Mind
Games
(sports psychology)
The key to an effective pre-shot routine
lies between your ears
by Dr. Rick Jensen
Prior to becoming a sports psychologist, I spent a number of years
working as a golf instructor. During this time, I often wondered why
many players had difficulty taking their game from the range to the
course. They would often come to me following a tournament and
exclaim, "My swing left me - it totally broke down!" We'd head to the
range, start hitting a few shots, and in no time, the player would be
hitting it well again - often with no input from me at all. Today, I
recognize that there are a number of mental factors that cause a
player's swing to break down under competition - poor attention
control, anxiety, tinkering with swing mechanics - the list goes on.
However, as an instructor, I wasn't trained or qualified to identify
or fix these types of mental factors.
So, I started reading anything I could find on the mental side of
golf. Time and time again, authors would suggest that the key to
mental toughness lies in a good pre-shot routine. Mental gurus would
describe how the great players all had well-developed, consistent
pre-shot routines. I thought, "Finally, I found the answer! By
helping players develop their pre-shot routines, I will help them win
more often, stop folding under pressure, and begin consistently
shooting lower scores." Good idea, but unfortunately, my newly-found
remedy let me down. The pre-shot routine did not have the magical
powers that I had attributed to it. Why then, were so many people
writing about it?
As a sports psychologist, I now realize that the champions in golf
not only have great pre-shot routines, but they also have other
habits that contribute to their success - great practice habits,
persistence, good decision-making, excellent training programs - to
name just a few. But, back to the topic of pre-shot routines...why
was I so misled? As I reflect back on my early teaching of the
pre-shot routine, I realize that I wasn't misled at all - I just
didn't know what I was doing. I mistakenly thought that having a good
pre-shot routine meant going through the same physical motions the
same way prior to every golf shot - and this is what I taught. Today,
many instructors, touring pros, and amateur players are making the
same mistake I was - focusing on the behavioral aspects of their
routines (e.g., practice swings, waggles, looks to the target) and
ignoring the primary purpose of having pre-shot routines - what is
going on in their heads.
The need to make newly learned skills concrete has caused many
golfers to mistakenly look at the pre-shot routine as a behavioral
strategy rather than a mental one. The key to an effective pre-shot
routine lies between your ears - what is going on in your head. A
pre-shot routine is "the process used by a player prior to each shot
that guides the player's physical readiness and mental focus of
attention." A consistent pre-shot routine is used by players to
increase ball flight consistency, minimize distractions, stimulate
concentration, and manage intensity.
Now I can say, "All great players have consistent pre-shot
routines." In other words, all great players utilize a mental process
prior to each shot that gets them physically ready and mentally
focused to hit the shot. The next time you watch your favorite
player, take note of what he/she does prior to each shot. Almost
without exception, every great player goes through 3 consecutive
stages during their pre-shot routine; namely, READY, AIM, SWING.
Let's examine these stages more closely.
Ready
Your pre-shot routine begins with the READY phase. During this
phase, your goal is to become physically and mentally prepared to
execute your golf swing or stroke. While getting "ready," you should
be considering external factors, such as distance, wind, lie,
predicted roll, and expected ball flight, as well as internal
factors, such as intensity levels, fatigue, nervousness, and
relaxation. While getting "ready," you should be striving to get
committed and comfortable. You may need to talk with your caddie,
consult your yardage book, take practice swings, pace off yardage or
simply stretch a bit - whatever it takes. Before moving on to the
aiming phase, you must ensure that you are 100% committed to the shot
and physically comfortable to play the shot. Once you feel entirely
"ready," you then begin to aim.
Aim
The "aim" phase of your pre-shot routine is initiated by the
alignment of your clubhead, feet, and body as you set up to the shot.
Once set up, shift your attention away from your body and strive to
mentally attach to your target. In Harvey Penick's words, "Take dead
aim." Focus attention on what you intend to do with the ball. The
"Aim" phase is the time for you to mentally rehearse or visualize the
intended ball flight. As you do so, your mind begins to stimulate the
muscles that will be used to hit the intended shot. Once you have
totally engaged with your intended target, simply swing!
Swing
The "Swing" can be defined as an automatic response to a peak
state of readiness, committed aim, and intention to hit a ball to a
given target. While playing golf, the "swing" is not controlled by
conscious swing thoughts; instead, the body simply reacts to the
target.
The Ready-Aim-Swing pre-shot routine is designed to give you the
best chance to execute your most repeatable swing on every shot. By
getting comfortable and committed over every shot, focusing your
attention on your intended target, and swinging the club without the
constraints of mechanical swing thoughts, you too, can enjoy the
benefits of a consistent pre-shot routine. The next time you tee it
up, take the time to "Ready-Aim-Swing." You may be pleasantly
surprised!
Dr. Rick Jensen is President of the Performance Enhancement
Center of Boca Raton and the Director of Sport Psychology at the
Academy of Golf, PGA National Resort and Spa. He works extensively
with touring pros on the PGA, LPGA, Nike and Golden Bear Tours, and
is a frequent lecturer at golf clubs nationwide. He can be reached at
561-852-3603.
