Develop your optimum routine

Adam Sprackling from SingleMindedGolf.com is working with the Gtour to improve the mental side of your game and answers your questions on how to be a stronger player mentaly.

 

Liam Roberts (pictured below) asked

 

Adam,

Quite frequently if i've had a good start to a round I start to think I might be able to finish with a great round. This is usually where my game falls apart for several holes as I clearly try too hard and get frustrated by any sub-standard shot. Naturally, the second I forget about having a good round and relax knowing it's not going to happen the good golf comes back. Do you have any advice on maintaining a cool head and relaxed mindset throughout a round? Are there any mental routines that are beneficial before playing a shot?

Cheers,

Liam

 

 

 

 

Hi Liam


Another great question and common experience – and not dissimilar to Bruce’s first question. How do we stop jumping ahead and stay present? I’d like to answer your question fully in two parts – routine and keeping cool.

 

Routines are great for keeping things simple and automatic. There isn’t a single best routine for everyone. To develop your optimum routine, first become aware your own natural routine when you’re playing well. Then standardise this for every shot. I always recommend players to use a Think Box and a Play Box (see my last answer).


To make these 2 boxes work best, you will have your own triggers for knowing when it’s time to :

a) leave the Think Box to step up to the ball, then

b) leave the Play Box by playing the shot


In the Think Box stand behind the ball, choose the shot first based on the conditions, THEN the club to play it. Once you have done your thinking, your trigger to leave the Think Box should be a clear movie of the shot and a feeling of connection with the target. If you are working on any swing changes, include seeing yourself in the movie using your new swing before stepping up.


In the Play Box your job is do no more thinking – JUST DO IT! Your trigger to leave the Play Box and hit the shot will be personal to you. Some players feel it in their fingers, some feel it in their shoulder alignment, some again feel the connection with the target in the centre of their tummy. It’s best to have triggers that involve what you see and/or feel. You don’t want to be talking to yourself at all in the Play Box as bodies don’t speak English that well!


Once you have chosen your own triggers for both stages, ONLY leave the Think Box when you’re ready (by the way this need not take much time) and ONLY play the shot in the Play Box when you’re ready (this should take much less time!).


To help you keep cool throughout the round use your time well. Each shot takes a couple of seconds – if you’re playing off 13 then you might average around the 85 mark. So 85 times 2 seconds is 170 seconds. If you go round in 3 hours 20 mins, you’re actually only playing for 2 mins 50 seconds! If you try and concentrate for the whole round, you will tire yourself out – so only focus on the shots. The technique I coach people to use to stay present is called the Playing State.


Based from martial arts, this state brings you outside of your head and into the present moment. It will helps in a number of ways:

  • switch off your internal dialogue

  • see and feel the shot better

  • maintain a connection to the target through the shot

  • allow your head to remain still

  • feel cool, calm yet focused

  • stay present to the shot you are playing

  • stay fresh through to your last shot


Before you practice this state now, find a quiet place.

  1. Focus on a spot on the wall just above eye level

  2. Let your mind go loose so that whatever is on your mind can simply disappear for a moment

  3. Still focusing on the spot, spread out your awareness now, so that you begin to notice things in the periphery. You notice the corners of the room, the walls and furniture on either side of you

  4. Continue to draw your awareness around you until it covers 360 degrees, as if you have eyes in the back of your head. Notice also your hearing spreads out and you hear things you have not heard before all around you. Notice also as you feel your back on the chair, your feelings can spread out too, as though you could touch the far wall in front, the ceiling, the floor and the wall behind you.

  5. As your awareness starts to fill the whole room, allow it to expand out further beyond the room in all directions, forwards, backwards, up, down, left and right.

  6. Notice your connection with all of your surroundings. Now very slowly take your eyes off the spot to slowly look around. As you look around, rather than looking at any one thing, keep paying attention to the periphery

  7. Notice how quiet your mind has now become and how different this seems, feels and sounds to your normal state. Noticing what’s different will help you return to this state whenever you want. So how is it different for you?

  8. Now focus in on the spot again, switching off this state, and notice the difference again.

  9. Now once again, whilst focusing on the spot, spread your awareness out once more, 360 degrees and return to the Playing State


Imagine your next round starting off really well as you use the Think Box and Play Box. Imagine remaining in the Playing State throughout the Think Box and Play Box for every shot. In between shots you can stay in this state but you don’t have to. If you have nerves, let them come, then simply return into the Playing State whenever you need to focus.


I’m keen to hear how you and others get on with these two tips. Enjoy!


Adam

 

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