You have a Pre-Shot Routine. What is it? Is it helping you control the Clubface, Head and Shaft before the shot is played? What is your perfect 'bridge' between the Practice Tee and the First Tee?
My pre shot routine begins about ten yards from the ball when I am starting to assess the lie, the weather and wind conditions and calculating yardage.
I next like to ask myself - "What is the best shot for me given these variables"
Once I've decided that shot I am visualising in my minds eye. I see the ball on the green, I then trace it back through the air to my club, then I see the swing that produced the shot I visualised.
I then make a practice swing reproducing the swing I visualised, feeling the motion I need to make. If I get it first time then I move to the ball, I don't like to make more than 2 practice swings and rate the swings I make on a scale of 1-10. Ideally I want a 10 before moving into the shot but I will accept an 8 or 9 but only to keep the round down to 4 hours!
All of this I am diong a few yards behind the ball in my 'think box', once I have made the practice swing I am happy with I move to the 'play box' and begin my clear key.
The clear key lets me play on automatic, I am no longer 'trying' to do anything, I have given my body the instruction and am now trusting my subconscious to execute the instruction.
After the shot is gone I try to have an end routine where I accept the shot whether it be good or bad in a non judgemental manner. My end signal is usually a verbal cue such as 'done' or 'over'.
Ideally I haven't made my OTT move and hooked the s@#t out of it!
__________________ The student senses his teacher’s steadfast belief and quiet resolve: “This is doable. It is doable by you. The pathway is there. All you need is determination and time.” And together, they make it happen.
I will have a stab at this one. A key for me is seperating training from play. TGM has helped imeasurably to this end. Mechanics to feel is developed off-premises. Feel reproducing the mechanics is for the golfing sanctuary of your choice! I have gone a little further than most in that I do not even work on mechanics on the driving range. I play golf on the range and this is helping me to take it to the first tee. This is very difficult for me to do! Like many out there I used to hit a ton of range balls. Nowadays (always pressed for time) I may only hit 25 balls during the course of a range session. Each shot is selected in terms of starting direction, divergence, and trajectory. I am trying really hard to go through my pre-shot routine (which I have modified a great deal) on EVERY shot. I guess in order to make the longest walk in golf from the practice tee to the first tee the two need to somewhat resemble each other. I have played "swing" for too long. Golf is a lot more fun!
so my pre-shot routine looks something like this on an approach shot:
1. Assess the shot within 40 yards of approaching my ball (I do my best not to ride carts)
2. Figure yardage etc.
3. Pull the club
4. Stand behind the ball. I use the shaft of the club to etablish the target line. I look for an intermediate target a couple of feet ahead of the ball.
5. Based on my shot selection I aim the clubface based on where I want to start the ball (say 5 yards right for a push - draw.) I aim the face with just my right hand (right forearm on plane of course). I also set the amount of shaft lean as well as handle height. For this shot my hands are pretty high...the clubface aiming very slightly right of the target line.
6. I now focus ONLY on the alignment of the leading edge once properly aimed. I now draw a straight plane line slightly closed to the clubface alignment.
7. I take my stance relative to the plane line, although I am not overly precise on this Example: I hit nice fades from a closed to the plane line stance...so did Hogan!
8. I add my left hand to the motionless club.
9. I track my eyes down the plane line (for this shot maybe 10 yards right of the flagstick...I do my best not to lock on with the flag stick. I ignore the target line at this point.
10. I waggle once over the ball, tracing the plane line...then I trace it for real!
Note: I find it a lot easier to draw a straight plane line perpendicular to the leading edge of the club face, and trace it, than I do creating a divergence! Does that mean hitting it straight is not that difficult? I guess is a lot easier to recognize a 90 degree relationship, that it is say a 86 degree relationship!
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