Knew it, but can't do it.

Why do people have trouble to accomplish what they know and try to do or avoid, especially on the golf course?

For example, delay the release, "sustain the lag", keep the left wrist flat and right wrist bent through impact, steady head, complete follow through, swing "inside-out"....., a long list of dos and don'ts.

Thanks for the attentiion.

Just because you understand something, does not guarantee you can execute it. Although understanding is the first step, the ability to remember, have the correct information and most importantly the ability to absorb and apply the first three are all part of the process. If the computer isn't properly programed the body (through feels) can not execute.

I remember hearing a story (I believe from Lynn) about a concert pianist that didn’t practice for days before going to a recording session. When asked why he didn’t practice, he said the fingers have nothing to do with playing the piano.

Don't forget muscle "memory".
As another member posted recently, there is no such thing as muscle memory as muscles don't possess memory. It is the conditioning of the nervous system through repeated correct motions that builds and optimizes the nerve pathways to repeatable muscle actions.

So even though the concert pianist doesn't need to do physical practice in order to play on stage, its only because he has conditioned his arms, hands and fingers to respond to the notes and timing in his head...subconsciously.

As golfers, we need to practice doing the right movements over and over until the conditioning is automatic. Unfortuately, we can also program the wrong movements into our swing and overcoming those "engrained habits" with new habits takes a great deal of time and effort.

Originally Posted by Yoda The pianist was the brilliant Canadian performer, Glenn Gould (1932-1982) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Gould. In response to a reporter's question regarding his penchant for studying the musical score in lieu of extended practice sessions (with a mechanical focus on scales and etudes), he replied:

"The fingers have little to do with playing the piano."

Obviously, this an exaggeration and presumes the normal conservatory training and day-to-day practice routine of the world class concert pianist. However, his point was well made: Once the physical element is under control, it is the computer (the subconscious) that must be programmed -- and allowed -- to perform.

Whilst reading this I was sure that I felt an ethereal breeze across the back of my neck and heard some ghostly whispering about "Educated Hands".

Some things don't happen because they are not programmed to happen but other things happen because they cannot happen... The golf stroke is really a structure and a set of physical laws and alignments that surround its optimal use. You can only control what you can control and you can only control what your ready to control. People can spend countless hours wasting time trying to program themselves to do things which are impossible for them.

Originally Posted by Yoda The pianist was the brilliant Canadian performer, Glenn Gould (1932-1982) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Gould. In response to a reporter's question regarding his penchant for studying the musical score in lieu of extended practice sessions (with a mechanical focus on scales and etudes), Maestro Gould replied:

"The fingers have little to do with playing the piano."

Obviously, this an exaggeration and presumes the normal conservatory training and day-to-day practice routine of the world class concert pianist. However, his point was well made: Once the physical element is under control, it is the computer (the subconscious) that must be programmed -- and allowed -- to perform.

And even more to this point, the late great jazz icon Charlie Parker once said "Master the instrument, learn the changes, then forget all that @*$^ and just play!"

He was referring to improvising, which is different from Gould's genius, that being interpretation of Bach as evidenced through his performances, but the two are close enough.

I've been a professional musician for a few decades now, and absolutely feel improvisatory with my short game, but I just can't seem to get that intuitive flow through time with my long game.

I know the performance should start when you're standing behind the ball and end with your finish, but I'm not quite there yet...although, now that I think about it, just responding to this thread has provided some real insight for me. Perhaps, in the next round I play, I will attempt to be intuitive and simply "do", instead of focusing on swing keys and such.

Thanks for the input from everybody. Sorry about Mathew, who is a serious supporter and contributer to the site.

My point of view on this issue is that, like for other things, everybody has their own interpretation or idea about how to:
1. make a body movement,
2. move a club,
3. hit a golf ball or
4. send a golf ball to the target,
which are usually four independent things for (but not limit to) newcomers. For example, they tend to "cast" for 2., "hack" for 3. and "steer" for 4..

They, however, have no problem doing 1. after some training and knowing (or trusting) they can do it and are thinking about doing only 1.. But, trouble arises when they are thinking (or concernning) about 2., 3. or 4, or their combinations. Without the trust or belief that doing 1. (which is the ultimate "cause") can lead to other body movements and 2., which leads to 3., which finally leads to 4., they tend to accomplish 2., 3., or 4. by their own trusty ways (or habits) subconciously, back to casting, hacking and steering, for example, which are no longer doing 1. (despite they surely can accomplish). With the task on hand, it's extremely difficult for people to change to the ways they aren't familiar with and have no faith upon.

People, who do FLW and BRW through impact during a practicing swing, may still "steer" the real shots with "chicken wings", if that remains their "belief" for hitting a golf ball to the target. Until then, they will "scoop" or "lift" in front of the water or inside a bunker, and peek for a puttl, despite of knowing all the shoulds and shouldn'ts.

For better skill-developping people, training and practicing have proved to them and make them believe that doing 1. can lead to 2. or 3. or 4., so they have less concerns and gradually eliminate those "house-keeping skills". But things can come back if the situation is stressful enough to override the trust or confidence, like anxiety and pressure during competition.

For skill-highly-developed person, things just happen. They no longer think about it and have no idea how things are accomplished, regardless of the situation.