Guys, I think I'm on the verge of a serious problem with my golf swing. I'm a 4 handicap and usually have a rock solid swing on the course. But during a round today at Pecan Valley (Fort Worth), I started to notice something odd about my swing.

This has never been an issue before, but I started to notice a difference in my swing and posture when my shadow was directly behind me when I addressed the ball. For some odd reason, I felt my body suddenly tense and my swing almost felt more rounded to the point where I wasn't even sure I was taking a full backswing.

Shot 74 today, but the back nine was a complete mess off the tee, but only when my shadow was in that particular position.

When I can't see my shadow or it happens to be in front of me, my swing feels solid. Mind you, this has never happened to me before.

I'm starting to wonder how I suddenly got this mental block that I can't swing freely with my shadow in that position. I'm not a headcase when it come to the game, but for the moment, I seriously wondering if this is going to be a constant problem.

Has anybody else ever dealt with a similar situation? I'm considering going to see an instructor if it becomes an issue the next time out.

I should probably clarify that when I say behind me, I mean my shadow is directly to my right. I can see it out of the corner of my eye when I go into my backswing.

just dont play in the afternoon on north/south holes

[This message has been edited by The Milkman (edited 6/25/2011 7:17p).]

lol... i'm surprised you've been playing this long without having to deal with your shadow. or maybe that's just us cheap asses who play twilight. yeah, i used to get distracted by my shadow. to get over it, i just went to the range at twilight every day for a week or so and hit a bucket and somewhere along the way you forget why it used to bother you. there's nothing a lesson can do to change it, you gotta get over that yourself.

I saw on TV that this even bothers the pros sometimes. The way they deal with it during late rounds is practice swings. Guy on TV said that they do practice swings until they aren't bothered anymore.

Interesting. Good tip, AP, I'll have to try that. It bugs me at times, too.

I wish I could get consistent enough off the tee to be a 4hdcp...

still bothers me when I address the ball, do a set-up check and see my shadow..I tnd to watch my shadow rather then the ball

Scared of your own shadow in Golf? What are they? Colin Montgomery clones?




*********************************************************************************************************************
"Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of their women."



Claude os, aperi oculos!

I guess I'm the weirdo, because I actually tend to strike the ball better when the sun is shining on my backside and my shadow is over the ball. I think it relates to my posture in my setup, and seeing some sort of feedback on it via the shadow. It's not 100% of the time, but sometimes if I'm playing poorly but then we turn where we play a few holes in the shadow-seeing direction, I'll get myself straightened out and will stay straightened out after we turn again. And I don't find the shadow distracting during the swing.


[This message has been edited by Danny Duberstein (edited 6/26/2011 3:20p).]

I'm guilty of shadow-watching. Been trying to break the dependency for years.

Really appreciate all the feedback from everyone. And I guess I'm a little relieved to know others out there struggle with the shadow as well.

I tried to go back and pinpoint something that could have set this off, but I still can't figure it out. I spent some time on the range today hitting balls with the shadow behind me, and it still seems to be bothering me.

Hit shots with sunglasses on and that helped some, but I almost never play with glasses and would like to fix this issue permanently over putting a bandage on it. Also tried to just ignore the shadow position, but that didn't work.

Guess I'm going to try hitting balls every day for the next week and see if I can't get past this mental issue. I'll report back with my findings.

quote:

---

I saw on TV that this even bothers the pros sometimes. The way they deal with it during late rounds is practice swings. Guy on TV said that they do practice swings until they aren't bothered anymore.

---

great now the guy in the group in front of me with take 30 practice swings and turn it into a 6 hour round.

I was having swing problems for 3 months. I was at the range a week ago and, while watching my shadow during my swing, I noticed that I was moving lateral. Problem solved and have been hitting the ball great since! To hell with all the swing aids...give it up to Mother Nature and the sun to fix the problem!!!

OP, whenever I get "off" i pick a particular dimple on the ball and try to study it during the swing. This helps with a lot of things and also pretty much eliminates the possibility of peripheral distraction.