Strength Your "Core" for Longer Drives
Tuesday, March 09, 2004
It's All in The Mind part 2
by Dr Aidan Moran, Professor of Psychology
www.alicesbookshop.co.uk
Here is the third in a series of articles by Dr
Aidan Moran, Professor of Psychology Research at
University College, Dublin. Dr Moran is adviser to many
of Ireland's top Golfers including Padraig Harrington
As we learned in article one, concentration, or the ability
to focus on the present task while ignoring distractions,
is probably the most important mental skill in golf. As
Paul Azinger said, ~Staying in the present is the key to
the golfer~s game: Once you start thinking about a shot you
just messed up. You~re lost~. But what can you do on the
course to improve your focusing skills? Here are some
practical tips that are designed to keep your mind focused
on the job at hand.
Develop a pre-shot routine
As I explained in article two, routines train your mind to
focus on the ~here and now~. Remember the steps involved in
any good routine: Assess the situation, then prepare to
play and finally, trust your swing and let it flow.
Pick a specific target
Always ask yourself "What's my target?" for every shot you
play. Picking a target is a good way of blocking out
distractions.
Focus on the challenge of every shot
Try to see every shot as a contest between you and the
target. Nothing else matters.
Use "trigger words" to refocus your mind
If you find yourself thinking too far ahead, try using
phrases like "this one ~ now!" or "nice and easy" to
refocus your mind.
Visualise the type of shot you want to play
Visualisation, or "seeing" and "feeling" a shot in your
imagination before you actually hit it, is a popular
concentration technique among top players.
Learn to put the past behind you
Develop the habit of "letting go" of the shot you've just
played. If it was a bad shot, remind yourself that it's the
next shot that counts. If it was a good shot say "well
done" silently to yourself but remember to re-focus on the
next target to aim at.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER The Pressure Putt ~ Audio tape by Dr
Aidan Moran
http://alicesbookshop.seekbooks.co.uk/booklist.asp?
StoreURL=alicesbookshop&cat=326
Visit us at www.alicesbookshop.co.uk Ireland's On-line
Bookstore
This article courtesy of http://www.iprogolf.com.
It's all in the mind, part 1
by Dr Aidan Moran, Professor of Psychology
www.alicesbookshop.co.uk
It's all in the mind
Preparing to play:
Using "pre-shot routines" and "practising with a purpose in
mind"
Here is the second in a series of articles by Dr Aidan
Moran, Professor of Psychology Research at University
College, Dublin. Dr Moran is adviser to many of Ireland~s
top Golfers including Padraig Harrington
Although top golfers have distinctive styles, they tend to
prepare for every shot in the same way. In other words,
they use consistent ~pre-shot routines~. Psychologically,
routines are essential in golf because they take you
from ~thinking~ to ~playing~ or from conscious control to
automatic pilot. Indeed, research shows that they are
helpful in three ways.
Firstly, they ensure that your set-up and swing are as
consistent as possible ~ even when practising on the
driving range.
Secondly, they improve concentration because they force you
to stay in the ~here and now~ as you go from step to step
in the preparatory sequence.
Finally, they encourage you to develop a steady rhythm and
to play at your own pace ~ not to rush because you feel
that you~re holding up someone behind you.
So what are the steps in an effective pre-shot routine?
1 Assess the situation
First you have to assess the situation by standing behind
the ball and gathering ~target information~ such as the
lie, the direction of any wind blowing, the distance
between your ball and your target, and the existence of any
special hazards.
2 Prepare to play
Next, try to ~see~ and ~feel~ the type of shot you want to
play in your mind~s eye. Then check your grip, get into
the ~ready~ position, make sure the club head is behind the
ball and align your club and body to the target. If
necessary, adjust your stance again until you feel
comfortable.
3 Let it flow
Finally, relax your shoulders, take your preferred number
of practice swings, clear your mind, glance at the target
again, and let your shot flow.
Your pre-shot routine may vary slightly with the type of
shot you play (e.g. bunker shot versus putt) but it should
be consistent. Furthermore, you will find that with
practice, your pre-shot routine will become a vital part of
your swing. Remember ~ consistent preparation is the
platform for consistent performance.
Practising with a purpose in mind
In my last article, I explained that golfers tend to play
their best when they concentrate on one shot at a time ~
directing the ball at a specific target. Unfortunately,
most golfers set themselves a different kind of target,
such as achieving a certain score or obtaining a particular
number of points at the end of the round. The problem with
these targets is that they are too far ahead and hence
distract us from the task in hand. So, how can you practise
becoming more ~target focused~? Well. Research shows that
only quality practice makes perfect. So, you need to have a
specific purpose in mind when you go to the practice ground
or driving range.
Remember, winners are workers. As Jack Nicklaus said: ~I
try to have a clear purpose in mind on every swing. I
always practice as I intend to play~
Practice as you intend to play
Try to vary the clubs you use in practice because during a
game you rarely get a chance to play the same club twice in
succession.
Always have a target
You can improve your target awareness on the range by
aiming towards distance markers or other such targets.
Maintain your set-up routines
When practising, make sure to maintain your normal set-up
and routines between shots. Otherwise you are not
practising as you intend to play.
Putting
It's best to practise with only one ball when putting
because you never get a second chance in a game.
Keep it interesting and reward yourself
A good way to maintain interest in your practice drills is
to challenge yourself to achieve a certain target (e.g., to
sink 6 consecutive putts from a metre away) and then to
reawrd yourself accordingly (e.g., with a cup of coffee
afterwards). Psychologically, activities that are followed
by rewards tend to become rewarding in themselves.
If you follow these "quality drills" you will learn to
practise properly.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER The Pressure Putt ~ Audio tape by Dr
Aidan Moran
http://alicesbookshop.seekbooks.co.uk/booklist.asp?
StoreURL=alicesbookshop&cat=326
Visit us at www.alicesbookshop.co.uk Ireland~s On-line
Bookstore
This article courtesy of http://www.iprogolf.com.
Strength Your "Core" for Longer Drives
by Mike Pedersen
http://www.golf-trainer.com
Every golfer is looking for the secret to longer drives.
What is it? A new $600 driver? More lessons with your golf
pro? How about the new Titleist Pro V I ball? Well, if none
of the above worked, then there is only one thing left.
Your body! That's right, the most important piece of
equipment you have! I know most of you don't want to admit
that being a little fitter and more flexible would enhance
your golf game. Why? Because it takes a little work. You're
not training for the Olympics, so we're not asking you to
commit to 8 hours a day. Not even 1 hour a day. Try 30
minutes 3-4 times each week. That's it! No more! Don't we
all have at least 30 minutes a day to dramatically improve
our golf game? I'll bet you can find the time. Just give it
a chance.
So now that we have made the commitment to improve our
strength and flexibility specific to golf. What now? What
should we focus on? Well, I can tell you the most important
area of the body for a golfer is the "core", or the center
of our bodies. Why? Because the "core", which includes the
abdominals, lower back and even the hamstrings are critical
in protecting the lower back from injury; and being able to
create enough torque to unwind our bodies and produce
maximum clubhead speed. The golf swing puts a tremendous
amount of tension on the spine and lower back. If this area
is weak and inflexible, your spine takes the brunt of the
pressure not your muscles. This will most definitely result
in a lower back injury.
Wouldn't you like to be able to play golf pain-free? No
stiff or aching back afterwards? Well, there's hope. By
strengthening and stretching this area, you will see a
dramatic improvement in your distance and accuracy. All it
takes is a little consistency and commitment. With just a
few pieces of inexpensive equipment such as a stability
ball (the big beach ball), medicine ball and maybe even
some exercise tubing, you can create your own golf fitness
gym in your home. Now you'll finally see improvement in
your game!
This Article was provided by Mike Pedersen, founder of Golf-
Trainer.com. For golf-specific programs and consulting
please visit Mike~s site at www.golf-trainer.com.
This article courtesy of http://www.iprogolf.com.
Some links for longer drives:
Golf Draw - The Best Step-By-Step System
Golf Swing - Hit The Ball Longer!
Proper Golf Swing - Save Yourself Time and Money!
Correct Golf Swing - Increase your shot distance!
Golf Club Swing Speed - Approach Each Shot With Confidence!
Golf Swing - Hit Crisp, Powerful, Consistent, Controlled Draws
Golf Tip - Hit The Ball 17 Yards Longer!
Golf Instructions - How You Should Be Gripping The Club For The Best Results!Golf Exercise - Improve Your Arm Movement
Golf Swing Tip - Here's The Best Way To Consistently Draw The Ball
