What length of time have you been driving for? You can choose to drive for one year, three or ten years. You’re likely to have been driving for a long time enough that your intuitions are able to guide you and allow you drive by feeling.
Did you ever remember the learning process? This process can be applied to creating a golf swing that is effective.
In order to master any skill, there are three basic stages. Although the lines between these stages can be blurred at times, you will find it easy to connect.
A novice driver’s first task is getting to know the brake system and the steering wheel. This is usually done in a parking lot or quiet street, and then the driver will drive slowly. This stage of learning is called the “mechanical or conscious” stage. Here the student must be able to accurately recall where the brakes, steering wheels, and signals are located. Speed is not an issue at this stage.
Are you a student driver and have you been stuck behind one?
Second stage is the application of new knowledge in real life situations. Driving on residential streets with pedestrians, traffic lights, stop signs, and oncoming traffic. Slowly, students learn to trust their intuition and respond automatically to all the information.
Third stage is to drive safely on the highway. This stage is where the student (hopefully!) has enough practice to be able focus solely on getting to the destination, and to react rapidly to possible detours.
An uncanny rhythm is what identifies elite athletes.
What does all this mean for your ability to play consistently?
The ideal learning environment would allow a novice to begin building muscle memory and practice essential moves in slow motion without the aid of a coach. Similar to the student driving in a parking garage, this is also possible.
Next, the student would be on practice range learning to choose a target and developing a feeling for how they swing. Students should focus more on feeling good shots than analysing poor ones.
Stage three is where the scratch golfer develops triggers that allow him/her quickly to switch between conscious (mechanical), and unconscious (feel). They focus solely on the target, trusting their muscle memory, and are able to trust their muscles.
Rehearsing these three positions on a daily basis is key to building muscle memory. We’ll be covering each position more in the next article.
Three fundamental positions are found in any effective swing.
(1) You can feel the weight at your address.
(2) Keep your back toward the target.
(3) Right hand to left of the left foot at impact.
We will be back next week to discuss the cause-effect relationship for each position.
Thank you for reading!