Rebuilding my swing

I'm working on a new swing this spring and have run into a bit of a catch-22.

The instructions I'm following have me going through all sorts of swing drills, with and without a club in my hands, to ingrain certain movements. The author is adamant that once you introduce a golf ball into the equation, human nature takes over and you forget what you're working on and just try to hit the ball as hard as you can.

I know from my own experience that this is exactly what happens.

I also know from my own experience that the flight of the ball is ultimately the best feedback as to the effectiveness of your swing.

So, without the golf ball you're not really sure the swing you're developing is going to "work" (as I found out last year). But, on the plus side, you can "practice" in your backyard.

Actually hitting a ball involves a trip to the driving range, where you have to pay to practice and overcome the urge to swing hard while working on the swing drills.

Is it any wonder it's so hard to improve your golf swing?