Low handicappers share their go-to swing thought for pure contact

Every golfer has some sort of thought running through their head when they stand over the ball. Typically, these thoughts are about how to make the best contact with the ball.

These swing thoughts vary from player to player, but everyone has them. They usually change over time, but they’re always there. When you’re playing well, you want to hold onto that swing thought forever. And when you’re in a rut, you’ll think about anything else.

For those who are looking for a new swing thought, check out the entries below where a few of our single-digit handicappers at GOLF.com shared their current go-to swing thought.

1. Throw the medicine ball

When my swing is in a bad place, it’s usually a sequencing issue. Typically, my hips and lower body fire so quickly that my arms aren’t able to keep up. The result is a big slice that’s hard to control. Luckily, there’s one swing thought that always gets me back on track: I imagine myself throwing a medicine ball down at my trail foot. This visualization syncs up my body and arms while also preventing me from coming over the top, which is another result of my poor sequencing. I find it to be most effective with slow, rehearsal swings as it allows me to feel my muscles working and control the path that my arms travel on. — Maddi MacClurg (6 handicap)

2. Nail the checkpoints

I have a very analytical mind, so I try not to be super technical when thinking about my golf swing on the course because I’ll start overthinking it. I wouldn’t say I have so much of a swing thought right now, so much as I have a few mental checkpoint feels. My instructor and I measured my arms and determined I’m best swinging flat of what is considered “on plane,” so with my takeaway, I try to feel like my shoulders turn back and the club naturally follows to the inside with no manipulation from my hands. At the transition, I want to feel the swing start with the right hip, and then I want to feel the club and my right shoulder pass through my field of vision before I come out of my posture. That may seem overly technical, but to me it feels natural and it’s worked a long time. But who knows, I might change soon! — Jack Hirsh (2.1 handicap)

3. Get into the trail hip

I always find that I struggle to play consistent golf if I have more than one thing to focus on during my swing. If at all possible, I try to have only one thought that triggers my swing. Lately, that thought has been centered on getting into my trail hip during the backswing. When I think about this during the backswing, I find it easy to get my weight into the correct spot at the top of the swing. It also helps keep me from swaying off the ball or reverse pivoting. From there, all that’s left to do is make a downswing. I don’t always hit the ball pure, but it’s not because of paralysis by analysis. I’ll consider that a win. — Zephyr Melton (4.6 handicap)

4. Keep a consistent ball position

I’m not a super-technical player, so diagnosing my bad swings has never come easily to me. My swing feels the same all the time! But throughout my golf life, I’ve always had a bit of a problem being quick, getting lunge-y at impact, and hitting hooks or drop-kicks. Thanks to my husband’s watchful club-pro eye, I now know these issues are pretty much always tied to my setup, specifically, ball position. For me, it’s allowing the ball to get too far back in my stance. So lately, my go-to pre-shot routine involves addressing the ball like a kid, going left-foot, right-foot to ensure that ball stays forward. Then, I also think about staying level with my shoulders on the backswing, and not allowing myself to dip. — Jessica Marksbury (9.6 handicap)