Well, if you didn’t see Scottie’s 5-minutes press conference answer yesterday in Northern Ireland, do yourself a favor and check it out.
In a rare moment for a professional athlete, he gave an honest response from his heart about how golf really fits into his world.
You may never see more honesty from a pro in a press conference for as long as we live.
Dude is just a straight shooter.
Shifting gears, we’ve been talking about doing the right things on the course to shave a few strokes here, a few strokes there.
And before we know it, we’re on Tour:)
Today, let’s talk…
PRE-SHOT ROUTINE
As with most things, to be successful, we need to be consistent.
Kinda like “Making the donuts”, just on the course.
Do you remember Nomar Garciaparra who played most of his career for the Red Sox, then the Dodgers?
His pre-pitch, at-bat routine was legendary.
He would tap his toes, repeatedly adjust his gloves, tap his bat, and only god knows what else.
It was comical, but obviously worked for him…he batted .313 over his entire career.
As Nomar has taught us, having a set routine helps is in a number of ways:
Enhances focus and reduces distractions – a structured approach allows us to block out potential distractions like wind, teenagers honking in your backswing, and unruly fans.
Promotes consistency – a consistent sequence of steps helps us maintain a uniform swing across the many different shots we have throughout a round.
Controls nerves and manages pressure – helps manage pressure by providing a familiar set of actions, aka “been there, done that.”
Of course, you need to do what works for you, but here’s what I try to do before each shot:
Step behind the ball
Find a target and ask myself, “What’s the perfect shot for me here.” (Visualize it)
Then ask, “Can I hit that shot?”
If yes, then I step up to the ball, tell myself, “Finish your swing.”
Boom, hit the shot.
Again, that’s what works for me.
Do what feels right to you.
And by all means, keep it simple!
STAY STRONG,
Jeff
PS – We’re always looking for good people (not necessarily good golfers) to join our Crew in the 18STRONG Membership.
Just a group of golfers with a common goal to get stronger, better, and play this game for a very long time – that’s a pretty powerful club to have in your bag.
Maybe one day Scottie will join us too.