Opinion & Analysis

Swing thoughts vs. swing feels: Which is the key to better golf?

Published

10 years ago

Nov 19, 2016

What really divides the best golfers from the weekend hackers? Perhaps much is attributable to innate talent. However, it seems the best golfers simply play the game a different way between their ears — and that doesn’t mean they’re using a better combination of swing thoughts, says Jim Waldron, founder of Balance Point Golf School.

We talked to Waldron about his efforts to help golfers master this maddening game. In short, Waldron sees better players occupying a different mental space on course, one unmarred by swing thoughts and efforts to control various aspects of the golf swing.

Jim Waldron, founder of Balance Point Golf School.

“I listened to this great interview the other day with Neil Young about how he creates music…how it’s about getting out of your own way,” Waldron says, equating writing a guitar riff with perfectly struck 7-iron.

Waldron grew up caddying outside of Chicago and has been in the golf business ever since. He is well-versed in The Golfing Machine, Mac O’Grady’s work and biomechanics, and he teaches primarily in California, Hawaii and Oregon.

We spoke with him to learn more about his development as a golfer and instructor.

“At the same time I took up golf, I took up karate from one of the top martial artists in the world,” Waldron says. The crossover influence of the martial arts training on his fledgling golf game helped him learn a quality, repeatable swing quickly. Waldron learned the importance of slow-motion mirror training thanks in part to his karate work.

What’s wrong with teaching and how it got that way

Waldron discussed the unique evolution of golf and the way he believes it has created a “dysfunctional culture for learning.”

“Golf evolved in a way that teachers were not respected by their wealthy students,” he says. “Because there was such a power and wealth imbalance…hiring these guys from Scotland with third- and fourth-grade educations to come over to teach them to golf. They weren’t even allowed in the clubhouse. You can’t say, ‘Hey, Mr. Rockefeller, your swing sucks!’ So the incentive is to lie to the student, give false positive feedback, which we still do today.”

As Waldron says, ”The bulk of golf instruction, both written and oral, is about learning mechanics to the level of conscious mind, execution, and understanding only.” In other words, Waldron sees too much emphasis on swing theory and not enough on practice.

Waldron also sees the necessity of self-promotion for teachers in the present industry climate as potentially destructive.

“I think the game is in a crisis right now…the people we’re gaining, we’re losing a lot of those beginners. There’s huge competition among teaching pros, which tends to lead to less-than-accurate information. It’s gotten to the point that whoever has the coolest-sounding teaching approach gets the most eyeballs on social media…I’m not a fan of that.”

“I try to base my teaching on what works, not necessarily on what’s marketable,” Waldron says.

So, what does Waldron think works?

While the approach at Balance Point is notable for the emphasis on on-course performance, Waldron notes that he spends 90 percent of his time teaching people better mechanics, doing mirror work and range work.

However, regarding the other 10 percent of his teaching efforts, Waldron says, “I always start with mental focus training…at least if they’re a 10 [handicap] or higher. It takes time in the student’s mind to prepare the ground for actual training.”

Ultimately, the goal is to “transmit ideas to the subconscious mind.” Most golfers know consciously what they want to be doing. The trick, according to Waldron, is to get the body to cooperate. Slow-motion practice in front of a mirror and semi-mastery of swing aspects are the preliminaries to good on-course play.

Waldron’s view on swing thoughts

An element of Waldron’s teaching that is perhaps unique, is his approach to swing thoughts. “If you tell people it’s OK to use swing thoughts on the range, but don’t use them on the golf course, that’s crazy…My philosophy is you don’t use swing thoughts ever,” he says.

Waldron distinguishes between “swing thoughts” and “swing feels.” “If you talk to really good players… when they say swing thought…it’s very seldom a thought; it’s almost always a feel,” he says.

The three sensory channels

In order to convey the difference between the two, Waldron imparts the distinction between the three sensory channels the brain can operate in. And while the exercise may seem excessive, it’s an important foundational understanding for playing better golf, in Waldron’s mind.

Here’s Waldron’s exercise in full for distinguishing between the sensory channels.

Channel 1: “Put one hand on your shoulder. Rotate your head and look at it. Now when you’re looking with your eyes, we call “external visual channel.” Rotate your head back to center and close your eyes and picture your hand on your shoulder, that’s what we call “internal visual channel.”

Channel 2: “And when you hear an internal voice, that’s the auditory channel. And then you say out loud, “I am touching my shoulder.” That’s your external auditory channel.”

Channel 3: “The third channel is feel. So if you squeeze your hand on your shoulder and kind of pulse, and you get to the point where you’re only feeling the sensation and you’re not seeing the picture anymore, and you’re not talking about your hand on your shoulder. That’s the kinesthetic or “feel” channel.”

“We either see an internal image of something, or we talk to ourselves,” Waldron says. “Ninety-nine percent of people during the golf swing are seeing internal visual images of what they want their body or club to do. When you talk to really good players, they tend not to do that type of thinking during their swings.”

Swing feels > Swing thoughts

So when Waldron talks about “swing feels,” that’s what he means. From this initial understanding a student then seeks to repeat the sensations and movements initially worked on in slow motion on the golf course.

Students ought to seek to “learn a new piece of the swing, then forget about it so that it can become automatic,” Waldron says. “It’s the way every other sport is taught. But in golf it sounds weird.”

The failure to do so, and the reliance on swing thoughts and efforts to control aspects of the train will create, at a minimum, a detrimental flinch, and at worst, a yip.

Of course, there’s much more to Waldron’s thinking about the golf swing and on-course performance. To learn more, visit balancepointgolf.com, and see what GolfWRX Members are saying about Balance Point Golf School in our forum.

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Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

9 Comments

Pingback: Transform Your Swing: Discover the Mental Secrets to Golf Success – Reprogram Therapy
Guia

Dec 12, 2016 at 7:20 pm

Is there an unwritten rule that you can’t use Both?

Reply Report comment
RP Jacobs II

Nov 28, 2016 at 7:53 pm

Excellent article Jim!!

As a +2.8 when health issues forced me from the game in 2012, I don’t know of ANY Players(Captal “P,” Plus Ams & Pros) who had swing and mechanical thoughts in their head while swinging.

Not on a course…

Not under pressure…

No way, No day Never~

There is a reason that less than 1% Play at scratch or better competitively however as you said, we have become inundated with form over function, stats data and numbers over feel and the unfortunate thing is that who this really hurts are your mid/higher cappers who are just flooded with thoughts, positions and theory.

For the majority of golfers it is not a swing as much as a manipulation of the club.

We all know where that leads, lol

Great thoughts!!

Fairways & Greens My Friend?
Richard

Reply Report comment
Golf Booster

Nov 22, 2016 at 10:41 am

I’m a very mechanical person and need a thought for my backswing and a second thought for the follow-through… This forum has mixed opinions. I guess it’s whatever best works for each golfer 😉

Reply Report comment
Scott

Nov 21, 2016 at 3:47 pm

Interesting. Would swing thought vs swing feel depend on how you learn? I agree that some specific swing thoughts can cause paralysis by analysis, but maybe one specific swing thought helps with feel. For example, I struggle with tempo. I picked up a swing thought or “tempo thought” from this web site a month or so ago which really helped. I say the words to myself during my swing and it has really helped, especially since I do not have much practice time as it gets dark very early now.
Maybe that is considered a feel thought?

Reply Report comment
Bryan

Nov 21, 2016 at 2:57 pm

for me its usually something like this:
1. Diagnosis – what was my ball doing that I am trying to correct?
2. Thought – what change needs to occur? Face alignment? Path? AoA? etc. etc. etc.
3. Feel – what should the fix for the above feel like?
4. Range/Practice or warm-up – Swing trying to feel the right feeling to produce the shot I want
5. Match – Throw most thought/feel out the window and play with the best swing I brought to the course. Sometimes its a fade, sometimes its a draw. Sometimes I need to grind it out because I’m not striking it well. Unfortunately as a 8-9 handicap I am not as good as I think I am on most days, but I tend to do best when I go with the swing I have, set my line accordingly and stay aggressive through contact. When I’m actually in a match or round I do all my “thinking” behind the ball when visualizing a shot and go for it once I set up. It’s certainly helped me over the past few seasons I’ve seen my scoring average drop. It’s too easy to get distracted and put on a bad swing if you’re thinking about your shot once you set up over the ball.

Reply Report comment
Double Mocha Man

Nov 20, 2016 at 1:36 pm

My new swing thought is… feel.

Reply Report comment
bill

Nov 19, 2016 at 6:08 pm

No, it’s NOT the same thing. “Thought” and “Feel” are different. I play by visualization and feel. I don’t fill my head wondering if my alignment is correct, or if my weight distribution is correct, or if my club is on the correct path (back swing and down swing). Too many “thoughts” interfere with good ball contact. Also, there’s no such thing a a good or bad swing. All that matters is getting the club face into proper position through the hitting zone. Some golfers look very mechanical,,,,others look like octopi falling out of a tree.

Reply Report comment
- WillyNilly
  
  Nov 19, 2016 at 8:08 pm
  
  Common – don’t tell me that you didn’t notice Mr. Bacon himself setting 5 snare traps … but you are correct we tend to get in our own way in life way too often :o)
  
  Reply Report comment

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Opinion & Analysis

5 Things We Learned: Thursday at the PGA Championship

Published

2 weeks ago

May 15, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Aronimink is not a storied club, but when Donald Ross himself proclaimed it to be as good as he can design and build, one had to take notice. Jay Sigel was the pre-eminent male amateur golfer from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He might have called any number of Philadelphia clubs home, but he chose Aronimink. It served him well. Gary Player won a PGA Championship here in 1962, and was followed by the 1993 winner … nobody. Aronimink gave that event away to Inverness, for reasons of which it is certainly not proud. So be it. We had to wait sixty-four years for the PGA to return to Newtown Square, but here we are. Aronimink has been neo-restored by Gil Hanse and team, to return Ross features with an eye toward defense against the dark arts, errrr, high-tech equipment.

Day one saw Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau dig big holes, to the tune of plus-four and plus-six, respectively. Since the first-round lead will be minus-three at worst, many shots will need to be made up for the power couple to reach contention. By nightfall, seven golfers held the day-one lead at three-under par 67. Shots and sticks caught our attention, and we are proud to present Five Things We Learned on Tech Thursday at the 2026 PGA Championship. Thanks to InsideTourGolfer, Today’s Golfer, and GolfWRX for initial equipment research.

First, meet Min Woo Lee

Min Woo Lee, aka Dr. Chipinski, has once again thrust himself into the conversation of Can he, will he, when will he? Lee has so much talent, wins not nearly as often as we believe that he should, and has no major near-misses (much less titles) on his wiki. The young Aussie is getting older and wiser, but is he able to avoid the scarring that holds the older and wiser back from breaking through? Philadelphia offers another opportunity. Min Woo signed for five birdies and two bogeys on day one, and grabbed a share of the opening-day lead at Aronimink. Winners transcend history and the moment, and Lee will need that sort of ascent to lift the Wannamaker on Sunday.

Second, meet Aldrich Potgeiter

The young South African golfer can rip driver with the best of them. Aronimink tips out at nearly 7400 yards, but beyond the fairway bunkers that ensnare only the mortals, Potgeiter can take his chances with wedge from the rough. On Thursday, he spent plenty of time in the spinach. Like Popeye, he used his muscles to gouge and thrash and dig his way out. Six birdies against three bogeys on the card brought AP in a three deep.

Third, meet Martin Kaymer

Not a major event takes place without a where’s he been throwback moment. We know that Martin Kaymer left the PGA and DP World tours for LIV golf, but the two-time (US Open and PGA) major winner has a lifetime exemption into at least one major event, and he seizes the opportunity each May. Kaymer joined the six-seven brigade with four birdies and a solitary bogey on day one. Kaymer was never a long hitter, and the years are kind to no golfer. The German champion will need to uncork every bottle of guile and strategy in his cabinet to remain in contention. For today, though, he occupies a rung on the ladder of Tour Tech.

Fourth, meet Scottie Scheffler

Let’s see, he’s the defending champion at the PGA, and he found his way back to the top tier with five birdies against two bogeys. To be a favorite and then play up to that stature and expectation is quite difficult. Just ask Rory, Bryson, and some of the other pre-tournament heartthrobs. Scheffler’s game is complete, and to knock him off the OWGR #1 pedestal, one needs to defeat him at the majors. Aronimink is the sort of course that fits Scheffler’s game. Better yet, it unfits the game of many of his challengers. Don’t expect Scheffler to go away anytime soon. Come Sunday, he’ll be around.

Fifth, meet Stephan Jaeger

Clocking in for the unheralded players shift are Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger. Hisatsune logged seven birdies on day one, but gave most of them back with four bogeys. Still, he’s tied at the top for a time. Jaeger pitched five birdies against two bogeys, including a run of three consecutive, from holes four through six. Odds are that one of the two will hang around through 36 holes. Odds also suggest that both will be gone by Saturday evening. Still, the PGA Championship has historically been the major most likely to be won by an under-known. Both Hisatsune and Jaeger feature on that list, so good luck, lads!

Club Junkie

Club Junkie’s Titleist GTS driver fitting results!

Published

2 weeks ago

May 14, 2026

Brian Knudson

On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.

I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.

To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.

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Club Junkie

Club Junkie WITB, week 16: New Titleist GTS woods!

Published

2 weeks ago

May 14, 2026

Brian Knudson

Excited for this week’s WITB as we get to add the new Titleist GTS woods to the bag! I was fit at Titleist’s TPI facility in Oceanside California a few weeks ago and my new clubs just showed up. I am also adding a cool set of irons that I built last year some wild custom wedges into a new golf bag. Speaking of the bag I have a new Ghost Anyday Black Ops stand bag that I will be using on my Motocaddy Remote M7 electric cart.

Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees @ 10.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6s

3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD CQ-7s

5-wood: Titleist GTS (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

9-wood: Titleist GT1 (24 degress)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

Irons: Bettinardi CB24 (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (50-09 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (56-12 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (60-08 LB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Putter: Dan Carraher ZT Proto

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour

Bag: Ghost Anyday Black Ops Stand Bag