Does the Swing Create the Shot, or the Shot Create the Swing?

This is a thought-provoking quote I read the other day in the book The Lost Art of Playing Golf by Gary Nichol and Karl Morris.

I'll probably be sharing more thoughts as I complete the book because it is a game changer! At the time of writing this, I am only a quarter of the way through it, and I think I've worn out two highlighters.

*** Update, I have finished the book and I officially went through 3 highlighters and a blue pen.

Go get the book.

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For today, the question at hand... Does the swing create the shot, or does the shot create the swing?

Before moving on and being biased by my thoughts, think about it.

Does the swing create the shot?

Under this thought process, the golfer is actively thinking about how they're going to swing the club.

Maybe they're thinking "I need to get my hips through the ball" or "I need to feel my shoulder turn away."

Both of these attentional foci are placing emphasis on the swing we are about to make.

Our hope is that this swing will then create the "ideal" shot.

I suppose this seems logical, right?

I mean, swing coaches are always trying to place our swing into "proper" positioning.

Announcers are always talking about how X players swing caused the shot they just hit, good or bad.