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Mind gurus have got much to answer for

'Is it any wonder competitions and corporate golf days take five and six hours when golfers with a range of abilities from scratch to 36 handicap are taking ages to hit each shot?'

Posted: 2 August 2005
by Tim Beard

Watch the ball…and the clock

Sports psychologists have got a lot to answer for. To my mind, they must bear some (if not most) of the blame for the interminable rounds of golf I’ve had to endure – and follow - in recent years.

For far too many golfers these days, it’s not good enough to "have a knock" with your pals - tee it up, belt it, find it, belt it again, line up the putt and strike it at the hole.

Oh no - that simply won’t do any more. These mind gurus tell us to imagine the shot you want to play - which involves standing motionless behind your ball, then picking your target line and the spot on the fairway or green to land the ball - even if your eyesight is a bit blurred after 100 yards or so.

Next you have to spend more time in the visualisation zone, re-creating the perfect arc the ball takes through the air to its intended destination.

Ready to strike then? (Sorry, no, please try to stay awake!)

There’s more to be done yet. We haven’t even started the pre-shot routine.

Having stood behind the ball to picture your shot, it’s now time to move alongside it to take your stance. (Still with me? You’ve not nodded off?)

Place the clubhead behind the ball, feet together, move the left foot the required distance to the left, now the right foot to the right. Comfortable?

Gently bend the knees slightly, shuffle the feet a little to get more comfortable. Get ready for the wrist waggle (is that one waggle or two?), look up to the target, back down at the ball, up at the target again, down at the ball again.

FORE! (a plaintive cry is heard nearby)

Hell and damnation... concentration’s gone to pot, I’m out of my zone. I’ll have to start again... visualise the shot, shuffle into my stance - and so on.

Is it any wonder competitions and corporate golf days take five and six hours when golfers with a range of abilities from scratch to 36 handicap are taking ages to hit each shot?

At my local course we’ve got members who go through this whole rigmarole every time and take at least 100 shots in a round.

For goodness’ sake! Decide where you want to hit it then stand up to it and give it a clout. The object of golf is to propel the ball towards a 4.25 inch hole, so just do it!

Do you have a pre-shot routine that works or a swing thought that improves your game? Tell us on the forum.

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Do you have a pre-shot routine that works or a swing thought that improves your game?
Posted: 02/08/2005 14:17

golf_bhoy (11.8)

Slow play has been a problem since long before mind gurus came onto the scene.

Pre-shot routines are important, but they don't have to be as long as the article implies.

Yes I stand behind the ball and visualise the shot, yes I take a practice swing, yes I pick out a "target" just in front of my ball (a la Jack Nicklaus), and yes I take care lining up to that target.

30 seconds max, probably less. Kev might know, we've played together a few times. I've never been timed, but I've never had anyone say I'm a slow player either. My reputation is at the opposite end of the speed scale.

Posted: 02/08/2005 14:33

Nick Naim

I take time to aim my shot at an intermediate target. This only came about when I was having a lesson and I was telling the pro I was hitting the ball to the right, he told me it was because I was aiming right and the ball went where I aimed.

Now I will stand behind ball and pick an intermediate target inline with where I want to aim, line up club head and then take my stance and whack it. The few seconds I take to aim saves minutes searching for balls previously hit 'straight' into the rough!!!

Posted: 02/08/2005 14:36

Ignited 8.4 >7.6

Me, Im a grip it and rip it kinda guy.

There is nothing more annoying than someone who takes forever and a day over a shot only to duff it.
Its not so bad if you only hit 69 shots a round but when you hit 90odd shots a round it gets a wee bit iritating for the rest of us.

BTW Rory Sabbitini[sp?] is my current hero.
Posted: 02/08/2005 15:23

LGL (5)

This is my biggest peeve on the course. It drives me banana's to watch people take numerous practice shots, visualise the line, line up, wiggle and jiggle, on and on and on and on. I could scream sometimes. AARRGGHH.
Posted: 02/08/2005 15:32

JimP (7.5)

Spectacles, tentacles, wallet and watch then fire is my routine. The only thing that takes a little time for me is the fact that I use slightly thin grips and getting club face square can take a little bit of readjusting.
Posted: 02/08/2005 17:19

Gareth Smit

Yep hate slow play myself aswell, I keep thinking I need to remember all the aiming tips etc but never do, I just practise swing 2-3 times till I feel comfortable then hit it and let the golf gods decide where is ends up.

This weekend was at a public course, had to wait 5 mins for each shot because course was full of 13/14 year olds on summer hols hitting the ball 50 yrds at a time.
Posted: 02/08/2005 17:33

Ant Lockyer (28)

We hjad a group play in front of us a few weeks back. 7 (yes seven) practice swings followed by a duff every time.

My dad remarked on the 5th tee that the guy was using up all his good shots on the practice swings and in that heat might want to limit himself to 1 or 2.

The guy took it well and as advice, he then went on to play much better :)
Posted: 02/08/2005 17:49

DAMON BURKE(20)

I was making my partners suffer due to my lengthy set up and waggles.

My pro-filmed me at the range during a lesson and commented that 25+ secs of set up was a bit silly really.

Now got it down to 1 practice swing, sight and aim on an intermediate target, relax and swing.
Posted: 02/08/2005 18:14

Threeputter

I'm with you guys 100% - how long does it take the mind/body to react to a squash ball (and that is travelling a fair bit)? I think the more time taken the more time for doubt/negative thoughts to creep in.
Posted: 02/08/2005 18:46

Mc Alan (21)

Playing a works 4somes tie recently, my partner and I were astounded when one of our opponents, a 13 h'capper, paced out the yardage to the front of the green for an approach shot.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!!
Posted: 02/08/2005 20:26

LGL (5)

I can feel myself getting stressed just reading about slow play.
Posted: 02/08/2005 21:19

Naff Jevons

take guesstimation of yardage & pick club on approach to ball,
one practice swing (unless it feels 'wrong', shift of the glove, then second swing corrects that)
address ball then swing
Posted: 03/08/2005 01:51

Ian Walton

Too many practice swings is the current bugbear on the course I regularily play. You see them every sunday take 5 or more practice swings digging a trench across the fairway.....then freeze over the shot and a completely different stab at the ball appears, large howl and the club is driven forcefully into the ground.

Me, I take the club back to the point where i start to rotate my shoulder, stops me taking it back too much on the inside, re-address the ball and fire.Saw a few pro do this especially Mike Weir. Aiming and club selection is done while approaching the ball or waiting for someone else to play. Any more than this and I end up getting to technical and duffing.

I find the unnecessary use of practice swings more infuriating than slow play but it definitely is a contributary factor.
Posted: 03/08/2005 12:23

Stu-Pid (11)

There is a fine line between taking too long to play a shot and making sure that you take ample care so that you don't end up playing too many shots.

I have a routine where I take a practice swing next to the ball, then step back behind, pick out my target line, address the ball and wait until I feel comfortable and then hit. When all goes well it's a reasonably quick routine, but if I don't feel comfortable then I'll start again as it's better to spend an extra 10 seconds going through the routine again rather than hitting a bad shot and possibly taking longer by having to look for the ball etc etc.
Posted: 03/08/2005 12:36

Oneput Toomany

I have a routine and it is quicker to hit one good shot than three poor ones, Just think about the time for a shot on the green and two putts against missing the green, bunker rake sand etc, or chip and putt.
It need not take any longer to prepare to play well.
Posted: 03/08/2005 13:58

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