Technique vs Feel

Hi guys!

It's a common phrase isn't it this..Technique vs Feel.. Almost mentioned as often in the same breath as Swing vs Hit(a separate topic altogether) So what is it and what does it mean?

I've played golf for 20 years now.. From the time I had my first persimmon wood driver and when the reverse c was in fashion, till now where golf is in it's most advanced stage, with video analysis, biomechanics and Trackman.In these 20 years, I've been told and heard several 'feel' things like keep your head down, use your right hand and so forth. I've also been told and heard several 'technical' things like club positions,wrist positions,swing plane etc. Pretty different isn't it? 

So as far as a 'feel' goes in my opinion,a feel is a  'sensation,feedback your brain registers' Very much like when you hit a great shot, the vibes your brain registers, the feel you encounter. Therefore it's extremely personal. For example a technical engineer's feel and an artist's is going to be like chalk and cheese.

As far as technique goes in my opinion, it's ' the mechanical aspect of a motion' Very much like when someone tries to cure a slice by ensuring he has the shaft at a different angle to his usual swing. Technique, swing mechanics are hard facts.


Therefore technique is complex whereas feel is easy to comprehend. A good coach makes technical and mechanical aspects of the swing easy to understand, so much so a student can create his own 'personal' feel to it.Let's say for example, if I want a student to stay in posture at impact. I will show him what he needs to do with the help of an impact bag and mirror. I will teach him how the body should work to do so. Very often they tell me like they have to 'stay down' or 'lower' or 'keep their head still' etc. and great, they can achieve what we need to do.

However that 'feel' is going to vary, person to person, friend to friend. Golfers use their feel to achieve correct mechanics. ( granted that it is the right things they are working on) We are all different in our unique way.Therefore it might not be ideal to 'share a feel' 

So if you'd ask me, leave the technical aspects of the swing to a golf professional. He should be able to explain it in a manner where it is easy enough for you to put into your own words. From there, you'll develop your own words and feel. 


Cheers and have a great weekend!

 Good read for golfers embarking on a golf journey. 
Proper technique, swing mechanics are hard facts. Correct practice is more productive than spending hours practicing hard. Coupled with properly fitted clubs, it makes the game of golf more satisfying and enjoyable. 

so the feel is not always "real".  I hear you.

Actually fyi in pedagogy 101 they teach u that there are 3 domains of learning:

1) cognitive - intellectual aspects (brainwork - there are six major categories, starting from the simplest behavior (recalling facts) to the most complex (evaluation) They are knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation)

2) psychomotor - the handson skills part - includes physical competencies : movement, coordination, and use of the motor-skill areas. Development of these skills requires practice and is measured in terms of speed, precision, distance, procedures, or techniques in execution. Underlying the motor activity is cognitive understanding.

3) affective - the most neglected part  the feeling part (intuition, from the heart, feelings, values, appreciation, enthusiasms, motivations, and attitudes)

jeffman88 wrote:

Actually fyi in pedagogy 101 they teach u that there are 3 domains of learning:

1) cognitive - intellectual aspects (brainwork - there are six major categories, starting from the simplest behavior (recalling facts) to the most complex (evaluation) They are knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation)

2) psychomotor - the handson skills part - includes physical competencies : movement, coordination, and use of the motor-skill areas. Development of these skills requires practice and is measured in terms of speed, precision, distance, procedures, or techniques in execution. Underlying the motor activity is cognitive understanding.

3) affective - the most neglected part  the feeling part (intuition, from the heart, feelings, values, appreciation, enthusiasms, motivations, and attitudes)

Hi Jeffman88

Thanks for that. I guess my intention of sharing wasn't an intent to teach people the learning steps. More so to share my teaching experiences and my experiences learning with other golfers. 

I've been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to speak to top professionals and it's pretty interesting that some don't do exactly how they 'feel'. Amateurs alike.

 Therefore I believe the student improves best when he is able to understand the coach's technical advice and create his own feel with it. More so than if he tries to 'copy' another player's feel.

For example, I have a student that 'feels like he's trying to turn' on the downswing cuz that's what he thinks he needs to do since he feels like he 'casts'. However after spending time in the mirror showing him the correct motion, he changed that to' feeling like he has to move left more than turning' Now technically, it might not be absolutely right but it got us good motion.

Cheers

Just to add on to the pointers above, the r/s and communication between coach and coachee has to he established and on the same wavelength. i.e each must understand the other's language and the way he explains things.

asahi wrote:

Just to add on to the pointers above, the r/s and communication between coach and coachee has to he established and on the same wavelength. i.e each must understand the other's language and the way he explains things.

agree 100%...

I think the student example is one of miscomm... the student has his/her own initial understanding of what is a "turn" which is obviously different from what jhan was trying to impart until later after more coaching and practice.. Guess this is an important aspect of coaching, understanding the level which the student is at and use appropriate "language" (whether written, verbal, visual or otherwise) to get the message across..

My take in introducing the domains of learning is that even with good intellectual understanding of the game (cognitive) as well as highly competent technical skills (psychomotor), without developing the attitudinal aspects of the game (affective), the student no matter how talented he or she is would not reach greater heights in golf... Sports psychologists will be quick to point out that they will eventually hit a plateau and unless they are mentally strong enough they will not progress v much after ... Bob Rotella et al in his many books (eg The Unstoppable Golfer) attests strongly to the need to be mentally strong...

I guess its still boil down to personal preferrence...

Some people like to develeop technique from the feel
Some develop feel from the technique

For me i rather to learn the technique first then start develop feel of how to use the technique.
Swing mechanic has been research extensively and should be able to be applied to anyone. However one must develop feel from using that swing mechanic. 

It will take time for your muscle to get the swing mechanic correct and it need the feel to make the muscle understand that the swing mechanic is correct.

This is my personal experience
Just repeatly try your best to follow what has been research extensively by the professional, you will get the feel if you do it right.
As i learn modern golf technique... everything just goes simple... 
1. proper grip
2. proper address
3. same swing motion (the only one that super hard to achieve)

If you get it right... you feel it right... the hit, the ball flight, the direction...