Types of On Course routines

Now there are three distinct types of On Course routines. First there’s the pre swing. Then the end swing and the post swing. Your pre swing routine consists of everything from checking wind direction and club selection to your setup, to the ball. What you say to yourself and your mental images during each of these conditions, you’re in swing routine consists of your physical movements. As you start the club bag impact and follow through your discussion with yourself and or your mental images during the swing, your post swing routine begins as your follow-through ends.

It consists of your physical responses. And what you say to yourself or others about the shot. Your post swing routine continues on any particular shot. As long as you sustain a mood mental image of the shot and, or carry on a discussion with yourself about the shot or related score. For example, if I just hadn’t hit it out on number seven, I would be three over three under or whatever, or that shot on number six has really saved my round. I salvaged two shots with that one, save both of these thoughts. Take your focus out of the present. Interfere with concentration may create arousal and the list goes on every top athlete, whether in tennis, football, basketball, baseball, or golf follows a set pre-performance routine.

Note that a basketball player bounces the ball. The same number of times inhales deeply and exhales before each free throat.

A tennis player bounces the ball the same number of times prior to each serve.

Football players, baseball players, and golfers have similar pre-performance routines as do athletes in all sports. When these athletes routines abruptly change a deterioration in performance follows, therefore your goal is to establish a consistent repeating pre-performance routine. It is important to understand the role which your brain plays in building a successful routine.

Neuroscientists have explored the brain activity, which precedes behavior. This research has demonstrated that the brain takes one and one half seconds to develop a motor program for a simple voluntary movement. And one 10th of a second to execute the behavior. This motor program is called a readiness potential. During this readiness potential period, the brain is preparing the nervous system to act the quality of the information. The brain receives is directly related to the quality of performance.

Other neuroscientists have found that the amount of brain activity prior to a behavior is less for previously used motor programs. Then for novel programs, we call these previously used programs, habits, a well-practiced positive pre-performance routine will consistently produce the best quality behavior. Throughout this book, you will read about the experiences of world-class golfers who have learned the effects. Various thinking styles have on their performances. These thoughts are always a part of their routines. Please remember that the brain takes 15 times longer to prepare the nervous system to behave than it does to execute the behavior. This extended period of preparation for performance is made up of thoughts and images.

Routine is habit. These pre-performance routines are part of everything we do. We are creatures of habit. We tend to follow a set daily routine. We get out of bed on the same side, we shower, dress groom and eat in the same sequence. Day after day, we put the same shoe on the same foot and the same arm through our shirts leave in the same order each morning. These are automatic behaviors that we don’t think about as we do them. They are part of our daily routine. These are examples of voluntary behaviors, which rely on previously used motor programs because the behaviors are so well-practiced less brain activity is required to initiate the behavior.

All behavior occurs as a habit. What happens when you get out of your routine, when you lose your place so to speak, your concentration is disturbed. You become physically aroused. You become a bit disoriented. Performance suffers. Your irritability increases and frustration. Tolerance is lowered.

On the other hand, your performance will be enhanced when you follow a consistent repeating routine.

Please continue with: The psychology of learning