Develop "Feel" in Your Golf Swing with a Golf Fitness Program

Probably what separates the PGA Touring pro and the amateur golfer is "feel." Every pro I know can "feel" where the club and clubhead are at any point during the swing.

Not an easy task, especially for the weekend golfer.

Many amateurs struggle with the idea, concept, or understanding of how to develop "feel" for the swing. It is a process that requires time, patience, and practice.

Part of the process of developing "feel" for the golf club is through proprioception. This may or may not be a term you have heard, but it is vitally important to the golf swing.

Proprioception is a big word that, simply put, is defined as "knowing where your body is in space." Essentially, it means consciously knowing where your body is when moving, what your limbs are doing, and in what order. To simplify it further, it is feel. Some of us are better at it, others worse.

The good news is that you can improve your proprioception, or your feel.

Think about this for a moment: what is one of the most important aspects of improving your golf swing?

It is "feel" for the golf club at every position within the golf swing. Beginning with address, into take-away, your backswing, downswing, and follow through. "Feeling" where the club is at every moment is key.

PGA Tour pros "feel" the club during the swing, or in other words they have excellent proprioceptive abilities. As a result, they have the ability to make the little adjustments that are crucial in the golf swing. Additionally, their outstanding level of proprioception allows them to know what is going on with their golf swing the majority of the time.

How do you develop your ability to better "feel" the golf club and clubhead?

First and foremost, your development of better golf swing mechanics is center stage. Understanding the mechanics and where the clubhead should be is the first step.

This allows you to consciously know and practice the positions of where the golf club and body should be at any moment in the golf swing. Mentally understanding golf swing mechanics allows you to have a "map" to refer to when developing your golf swing.

Secondly, when it comes to golf swing mechanics we look at practice. We all know the body learns a new movement through repetition. The mind and body learn either the correct or incorrect golf swing through practice.

This is the point where the proprioceptive or "feel" abilities of your body for your golf swing begin to form. The movement pattern begins to be ingrained as you continue to practice your golf swing.

This is where the third component of developing "feel" comes into play. The third component of developing "feel" is the body.

Golf swing mechanics are performed by your body, and, as a result, the body is critically involved in developing feel in your golf swing.

Developing feel is linked to your nervous system and the ability of the brain/nerves to input/output information efficiently.

Improving the process by which your brain and nerves input (learning the golf swing mechanics) and output (execution of the golf swing) has a direct effect on your ability to feel the club.

How do you improve the proprioceptive qualities of the body that directly affects your ability to feel the golf club? Improvement in this area lies within performing exercises that increase the efficiency with which the nervous system operates.

Exercises that improve proprioception and "feel" during the swing are called balance exercises. Balance exercises challenge the nervous system, creating more efficiency in the input/output system of the body.

Better balance allows for the body to learn new movements (i.e. golf swing) more quickly and efficiently. Additionally, these exercises increase the ability of the body to "feel" athletic movements like the golf swing.

In summary, we have three components that improve our "feel" for the golf club. Number one is an understanding of golf swing mechanics. You must have a conscious "road map" of the golf swing. This allows you a reference point to develop the correct swing mechanics.

Secondly, practice is required. The body learns through repetition. Practice allows the brain and the body to learn the movement sequence of the golf swing. Practice is also the point where the body begins to develop the proprioceptive qualities required for the golf swing.

Finally, you need to develop the proprioceptive capacities of the body itself through balance exercises. These types of exercises improve the input/output system of the body allowing for improved learning capacities by the body, better "feel" of where the body is in space, and a greater capacity to "feel" the golf swing.

All in all, it is a combination of developing these three entities within your golf swing and body that creates "feel" for the swing. They all work together and cannot be separated.

If you truly want to develop a PGA-Tour-type swing, you will need to have a better understanding of the golf swing, practice, and development of the body.

About the Author

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. To learn more about Sean and his golf fitness programs go to http://www.seancochran.com

Develop the Correct Golf Swing for Women with Golf Fitness Training

The woman golfer has a myriad of questions on how to develop the correct golf swing as does most any amateur. The questions from woman golfers center on a myriad of topics such as; how to hit the golf ball farther, how to develop a more repeatable golf swing, how do I hit half shots with my wedges, what are good putting drills? The list can go on and on in relation to the woman golfer and how to improve their golf swing. An area that is now presenting more and more questions from the woman golfer centers upon golf fitness. Questions such as; what are good golf flexibility exercises, and how can golf fitness exercises help me drive the golf farther? These and many more questions are arising in relation to golf fitness and the woman golfer.

It is well known on the LPGA tour the number of players utilizing golf fitness programs to improve their golf game. Annika Sorrenstam has publicly stated the benefits she has received in her golf game from golf fitness training. One area that always appears to be a concern for the woman golfer is distance. How to hit the golf ball farther and Sorrenstam does hit the ball a long way, and utilizes golf fitness training. A simple connection can be drawn between increased driving distance, women golfers, and golf fitness exercises. The bottom line is this; golf fitness exercises can benefit the distance of drives for the woman golfer.

The questions that need to be answered are how and why. First off an understanding of increased distance, the golf swing, and the woman golfer needs to be addressed. Driving distance is contingent upon clubhead speed. The faster the clubhead is traveling at impact with the golf ball. The golf ball will travel farther, an easily understood concept.

Clubhead speed in the golf swing is contingent upon two components. Component number one is golf swing mechanics. The biomechanics of the golf swing in and of themselves create clubhead speed. It centers upon physics and the coiling/uncoiling of the body during the golf swing. In relation to improving clubhead speed and golf swing mechanics. The more efficient the woman golfer performs the mechanics of the golf swing. A greater amount of energy can be developed and transferred into the golf ball as a result. First and foremost for the woman golfer; the development of efficient golf swing mechanics can improve driving distance.

The second component of increasing clubhead speed is the body. Remember, the body is the implement swinging the golf club. It is the woman's body executing the biomechanics of the golf swing. In addition it is also the body generating power for the golf swing. Power is the ability of the body to generate the greatest amount of force in a short amount of time. Increase the ability of the body to generate more power within the biomechanics of the golf swing. An increase in clubhead speed can occur. How does the woman golfer increase power outputs of their body? This is where the implementation of golf fitness exercises can be a benefit. Golf fitness exercises can increase the power outputs of the body. Power golf fitness exercises increase the ability of your muscles to develop more force within the golf swing.

How do golf fitness exercise achieve this outcome? Golf fitness exercises develop the body around the golf swing: Very different than ordinary fitness training or aerobic classes. Golf fitness exercises develop the required flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power within the body for the golf swing. This allows the body to execute the biomechanics of the golf swing correctly. In addition, golf fitness exercises can improve the swing in areas such as clubhead speed.

This is accomplished with golf fitness exercises training the body in the positions, movements, and physical requirements of the golf swing. This allows for the proper levels of flexibility, balance, endurance, strength, and power to be developed within the body. Improving the capacities of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power can improve the ability of the body to perform the golf swing and increase distance.

To summarize, the questions surrounding women and developing the correct golf swing are many. How to improve the golf swing through golf fitness exercises is one of these questions, and one specific area within this topic is distance. Increasing distance is contingent upon increasing clubhead speed. Improving clubhead speed centers upon golf swing mechanics and the body. Improving the efficiency of the golf swing mechanics will allow a greater transfer of energy into the golf club, thus improving clubhead speed. The second component of distance lies within the body and its ability to generate power. Increasing the power outputs of the body will enhance clubhead speed. Power outputs of the body can be improved through golf fitness exercises. These exercises differ than normal gym based exercises in that they develop the body around the swing. This allows for the proper levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power to be developed within the golf swing.

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2004 Masters, 2005 PGA, and 2006 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. To learn more about Sean and his golf fitness programs go to http://www.seancochran.com