You’ve been lied to.
By your feel, your favorite YouTuber, and that “aha” moment that didn’t last past your next range session.
This week, I’m burning down the myth of feel. Real change isn’t sexy, it’s measurable. Here’s how to build a swing that holds up when it counts.
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The Big Idea
If you’ve ever walked off the tee muttering…
“That felt pure… so why did it duck-hook into the cactus?”
You’ve already lived this myth:
Feel ain’t real.
Not when you’re learning. Not when you’re under pressure. And not when you’re still trusting your wrists more than your feedback.
This week, I’m breaking down why most swing tips lie to you, how elite players build real change, and the one 5-minute drill that’ll expose the truth about your move.
Feel vs. Real: The Science of the Swing Lie
Your body is a con artist.
Your brain? A fanboy who buys every ticket.
This disconnect has a name: motor-learning bias: the gap between what feels right and what happened. Your internal GPS is unreliable.
Similar to the Facebook Marketplace driver for $40, it's unreliable.
Worse?
When you’re trying to make a legit change, say, by shaving off that steep slice path, the correct motion feels wrong. That’s because your brain tags “familiar” as “right,” even if it’s been wrong for 10 years.
Why Most Swing Tips Don’t Work
Golfers love tips like:
“Keep your head down.”
“Shift your weigh.t”
“Just swing smoother, bro.”
However, most of those are internal cues, focusing on body parts rather than results.
Sports science suggests that external cues (target, ball flight, club path) facilitate better learning, retention, and improved rounds.
Your swing doesn’t learn by thinking about elbows.
It learns by reacting to ball flight and adjusting its approach based on outcomes.
Chasing feelings keeps you stuck.
Chasing feedback sets you free.
How Great Coaches Fix Your Swing
Great coaches build feedback systems.
Here’s how they do it:
Constraints: Setup tweaks that force correct motion
External cues: Focus shifts from body to target
Exaggeration drills: New feels become unmistakably different
Feedback loops: Video, TrackMan, foot spray, mirror stations
If it feels “wrong,” that’s usually an excellent sign. You’re not chasing normal, you’re building a new normal that holds up under pressure.
5-Minute drill: “Stick & Draw”
Setup:
Film your swing (240fps on your phone is free and fast)
Plant an alignment stick 5 paces ahead, a few yards to your right
Try to start the ball right of the stick and draw it back
Result:
If it starts right and draws, you’re on track
If not, your “feel” just got exposed
Visual > Vibes.
Let ball flight tell the truth.
Quick Story
One of my students swore he was “coming from the inside.”
We filmed it. He was 7° over the top.
Three weeks later, after using this exact drill and feedback loop?
He went from 95 to 89, and finally flushing his 8-iron.
The Bottom Line
Feel isn’t real until it’s been:
Backed by feedback
Repped into muscle memory
Trusted during the ugly phase
More tips & insights:
Gear
The Kirkland Signature golf ball is back: version 3.0 is here, still urethane, still unbeatable value, and still causing chaos in golf gear circles. (more)
Style
Golf needs more personality. Player Exclusives break the monotony, turning generic tour drops into statements. One fresh shoe can say more than a press conference. (more)
Are you looking for a group to join?
Events
Glow up your Friday night! Join the 4-man night scramble at Bellair Golf Park on 8/15. Cart, contests, dinner, and glow balls included. (signup)
Registration opens Friday for the 2025 Arizona Mini Stix: a high-energy, mixed-team showdown at Grass Clippings. Limited spots. (signup)
News
The 51st Arizona Women’s Amateur at TPC Scottsdale drew global talent, with Brooke Seay surging early before a tough double bogey dropped her to third. (more)
Grass League just raised $2.75M to turn par-3 golf into a legit sport. Backed by Creator Sports Capital and Old Tom Capital. Short holes, big stakes. (more)
I can’t believe it, I never win anything
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