Chapter 12: Changing Swing Mechanics
Most golfers, at some point, want to make changes in their swing mechanics to improve the reliability of their swing and their game. If you have decided to make a swing change, I hope it is because you have found a teaching pro you’re comfortable with and the pro has recommended the change rather than you reading the latest swing tip from a golf magazine.
The Problem
But there is a problem. Most of the experts in the field say that a swing change takes many, many repetitions of the swing. Weeks, months, and sometimes years of practice are needed before that swing change is fully ingrained into your mind and body. The mind-body holds tightly to habits. Your subconscious mind really likes emotional comfort. It does not like discomfort and it works very hard to prevent you from getting into uncomfortable situations. Any kind of change is new ground and the subconscious mind says in effect, “Wait a minute. We don’t want to go there. We don’t know what that’s about.” You consciously want to change your swing but your subconscious doesn’t want to. You have an internal conflict.