The wisdom of the ages

There is a principle of learning to which many golf players and teachers adhere. This is the principle of not taking mechanical or mental swing thoughts to the course.

Put another way, it is about not trying out new swing methods or keys whilst actually playing. Needless to say, this is exactly what I've been doing (wrong) for the past umpteenth months and years. I know I should be testing all my (borrowed and reinterpreted) theories out on the range, but if you don't go to the range …

Anyway, the principle of not experimenting with or testing theories came to the fore (an appropriate word) just the other day. I realised that my obsession with maintaining a flat wrist was interfering with my ability to actually hit shots. I was too 'position' conscious; too mechanical, lacking freedom.

This realisation came to me after a few bad holes, when I decided to forget any mechanical thoughts and just hit the ball. The interesting thing was that my ball flight stayed virtually the same as when I was striving to keep my left wrist flat. As far as I know, and I don't actually know, my wrist must therefore have stayed relatively flat.

Now, this might mean that I have grooved my flat left wrist position sufficiently for it to have become automatic, without me forcing the wrist into this position. It could, however, be a temporary condition, so that I will soon return to my old wrist-cupping, over the top swing.

Anyhow, I have a plan. I intend to do as I think good golfers do, and that is rehearse that flat left wrist, one piece takeaway, etc. on my practice swing, and then set up and just swing away to the target, free as far as humanly possible from any mechanical thoughts.

That said, I also intend to stick with my stated keys of no swaying, no dipping and no bashing. I think these are not the kind of mechanical or technical thoughts that will disrupt a swing. These keys are more about taking a sensible approach to the game, which after all deals in very fine margins of error. Positions are not involved with these keys, they are more attitudinal, and are more closely related to finding a good rhythm or tempo.

The weekend looms large. The next round should be interesting.