| Golf instructors often talk about the transition in | | | | 3. align their body and clubface |
| the golf swing as that pause between completing | | | | 4. take a final look at their target |
| the backswing and starting the downswing. They | | | | 5. finally, hit the "start button" and swing the club |
| often suggest that slowing down the transition is | | | | or putter. |
| one of the most important keys to hitting a good | | | | What's interesting is that they don't seem at all |
| shot. | | | | rushed in fitting all that into such an apparently |
| Well, I'm not qualified to comment on the | | | | short time. They certainly don't have any spare |
| technicalities of the golf swing. However, I am | | | | time for self doubt and that little voice in their |
| qualified to comment on what for me is an even | | | | head telling them they're doing it all wrong! In fact, |
| more important transition in golf psychology. It's | | | | they complete the process like they're in some |
| the transition from the conscious analytical | | | | sort of trance and that means that they are |
| planning phase of your pre-shot routine to the | | | | leaving the whole process to their unconscious |
| unconscious instinctive phase of actually hitting the | | | | golf mind, just like driving a car or riding a bike. |
| ball. Unlike the pause at the top of the backswing, | | | | Now some of the players you watch on TV or |
| the faster you can comfortably make this | | | | out on the course take a lot longer to make this |
| transition, the better and more consistently you'll | | | | transition and the time they take is less |
| find yourself striking the ball or rolling the putt. | | | | consistent. How well did you see them play? If |
| If you watch the top players in the world, like Phil | | | | you watched Sergio Garcia playing golf a few |
| Mickelson and Tiger Woods, you'll notice that they | | | | years ago, you'd have often seen him take an |
| take very little time between taking their chosen | | | | inordinately long time to hit the ball. He had a |
| club out of the bag and hitting the ball. A recent | | | | pained expression on his face that suggested he |
| study suggested that Tiger and Phil consistently | | | | was experiencing a lot of negative self-talk and he |
| take around 11 to 12 seconds to do this and they | | | | seemed to be wringing the life out of the club as |
| are very consistent with the timing. If they took | | | | he repeatedly re-gripped his hands. It's no surprise |
| any longer, they often hit a less than good shot - | | | | that his golf was inconsistent at best and he |
| these guys don't hit many downright bad shots. | | | | certainly didn't seem to be enjoying his golf. |
| So what do they do in those 11 to 12 seconds? | | | | So how do I speed up my transition from taking |
| Well, every player has his own idiosyncrasies, | | | | my club out to hitting the ball, I hear you say. Well |
| including re-gripping, waggling, breathing, blinking | | | | one way is to make the whole process an |
| and countless other rituals. However, they all | | | | instinctive or unconscious activity. Streamline your |
| seem to | | | | own transition process and use it every time you |
| | | | hit a shot on the golf course, at the driving range, |
| 1. take one or two practice swings to get the feel | | | | on the practice putting green and in your mental |
| of the shot they visualise playing | | | | golf practice. You do practice and play golf in your |
| 2. step forward to the ball and take their stance | | | | mind, now don't you? |