Re: Feel

>>>
I've often wondered what good athletes have that the rest of us don't.
<<<

Me too. So I asked a couple of my original teachers what they felt. They were both very good players. But they couldn't specifically answer except to say that they felt in control of the club and smooth. I always figured the difference in their control had something to do with their heightened ability to feel what they were doing.


>>>
Do you think that kind of ability might affect someone's ability to feel? That is, a golfer with poor proprioception will always have trouble feeling whether they're in the right positions and will have to do the best they can with video or a coach, while someone with good proprioception is better able to sense/feel the position their body's in.
<<<

Only speculation - I would think there are some who would fit that mold, BUT I don't think very many golfers have even tapped into a basic level of feel much less come close to their potential. For instance, how many people do you see with crappy swings who have nice practice swings. They're certainly not repeating their mechanics for the two swings. It's usually a difference in tempo and rhythm, which are feel-related.


>>>
If that theory holds any water at all, a related question is whether we can tune up our proprioceptors to develop better feel.
<<<

About this I have absolutely no doubt. My last teacher took me from having blindspots to a very heightened sense of awareness. That's why I understand exactly where Gallwey is coming from. I think awareness is crucial for self-correction. If you can't feel it, you can't fix it. No matter if you know the correct mechanics. The most elementary way you can prove that you can increase your awareness is by swinging with your eyes closed. With your eyes closed, even if you don't focus on a specific bodypart you should still feel your body attempting to maintain equilibrium.