Mental Fitness Newsletter Articles
Shot Routines or Pre-Fault Routines
Most golfers come to me for one reason, and that is to help them improve their golf – in most instances following assessment and exploration the solution lies in the bringing of consistency to the golfer’s game.
The question is, how does one play more consistent golf?
The two primary goals in playing golf is to firstly enjoy the game, and secondly to shoot to your potential as low as possible. Many golfers that visit me don’t in fact know how to enjoy the game, nor do they know how to shoot low. How to enjoy the game more will be covered in future articles. In this article I am going to cover PLAYING CONSISTENT GOLF in order to shoot low!
The easiest way in which to play more consistent golf, and hence shoot lower scores, is to have a specific, consistent and sustainable shot routine. Significantly many golfers that visit me, when asked whether they have a shot routine or not, indicate that they do have – however following discussion and observation it becomes clearly evident that for the most part the golfer’s routines are generally inconsistent, unreliable, non-sustainable, and hence in fact potentially serve at times to be PRE-FAULT ROUTINES!
As in any good essay, a correct shot routine has an introduction (or start), a body (pre-shot, shot, post shot routine) and a conclusion (or end). The best means to ensure that the shot routine is consistent and sustainable is to follow a “routine” which starts with a starting mechanism and ends with an ending mechanism. Just as it is easier to run through the alphabet when starting at A, it is easier to perform a proper and effective shot routine when starting with a starting mechanism. Without the same starting mechanism each and every time, it is easy to miss a few routine items, and hence the routines become inconsistent, leading to inconsistent golf and potentially higher scoring!
The sequence of an effective shot routine is found below.
Starting Mechanism Pre-shot Routine SHOT Post-shot Routine
Ending Mechanism
What is important to understand is that each and every shot is seen as an individual shot, wrapped within the above routine. When not within an individual shot’s routine (i.e. in between shots) it is advisable to be relaxed and not focused on the previous or next shot. The focus shifts again when the next shot routine begins.
Starting Mechanism
- Try and make it apply to as many senses as possible (auditory, visually, tactile). I recommend a verbal statement as well as a small motor movement such as fastening of glove accompanied with statement to self “game on”.
- Symbolises the switch from non-focused state to focused state.
Pre-Shot Routine
The pre-shot routine should incorporate two elements or stages, the thinking or the thinking stage and execution or the execution stage.
Thinking Stage
- Imagine a “Thinking Box” directly behind the ball in line with the target – stand in this box.
- Assessment of hole, required shot, climatic conditions etc.
- Club selection according to desired shot.
- Visualisation of required shot according to intended result.
- Practise swing (if applicable) according to visualised shot. This is the time to “speak to yourself” about technical elements of swing.
- Deep Breath – whilst serving to induce a calm state it also acts as the transfer mechanism between thinking and execution.
Execution Stage
- Walk to the ball and address the ball, line up with the target.
- Deep Breath.
- Focus should now be on the ball.
Shot
- The shot should be executed without thought, trusting the pre-shot routine to ensure a proper swing. This is better enabled when there is trust in self and all of the practice sessions on the range etc.
Post-Shot Routine
The post-shot routine is designed to ensure emotional regulation as well as to ensure a positive effect for future shots. There are two outcomes to any shot, each with its own routine sequence.
Good Shot
- Watch the ball in-flight and determine whether or not a good shot.
- If good shot, try and capture the shot with all the senses (visual picture, auditory sound, tactile feeling of the club and swing), leaving a positive “footprint” in the memory.
- Provide a positive affirmation to self in the form of a verbal statement as well as a physical movement (i.e. fist pump with “great shot”).
Poor Shot
- Watch the ball in-flight and determine whether or not a poor shot.
- When poor shot, whilst the ball is in flight assess the reasons as to the poor shot.
- Perform a “practise swing” which addresses the problems. If you are unable to find fault, simply perform a “practise swing” that will leave a positive “footprint” in your memory.
- The above cognitively-based shot response helps to prevent being consumed by negative emotions, especially negative emotions such as anger and frustration.
Ending Mechanism
- Try and make it apply to as many senses as possible (auditory, visually, tactile). I recommend a verbal statement as well as a small motor movement such as unfastening of glove accompanied with statement to self “game off”.
- Symbolises the switch from focused state to non-focused state
If you can apply the above, creating and building a consistent shot routine, you will be on track towards playing consistent golf and shooting lower scores.
The next HEAD SPACE article covers focus and the appropriate shift in focus that is so important to play well.
