John Marino: Feel vs. Real
Alex Elias
Courtesy of Old Chatham Golf Club
One of golf’s great challenges is that a swing thought can feel different from the motion actually being performed. This is where the often-mentioned “feel vs. real” comes into play.
“‘Feel’ refers to the internal sensation or intended movement a player focuses on during practice, while ‘real’ is the movement that actually occurs during a fast, subconscious swing,” said John Marino, Director of Golf at Old Chatham Golf Club.
This is why many accomplished players—including PGA Tour professionals—use an exaggerated feel to produce the desired result.
“Because a golfer’s perception of their swing is often different from the biomechanical reality, this approach helps golfers make necessary changes by using exaggerated internal sensations (feel) to achieve the correct physical movement (real),” said Marino.
If understanding “feel vs. real” is the first step, and beginning to implement it in practice is the second, the third—commitment—is perhaps the most difficult.
“When a player attempts a new, biomechanically correct movement, it often feels foreign, unstable, or simply ‘wrong’ because it doesn’t match their established neural map,” said Marino. “That discomfort can cause players to revert to their old, comfortable—but incorrect—motion. We want what feels like a mile of change to actually be only an inch.”
Achieving that, Marino explained, requires being vulnerable and trusting the process.
“A swing change can take up to 18 months to feel comfortable and consistent,” said Marino. “But whether it’s on the range or on the course, our brain’s neurological system loves comfort and consistency, so the more you repeat the ‘feel,’ the more recognizable and repeatable the swing will become.”
