning process prior to developing the “ability” of the conscious mind to interfere, control, and instruct? Are you courageous enough to let go of golf swing mechanics and golf swing technique to open to the innate wisdom of your body/mind instincts? Can you let go of conditioned fear of “losing your golf swing” to explore your full capabilities? Once you let go of “losing a proper golf swing” you open to the possibility of finding the best golf swing that works for you!

My experience has been that once a golfer establishes the foundations of an effective golf grip, golf stance, and the posture necessary to use the implement of a golf club effectively, through the kinesthetic feel of the whole golf swing, the body/mind instinctively learns a proper golf swing and a simple golf swing through trial and error. This happens when functioning in a safe, supportive learning environment – where there are no “mistakes” only learning. Similar to the process of learning how to walk, the body/mind’s innate intelligence can guide you to learn how to swing a golf club effectively through feeling the whole golf swing.