Regulating Tension Levels In Your Golf Swing by David Lee in Orlando Florida

Controlling tension is one of the favorite subjects of not only golf psychologists, but psychologists in general, many other types of doctors, coaches, marriage counselors, and advice givers of all sorts. Tension has a negative affect on our performance, our happiness, the happiness and attitude of those around us, and on our health. Without question, I'm old enough to realize that the less advice I give to others, the happier my own life is - but in view of the fact that I make my living giving advice ( I'd rather call them "suggestions") to golfers about their swing mechanics, I'll share with you some of what I've learned about tension in the fifty years I've been teaching the game.

As pressure builds during a round of golf due to situation, or as fatigue increases, the tension that subsequently develops has a detrimental technical affect on the swing. As your muscles becomes tighter, the center-of-leverage within your system rises, and the body's capability of becoming a cantilever to itself, increases. For example: a gymnast who is five-feet-tall can do a routine on a balance beam easily in practice, but when she gets out there in front of ten thousand people in a competition, and her body tenses up, it's as if she went from being five-feet-tall, to six-feet-tall. Now, if there are any technical flaws in her movements, she will lose control of her balance, break rhythm, and possibly fall off the beam. As the center-of-leverage in a golfer rises, flaws in power application begin to surface. Because of a natural instinct to "strike" the ball, very few people swing a golf club without internalizing some of their own energy. When energy is internalized during the downswing from flexing the shoulders and arms, it causes a change in the swing-path (3rd law - action/reaction). The more tension that develops in your system, the higher your center-of-leverage rises, and the greater the change in swing-path becomes (ball may go into bad places). This is why players who have technically superior mechanics, can usually handle the most pressure without totally losing control.

The best way I've discovered to keep your tension level and your center-of-leverage down, is to practice using "Heel to Heel Transfer Drills" (which you can study Danny doing on YouTube). When the fronts of the feet are off the ground, you are, in effect, swinging from two "peg" legs. When the brain senses the potential threat to your balance that the drill creates, it will immediately drop your center-of-leverage by making you apply power correctly. In this way, your brain can protect its own "house." from falling. Putting the body in balance threatening situations, activates the same part of your brain that taught you to walk and ride a bicycle, and uses that huge "computer" to teach you perfect swing technique. Play practice rounds using this drill and you'll be amazed at what you learn about tension and swing mechanics. When you are playing for real, take your practice swings in a "heel to heel transfer mode" - it will give you an instant posture, balance, and tension check. Study this - it really works!

David Lee
President, Gravity Golf, Inc.

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