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Tom's Featured Tip: External Focus in Your Pre Shot Routine
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External Focus in Your Pre Shot Routine
For simplicity, all advice on actual swings or drills is provided from a right handed perspective.
Two Great Training Aids For Indoor or Outdoor Practice
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This is the most useful ball striking development training aid that I own.
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External Focus in Your Pre Shot Routine
In a couple of past newsletters I addressed how internal and external focus may apply to the golf swing. This is a subject that I'm fascinated with, and it so happens that I recently came across some material that addressed how external focus can be applied to something other than the swing.
In today's newsletter I'm going to address how external focus can be applied to your Pre Shot Routine.
If you do not have a Pre Shot Routine, here are a couple that I recommend to my students: Pre-Shot Routines - Putting and Other
Here's a quick refresher on these types of focuses.
Internal focus is focus that is directed toward components of the body movement, where the player will consciously make their body parts perform in a certain way. External focus is focus that is directed toward the effect of the movement on the end goal.
In my experience I've found that most golfers are acutely aware of swing training, but do not pay nearly enough attention to training their focus.
The mind can become distracted, unfocused, and more concerned about the movement of the swing than the intention for the shot. Most golfers "go through the motions" during their Pre Shot Routine and convince themselves that they are focused, but really they are unaware of where they are directing their attention.
What we focus on as we prepare to hit a shot can make a huge difference in execution.
The swing and stroke should be guided by a sensory connection with the target and intention for the shot.
When we are able to place our attention on what we are trying to do with the golf ball or the effect of our movement (impact) rather than the movement itself, it's called External Focus.
Studies show that generally speaking (and even more so for the short game and putting) having an external focus is the most effective way to play. When we become too focused on what we need to do with the body - Internal Focus - energy is directed away from the intention for the shot and towards thinking about the swing. By doing this, the intuitive "athletic" mind is pushed out of the process.
As Bobby Jones once said, "the golf swing is too complex a movement to be consciously controlled".
As a golfer hits more poor shots during a round, it can cause them to become increasingly focused on the mechanics of the swing. This distances them from their intention for the shot, creating tension and a loss of rhythm and tempo.
A good Pre Shot Routine should give you many options for external focus and attentional cues that can affect how you connect with what you're trying to achieve and how we swing the club or stroke the putter.
Shot routines and what a player focuses on, can be different for full shots, short game and putting.
Here are a few examples:
- The target - how do you see it and can you retain it?
- The feel of the strike (path, face, ground contact)
- The speed of the putt (being able to trace it with your eyes before starting your stroke)
- The visual image of the ball taking off, the apex or landing
- The curvature of the shot
- The tempo of the swing
- The sound of the shot
What type of external focus produces your best shots?
It's well worth spending the time working on this. Building an effective Pre Shot Routine shouldn't be taken lightly. Every shot gives you the opportunity to reset and get yourself ready to hit a great shot no matter how you are playing.
Intention of focus and awareness of your attention is an important - yet often overlooked - part of practice. When you are playing, focusing becomes harder because more of your energy goes to your nervous system. You can combat that by deciding what you plan to focus on, and practicing it intentionally so you make it a habit. Train your focus as you practice and take note (literally) on how it affects your shots.
Right after your next round, write down all of your best shots. Think back and recall what you were focusing on before and during your swing. Take note of any patterns. By doing this, you'll understand more about how your "intuitive athletic mind" works and you'll take a step closer to knowing your best attentional cues. The round after that, do the same thing and hold yourself accountable to where you place your attention.
Attention or focus can definitely be trained, and it's absolutely worth the effort.
Try it, you'll like it.
Email Comments: to TomTuckerGolf@gmail.com
Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer, The Stack and Tilt Swing
Love your practice, own your swing, own your health,
Tom
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All the best,
Tom Tucker
Teaching Professional, Batavia Country Club
WGTF ' "Top 100 Golf Teacher"
USGTF Class "A" Teaching Professional
IGPA Certified Golf Psychology Coach
Cell: (716) 474-3005
Email: TomTuckerGolf@gmail.com
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"There are no substitutes in the quest for perfection1"
~ Ben Hogan