Downswing Blackout

[TheHeat]

I have done many things athletic my entire life. I have played baseball into my adult years in a men's league. The thing I have noticed is that when I am playing well, whether it is fielding a ground ball or swinging at a pitch, it is like the action is in slow motion. When things are not going well, I realize that I am not even aware of the ball from about 10 feet in. I just react to where the ball last was and it's path of motion.

I have noticed the same thing in my golf swing. Sometimes it is fine, but sometimes I am not even aware of the downswing. It just seems to happen so quickly that I have no control over it. This may one of the reasons that I can shoot 73 one round and 93 the next. I have been aware of this problem for some time, but have never heard it mentioned until I read the term "downswing blackout" in another post in this forum.

I would be interested in others comments and/or personal experiences on this plus drills, solutions etc.

Thanks.

[wally888]

when you take a practice swing!?
Would TGMers say somethink like, interfering w/ your computer?

[DaveLeeNC]

I have done many things athletic my entire life. I have played baseball into my adult years in a men's league. The thing I have noticed is that when I am playing well, whether it is fielding a ground ball or swinging at a pitch, it is like the action is in slow motion. When things are not going well, I realize that I am not even aware of the ball from about 10 feet in. I just react to where the ball last was and it's path of motion.

I have noticed the same thing in my golf swing. Sometimes it is fine, but sometimes I am not even aware of the downswing. It just seems to happen so quickly that I have no control over it. This may one of the reasons that I can shoot 73 one round and 93 the next. I have been aware of this problem for some time, but have never heard it mentioned until I read the term "downswing blackout" in another post in this forum.

I would be interested in others comments and/or personal experiences on this plus drills, solutions etc.

Thanks.

An ancient thread, I know. But I'm a TGM dropout who is going to give this another shot(maybe seriously, maybe not - have to wait and see) so I started here reading this forum backwards.

I am very aware of a 'downswing blackout' often on the downswing. I just lose my connection with what is happening. Sometimes it is more extreme than otheres, and I have never noticed a strong correlation between degree of blackout and results although I believe that there is a weak correlation here.

'Clear Key Golf' suggests tieing your swing to a verbal phrase and a key element of that is to make impact happen on a specific syllable of your clear key phrase. I've found that approach helpful, but I have also had problems in that there are some fatal flaws in my swing that come back when I focus strictly on my clear key (maybe should have been more diligent with 32 ball drills, but these weren't ignored). I believe that this would result in much better results if I didn't have this ongoing battle with too flat/too far inside going back.

Fred Shoemaker in his interesting book 'Extraordinary Golf' talks about how hard it was for him to focus on the ball, and only the ball, for an entire golf swing.

I am also curious as to whether others are very aware of this phenomenon. To me this stands out REALLY strong in my mind, but I am guessing it does not in others or you would hear more about it.

dave (now back to more reading)

[6bmike]

Welcome back, DavidLee

I’ll gave you the smart alec answer first, that’s why we Educate the Hands. When all else fails the Hands have trained (designed) the Pivot, bump and let it run itself. The ball will be there just before low point of the swing.

That said and done. Yeah, blackout happens once in a while. Overzealous anticipation of results seems to be the cause for me.

I would train the pivot first as Homer suggests. This will allow the hands the path it needs to the ball or low point of the swing, if you like to take the ball out of the equation.

Use one of those long rubber tees at a driving range and close your eyes and listen for the hit- it makes a very clear twap sound. I’d practice that and have the hands control the pivot without a thought of the ball. Close eyes and Listen Listen Listen.

Learn Extensor Action and Acc#3 Roll. Never a bad idea to re-introduce yourself to them.

6b

[bts]

Sometimes, I intend to "break the club(head/face/shaft) with the ball" instead of the other way around.

[DaveLeeNC]

Welcome back, DavidLee


That said and done. Yeah, blackout happens once in a while. Overzealous anticipation of results seems to be the cause for me.

I would train the pivot first as Homer suggests. This will allow the hands the path it needs to the ball or low point of the swing, if you like to take the ball out of the equation.

Use one of those long rubber tees at a driving range and close your eyes and listen for the hit- it makes a very clear twap sound. I’d practice that and have the hands control the pivot without a thought of the ball. Close eyes and Listen Listen Listen.

Learn Extensor Action and Acc#3 Roll. Never a bad idea to re-introduce yourself to them.

6b

What exactly does it mean for the 'hands to control the pivot'?

Thanks.

dave

[comdpa]

What exactly does it mean for the 'hands to control the pivot'?

Thanks.

dave

Imagine this...

You are talking to someone face to face, then another person walks up to you 90 degrees from the right and says "hi" with an outstretched LEFT hand to shake yours.

However, you are lazy and do not want to realign your entire body to face this new person, so you just take control of your LEFT hand, aim it at the other person's LEFT hand and shake it.

You have aimed your hands at a location and look how your shoulders, hips, knees and feet pivot the necessary amount for the hands to do their desired thing?

That in essence is hand controlled pivot...

[ChrisNZ]

What exactly does it mean for the 'hands to control the pivot'?

Thanks.

dave

Basically it means that while the pivot may have a role in moving the club, arms and hands, it does so as the needs of the hands dictate. Non-golfing example - drop a pencil on the floor and pick it up. Your body does a lot of work here (unless you have some particuarly bizarre method of picking up pencils!), but it is 'at the command of' the hands - your focus is most likely on moving your hands to the pencil. In golf, the equivalent is your focus being on moving you hands up and down the plane and to your impact position (at the right speed to maintain lag pressure I guess) - that doesn't mean you're necessarily using an 'armsy' stroke, any more than you were only using your hands when you bent down to pick up the pencil - the pivot is involved, but in a supporting role to the hands. Pivot-controlled hands (on the other hand ) is when you focus on pivot components in the hope that they will get the hands or club into the right place at impact e.g. initiate the downswing by turning your hips back towards the target and just hold on.


Chris

[phillygolf]

I have noticed the same thing in my golf swing. Sometimes it is fine, but sometimes I am not even aware of the downswing. It just seems to happen so quickly that I have no control over it. This may one of the reasons that I can shoot 73 one round and 93 the next. I have been aware of this problem for some time, but have never heard it mentioned until I read the term "downswing blackout" in another post in this forum.

I would be interested in others comments and/or personal experiences on this plus drills, solutions etc.

Thanks.

Hi Heat!

First, I commend you for being honest and being upfront. I too, have been (and at times continue to be) a victim of downstroke blackout.

First - lets make sure we are on the same page. To me, 'downstroke blackout', is simply losing clubhead feel - and clubhead awareness on the downstroke. Is that your take?

Now, again for me, it is usually a result of overacceleration and obviously, a loss of lag pressure feel.

And, the answer to me lies in 3-F-5, last paragraph. The downstroke waggle (which, coincidentally, is the only place I remember the term downstroke blackout - it may be in other places, but I onlt recall it in 3-F-5).

Watcha think? Take the clubhead back - verify alignments - and drive the heavy clubhead through the impact zone to both arms straight! I love it!

[mb6606]

I have "downswing blackout" when I lose conscious focus of where I am directing my hands. Keep your mind in your hands. The putter is as important as the driver. You will no longer have to worry about the club head, face or shaft.