The Forward Press

Many books you read will tell you that a forward press is a good way to start your golf swing and you should have one. You might even hear that a forward press is good for your putting stroke. I agree. It's difficult to start moving from a dead stop and do it precisely. There's always a little bit of odd motion that needs to be corrected, and that's the last thing we to spend any time doing in the golf swing. It's hard enough to get right as it is.

A forward press also helps you set up a rhythm for your stroke. The press movement, what ever it is for you, gives you a small movement to play off of so the start of the real swing is smooth, and leads you into a smooth rhythm for the entire swing. That's always helpful. There is another way to get both these things done without making a physical movement, and that is to press in your mind.


Whatever we say about the mental game of golf needs to be grounded in the principle that the mind leads the body. Whatever we do with the body begins in the mind. That doesn't mean that before I swing the club I'm going to think, "OK, now swing the club." That's just a comment I can make to myself and carry out or ignore.

What I mean is, the swing begins with the mental activity that triggers the movement of my body. That mental activity is linked to the physical movement and cannot be separated from it. The mental activity and the physical movement are not two things, but one. You might not be aware of the mental part, but try swinging your club without your mind starting first. You can't do it.

Being aware that this is the process, mind first, body follows, you can realize that the swing starts in your mind and use that as your forward press. Consciously start a feeling of movement in your mind and let the body follow that feeling in such a way that results in swinging a golf club. The following with the body will occur in less than a second, and is the continuation of movement, not the start of movement.

When you start your swing or stroke in this way, you not only get the benefits of the forward press, but you also get the benefit of having your mind taken away from the random thoughts that you know hurt you but you can't get rid of. You conscious mind needs something to do, so give it something that works for you -- a generalized feeling of movement that flows right into starting the club back -- a feeling that stays out of your way and lets the golf swing you have trained yourself to make, come out. You can't do any better than that.


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