I know what my body is supposed to do during the swing, but what is my mind supposed to do? When I first started learning golf I used Ernest Jones' method, which was 'concentrate on the clubhead and never the target or the ball' (if I understood it right). It wasn't until I took up Natural Golf that my game and my swing really took off. I went from high 90's to near 80. But one thing I have never learned is what to concentrate on and what not to concentrate on during the back swing and forward swing. One Natural Golf instructor said that his mind is completely blank during the swing. He is an excellent golfer. Could you tell me what Moe Norman's mind did during his swing?

The thoughts that go in my head change all the time as I am still trying to improve at the game and make the switch form mid to low handicapper. My thoughts are in fact swing thoughts and I do find that it makes me better. In fact when I don't go through my mental checklist throughout the swing my bad tendencies usually take over.

After I have gone through my pre shot routine and I am at address I rehearse my swing thoughts in order and imagine myself doing and feeling each of them. Then I let the shot happen and here is what goes on in my head for the 2nd time:

1) Moe did not make a huge shoulder turn in fact his lead shoulder hardly moved and I am very flexible and over do it so I concentrate on not over rotating but just turning my wrists and coming to the top.

2) Then I think about my wrists tightening at the top when it happens I know it is time to start the downswing. I do this because I can easily over do it and get my club way across the line and over my head like John daly. I only want to make a 3/4 backswing.

3) Then I say "keep your back foot on the ground" because I still have a tendency to make a hip turn. After telling myself for 15 yrs to make a turn it is very hard to stop doing it.

4) From there I think about my "Moe Move" as I call it where I think about creating the sensation of driving the butt of my club into the ground. This holds the leverage angle as long as possible and keeps me from going out to in and all that other bad stuff. The more I can create this sensation the farther and straighter the ball will go. When I can't imagine it and feel it at this point of the downswing I'm in trouble for the day.

That is basically it I know it sounds like a lot but it really isn't they are just sensations that I am trying to create and sometimes I have it down to just 1 or 2 but they are always swing thoughts.

I guess another way to verbalize it is by saying that my thoughts change to where I am in the swing and I try to feel the sensations that I know make a good swing. I would love to be like Moe and be able to just focus on the end result but up here in Canada the season is short and the off season long and I have to spend the whole spring and summer getting my game in shape so I'm always working and thinking about it instead of just enjoying it like say a guy in Florida who can play yr round adn not have to practice as much.

I will say though that I never think about making a bad shot I don't see water or narrow fairways or bunkers etc. While others are fretting about the potential hazards on the hole whe are about to play I only see what I want to achieve because I know I am good enough to do it. I also work very hard at forgetting the crappy shots and try not to say negative things about myself. When I make A great shot I revel in the moment and compliment myself.

Thanks to NG that is happening more and more!!