Chapter One (page 25-66)
Ball Flight Laws The ball only responds to one thing; impact!
Law 1 – Heel/Toe Strike
Without hitting the sweet spot, you cannot
achieve consistent distance, direction or control.
There is a clear correlation between how good a
player is and their strike pattern. Most players
have a toe or heel dominant strike.
Law 2 – Divot Position
Every good player hits the ground in the correct
place in relation to the golf ball. Good players
take a divot with all their iron shots ¼ or ½ inch.
Poor players hit behind the ball (up to 4 inches) =
heavy – ball lacks distance and direction
Other extreme is a topped shot when the sole of
the club strikes near or above the equator
Law 3 & 4 – Clubface and Path
The first two laws are a ‘must’; Laws 3 & 4 are
only influencers….
When the clubface is square to the path, the ball
goes straight. If it is open or closed relative to the
swing path, the ball will curve. The ball direction
is influenced 75% towards where the clubface is
pointing at impact and 25% towards the swing
path direction. Therefore…
You can hit the ball left while swinging to the
right!
Law 5 - Club Speed
The pros hit the ball much further because they
are close to 50% faster than the average
amateur golfer.
Law 6 - Angle of Attack
Has an influence on the ground strike with the
irons.
Law 7 - Dynamic Loft
This is the loft you present to the ball at impact
and has a 60-85% influence on the launch angle.
Chapter Two (page 67-80) 1 of 1

Obstacles to Change… Our

We can use our consciousness to override

instinctive or ingrained habits.
Subconscious concept of impact means that the
mind has an ingrained idea of how to hit the ball
and always tries to come back to this – the brain
seeks out the old impact which is why you can't
easily fix a shank by standing further from the
ball. The feeling of how you should strike the ball
at impact is one of the main determinants of your
golf at this present moment, and one of the
defining elements of your technique.
.
Chapter Three (page 81-107) 1 of 1
Technique v Skill We need to balance technical development and skill development
Technique is the procedure used to complete a
task (movement patterns). These movement
patterns can be macro; big motor patterns that
stay stable and micro; smaller elements such as
hand movement. There are certain parameter
that should be met and certain things
professionals do but no one ideal swing
Skill is the ability to coordinate the entirety of
movement to achieve an end directive (ability to
produce desired performance). The difference
between good and poor players is the type of
variability and whether it brings us closer to our
desired result. you can swing well mechanically
but do not perform to optimum as missing the
skill element; (we train skills in a different way).
Skills adaptability – compensations may be a
good thing and need a lower need for
compensations but also encourage more
positive movement variability. We don’t want the
player to lose ability to compensate, just remove
need to compensate.
‘Uncontrolled Manifold Hypothesis’ – all our · Wrong focus and/or attention – must have
moving parts some of which get us nearer to goal attention on desired outcome and focus on
or away from our goal. That’s why it is important it too
to have a good understanding of what you're
· Fear of experimentation – fear of trying new
trying to achieve.
things. Set up your environment which
Talent – is the innate potential ability (upper limit encourages experimentation
of what your skills can potentially be). Skills can
· Equipment – must be suitable for the job
be learned, developed and improved upon.
· Other influences – other sports you’ve
Self-organising – we can develop efficient
played
techniques without thought awareness or being
Lack of practice
taught them – like walking. Similarly in golf, by ·
setting the right tasks and encouraging · No parameters set – a sort of pressure that
play/exploration of different variable, we can use demands growth. Need to set boundaries
a lot of our body’s instinctive intelligence to home of unpredictability. If too easy we don’t
in on the right combinations of variables evolve, too hard and we stall
automatically. As skills improve, body seeks out
Command learning – sometimes self-
more efficient and effective procedures.
organisation doesn’t work and need to artificially
When self-organisation doesn’t happen teach technique. We can't work on skills and
· Physical limitations – find out what your hope to get effective technique and can't work
body can and can't do… purely on technique and be skillful.
· Other pieces not in place – can't self-
organise if ball position is wrong.
· Not ready yet – needs the good player’s
experience
· Wrong idea – understand what you're trying
to do
Chapter Four (page 109-129) 1 of 2
Locus of Attention Our attention affects our movement patterns
We need to link certain attentional loci to the
desired movement. There are five main types of
loci
· Internal – specific part of the body. Use this
focus wisely and sparingly for maximum
benefit. Mainly used when learning.
· External – focus attention on what is required
to complete the task eg. clean strike. This
focus allows the body to organise movements
in a much more coordinated fashion. Better
than being forced into a position by the
conscious mind. Players tend to work round
their physical limitations.
“The differences in our bodies makes it
impossible for a teacher to know the
ideal movement or positions to play
their best golf.
On the other hand, the human body has
a very intelligent system of feedback
and instinctive/genetic information
which can align it to organise into much
more appropriate ways for the task in
hand. It allows the movement to
develop as a result of the desired
impact.”
Also, a person who has improved their divot
position relative to the ball through an external
process focus can make the correct divot
regardless of where they put the ball in their
stance.
· External result – focus on the target or ball
flight. Golf can be learned without conscious
knowledge of ‘how to do it’ but be aware if
your focus moves from the target to the
water.
· Neutral – your locus doesn’t relate to the
process or outcome of the shot. Acts as a
conscious distraction and allows your actions
to arise automatically. This can be a big step
in breaking free of the troubles many golfers
have. A neutral thought can also give
consistency as less interference. But, if the
result is not as desired, it is hard to change.
Also, if not visualising the result consciously,
could be less brain activity in the visual motor
areas of the brain but can get round this
through a good pre-shot routine with
visualisation, then walking in and hitting with
neutral focus. Can stop images turning
negative.
Problem with this is it’s difficult to learn new
skills – learning something new normally
requires a higher level of focus/awareness/
attention.
People who like to be in control struggle to let
go and let it happen. Neutral focus is
desirable when people have good tendencies
and need to draw them out more consistently
or when distractions are the cause of most
poor shots.
· Transcendental – flow state. Distinct lack of
consciousness yet high performance. Rhythm
and repetitiveness help put us in this state
which is what we stop doing when under
pressure (choke). Not easy. The more
ingrained a good routine becomes, with
improvements in consistency of routine,
rhythm of routine and timing and lowering of
conscious thought, the better the changes of
routine being on autopilot (when the magic
happens) incredible detail for a good player,
beginner could be as simple as same time
between walking forward and hitting the shot.
Understand that it is possible to hit great
shots without conscious control.
Try these different loci and see what works
best. You can dramatically improve your golf,
simply with a shift in focus.
Chapter Four (page 109-129) 2 of 2
Locus of Attention Our attention affects our movement patterns
PA coupling and attention
The movement pattern we link to a locus of
attention/desired outcome could be a movement
which produces a different result. A slicer sees a
straight shot yet his body movement associated
with this image hits a slice. You may hit the ball
well on the range when you focus on a body
movement but when you play with focus on the
target instead of the movement, you’re still
conditioned to repeat your old swing. Or if you
have a shot over water and you hit the ball into
the water last time you played, then your
movement will be different again.
This can also apply to when the player has a
certain way of hitting the ball and will always go
for that movement in an attempt to strike the ball
the only way they know how.
Addressing movement issues alone without
addressing the perception/action of the impact
concept is swimming against the tide.
1.
How can we address this issue?
1. take away the result/environment eg. use
of a net or make a conscious decision to
ignore the stimuli and think about a 1.
different focus. It only works if you can
keep this focus on the course as you don’t
couple the movement with the target stimuli
2.
gradually link the movement with the loci of
2.
attention eg. draw across a net until the
player can reproduce the movement with
3.
the target present, draw back the net and
then see if the player can maintain the
swing change. If not, draw back the net
until the player can reproduce the
movement with the target present..
3. learn the movement with the environment
in mind; this is a modern way of learning.
this would be learning the movement with
the target in mind. another example may be
to introduce a rule such as clubface closed
to the path, then curve left but finish right
of target (target focus) and then add on
subsequent rules such as foot alignment.
By now they have self-organised path and
face combinations, all with a target focus
which is more easily maintained on the golf
course.
PA coupling of ball strike for people who have
naturally internal or external process focus has
there ways to get around.
take away ball and replace with plectrums,
whiffle balls etc. if PA coupling of ball
contact is holding them back
re-introducing the ball gradually while
maintaining the movement, ball taken away
if movement is not maintained.
dive in at the deep end and try to ingrain
movement with a ball there; most difficult of
the methods but likely the most stable
when learned. Even set tasks which involve
the concept of strike, such as setting
obstacles in the way to force hitting the ball
differently
Uncontrolled Manifold Hypothesis
This is when a good player’s body can self-
organise to produce the desired result from a
different set up/starting conditions. This is why
good players perform with an external focus like
the target; their brain uses the perception of the
target to organise all of the movements required
to get the end directive.
Chapter Five (page 109-129) 1 of x

SIPFATS The major influences on whether we achieve our desired impact; we must tie them all together….

All the parts feed into one another so by following

Skill/co-ordination all the other pieces, you will slowly dissipate the
Skill is the ability to match our intention with poor subconscious concepts and they will be
reality. We can use different techniques and still replaced by better subconscious concepts. you
be skillful. As you improve skill levels, good can tell if it is your subconscious concept to
technique may develop. But, better technique blame if you can make the desired motion
can produce worse skill levels…. without a ball there but it reverts back to your old
swing with the ball.
Idea/Intention Example: you can hit the ground in the right spot
so you have the technique and the skill but your
Understand exactly what we want eg. the ball swing might break down and revert to old if your
flight laws attentional focus shifts and your subconscious
Preparation concept come out. it is pointless forcing
technique; you need to translate that technique
Rehearse what you're trying to do with a practice to your golf ball. Get over this by really
swing visualising the correct conscious concept. One
Feedback way of getting over this is to exaggerate the
correct concept.
Use ground strike, face strike, clubface/path
relationship
Attention & focus
Where is it?
Technique
Not the holy grail to improving golf. There are
many techniques that get the club into impact
properly. focusing on other SIPFATS can allow
technique to spontaneously self-organise
Subconscious concept
The way your brain currently wishes to strike the
ball
Chapter Six (page 143-156) 1 of 1
The Uncontrolled Manifold Hypothesis
Degrees of freedom are points where movement
can occur but if you think that fewer movement
points leads to more stability, you would be dead
wrong. Degrees of freedom should be
encouraged to work together to stabilise
performance and achieve an end goal.
the human mind is great at organising all the
elemental variables to achieve the goal. lock
down on those variables which do not offer us a
chance of success, but keep enough degrees of
freedom to allow good movement variability to
arise.
Your body is constantly adjusting to maintain
balance; stability is achieved through hundreds
of subtle movements working together. while
people will settle on one consistent method of
putting their food into their mouth with a fork,
they are able to do it many other ways. The
human brain is great at organising all the
elemental variables to get the food into your
mouth. But, whilst we mustn’t lock down all
degrees of freedom, it is not always a bad thing
to reduce the number of available options since
some variables do not offer us a chance of
success. if you limit one degree of freedom, you
may run the risk of disturbing ability of the brain
to self-organise effective concoctions; this is why
technical changes need to be done off-season.
Our nervous system doesn't eliminate degree of freedom but uses it to ensure
performance and stability….
In golf, we achieve this by demanding more of
our movement, via the use of variability and
differential practice. We create the environment
where complementary stabilising movements can
arise.
A skilled player is essentially good at controlling
and organising all of their degrees of freedom to
achieve their desired goal and they will be able to
produce the same end performance with different
movement patterns, or even doing similar
movements but with different applied forces.
Command learning, where you consciously try to
control movement can work great to lock in
degrees of freedom but it usually disrupts the
self-organising capabilities of the brain to create
complementary movements in the other degrees
of freedom.
Links to Locus of Attention
Internal loci of attention such as thinking about
body movements are great for locking down
degrees of freedom but disrupt self-organisation
of other elemental variables which leads to
poorer performance. Use them in the learning
stages but not in the performance stages.
External process loci of attention, such as a club
and ball focus, can really aid a player because if
offers them the ability to use all degrees of
freedom
Links to SIPFATS
So you can train movements similar to how you
would train skills, by doing things in different
ways and explore variability (experimental
learning). have the correct understanding of the
task and make good use of practice swings to
allow our body to have a dry run. feedback is
vital so that your brain is aware of what you
actually did and can make appropriate
adjustments. Keep your attention on the desired
task and in your technique, lock in enough
degrees of freedom to demand less of your skill
but not so much that you take away your ability
to self-organise; leave room for creative
expression. Over time and through practice, your
body will be able to create your desired impact
concept in many different ways. Impact will be an
attractor state where all elemental variables will
jostle and seek this impact.
Chapter Seven (page 157-174) 1 of 1
Stages of Learning
Learning takes time; just because you can
understand it doesn't mean you can do it….
Unconscious Incompetence
You can't do it and you have no idea what you
are trying to do eg. 90% of golfers can't strike the
ground in the proper place and don’t realise they
should be doing this. it needs to recognise where
you are now and where you need to be.
Conscious Incompetence
You understand the goal but can't do it. We
recognise the deficit is there but feel powerless
to change it. lots of practice and quality
feedback.
Conscious Competence
Aware of what you're trying to do and getting
better at doing it eg. can strike ground correctly
but have to concentrate on it.
Unconscious Competence
Doing it correctly and not thinking about it.
Comes with a shift in focus to the target.
It can be difficult to let go of conscious element of
control. Accessing the skill you need to work on
both; its no good having amazing skills if you
can't find them on the course. Time away from
tournaments should be spent on growth; during
the playing season work on maintenance and
access.
We need to both learn the skills and our ability to access them
Learning is like growing a tree in a field of corn.
You plant the seed and nourish it (focus and
attention on the right intention of idea during
practice as well as gaining quality feedback). the
more you do this, the skill will grow bigger,
stronger and be more robust. The bigger the tree
grows, the more it will take to nourish it (difficult
to go from single figure to scratch) but a tree that
is already there takes minimum maintenance.
Every day we have to trek through the field of
corn to get to the tree; this is similar to accessing
our skills on the course. The more you practice
accessing your skills, the easier it is for the brain
to find that motor pattern. many people work on
making the tree bigger without working on how to
find it and only occasionally glimpse their true
potential.
It is also beneficial to have more than one route
to your tree; good players can play a number of
shots to get the ball near the target. They can
also use the uncontrolled manifold hypothesis to
bring multiple variations in movement to hone in
on the desired outcome.
Treading through the corn is similar to finding
neural pathways in the brain leading to desired
motor patterns. Our brain will lose the neural
connections over time if they are not fired, which
happens when we do not practice.
Learning is not linear but has lots of plateaus,
stops, starts, huge jumps, regressions etc.
Like muscles, we may feel we aren't improving
when we practice but it’s during the rest period
afterwards when our brain repairs and
strengthens the neural pathways. You find that
what was difficult yesterday is now easier. The
mind adapts to stimulus. The lesson here is
patience and seeing the long-term outcome.
Elastic band learning is your body trying to stay
with the old, tried and tested patterns but each
time you focus and practice your new concept,
you weaken the old link until the band snaps and
the new movement becomes the dominant one.
Our skills and abilities can be quite erratic so
need to ignore the ‘noise’ of the short-term and
enjoy the learning process. The key is putting
your stock in the right places rather than
following the latest swing tip from a buddy.
We can have a light bulb moment that sees a big
leap in our learning; impact laws are a good
example.
Also prepare yourself for going backwards, can
be caused by knowing more such as seeing your
swing on video and becoming self-aware of
things you don’t like. You are in effect going from
being unconsciously competent with your old
swing to consciously incompetent with your new
swing.

Chapter Eight (page 175-202) 1 of 1
Consistency
Consistency is how repeatable a performance or
an action is. Pros aren't consistent so don’t look
at reach round of golf as an indication of how
good you are. You should look to improve the
moving average. This book covers consistency in
the shot itself - how we strike the ball.
Consistency comes from three places.
· Technical - the simpler technique
suggests better consistency but there are
Hall of Famers who shape the ball
considerably
· Biological - the way our body works to
repeat a motion
· Mental - remaining focused on a singular
locus of attention.
We can measure consistency by three indicators:
· Range - spread of a certain variable
· Pattern - the central point of the spread
· Tendency - concentration of a variable
Tendency
Range
Pattern
These indicators can be applied to face strike,
ground strike, landing pattern etc.
Our nervous system doesn't eliminate degree of freedom but u
performance and stability….
You can be consistent but if, say, you are
consistently doing the wrong things with a
technique that leaves a lower margin of error, the
results will be erratic. So, you might have a pretty
tight range but your pattern or tendency is in the
wrong place; biological consistency is high but
their technical consistency is low.
How to identify range, pattern and tendency?
Do a 10 ball test and jot down the results. For
shot dispersion, record five yard intervals. For
face strike, use a marker pen onto your notepad
and for ground strike, measure every one inch in
relation to the ball.
How it all fits together
Technical interventions - can improve margins for
error eg. simpler motion but can worsen
biological consistency as new movement isn't
ingrained. It can also change the locus of
attention and heighten your state of conscious
awareness. Will mean more thoughts and takes
time to adapt new technique to perceptions of the
environment and your subconscious
programming. Therefore, technical changes
should take place during the off-season. But,
technical changes can improve performance as
margins of error outweigh mental
inconsistencies.
Technical interventions - will have a propensity to
improve tendency but can open up a wider range
due to lowered mental and biological
consistency.
Mental interventions - main goal is to find a locus
of attention that you play your best with. Mental
consistency tends to close down ranges and
usually closes down around our tendency. But,
with poor tendency, a lowered conscious thought
may make their range tighten around this poor
tendency, producing a more consistently poor
shot. As a general rule, the more internal the
focus of attention is, the more the tendency can
change but the wider the range. Lowering
conscious thought/swing thoughts through a
more neutral focus will tend to make a range
close down around their tendency. This can be
valuable information when we design our
practice schedule.
Technical interventions - changing your aim can
have huge advantages as not changing your
motion and quite easy to do mentally
Chapter Nine (page 203-224) 1 of 1
Performance versus Learning
A big part of consciousness is that it enables us
to override our subconscious instincts - we can
make choices and decisions against our
instincts. However, this comes at a cost as this
heightened conscious state can also lead to
inconsistency. Until the phase of conscious
competence is done or complete, you will suffer
with inconsistency of movement pattern.
We have three choices when we are trying to
improve:
· Change what we do to make it better
· Take what we do currently do and make it
more consistent
· Take what we do and make it fit better
Change induces instability in the motor program
as our body is not set up to handle change. A
technical change will need hours of repetition
before the biological consistency can return.
Performance may not be affected if the technical
change is so great that it overrides any loss of
biological or mental consistency. We need a
heightened state of awareness of make change,
known as ‘deep practice’.
In order to maximise learning and performance, we need to encourage change at appropriate
times but also encourage less change at times when we need to maximise performance
There are times to seek maximising learning and times to seek maximising performance.
The two are not the same….
There are two types of golfers: Performance and Learning
Swing tinkerer - always making conscious Biggest misconception in learning; you are
changes to their swing. If making right changes, learning if you are performing well…. You may
they can improve quite nicely but performance is be performing easy task such as hitting favourite
often erratic. club on the range and enter zone of non-thinking
where retention of performance is poor. The
Leave swing alone - they know what they do and
other way is to change the shot required which
don’t want to mess with it. They will be proficient
needs a different club/technique every time.
in biological and usually mental consistency
although their technical consistency may result in Rather than ingrain a certain action that
a lower margin for error and thus lower produces a particular shot, it is better for the to
performance. They play consistently but never learn the rules of how the clubface alignment
reach their potential as limited by their technique. changes the type of shot so that you can apply it
We need to be both types of golfer; Mr Change for any situation. This way of learning can be
discouraging but to improve, you need to get
and Mr Stability. We need to enter a period of
used to failure. There are methods that traverse
change when needed (on the range) and a
period of stability (on the course). this confidence/performance relationship.
Confidence/Expectation/Perception cycle
What affects stability and change?
Our confidence increases with good results but if
To be stable and consistent, we would have:
a task is too easy, it can have a negative
· less thinking/analysis
connotation as it can increase our expectations.
· calm and relaxed mind Our expectation levels have a direct influence on
our perceptions, as the same performance can
· more repetitions under our belt
be viewed as good or bad. And this perception
When we need to change the pattern in favour of
affects our confidence levels. High confidence
something more optimal, we need:
can make us play shots we can't yet achieve,
· more thinking/analysis which alters our perceptions and starts to lower
· clear and highly focused/concentrated mind our confidence.
Task difficulty affects both learning and
performance. The long-term effect of making a
task easy are lowered learning and lowered
performance. The long-term affect of increased
task difficulty are increased learning and
increased performance.
Chapter Ten (page 225-xxx) 1 of 1
Quantifiable Practice and Goal Setting
Weight Training Principles and Learning Golf
Principles of fitness training can apply to golf
learning. We need to add weight but not so much
that we can't lift it. We can mix it up and
challenge the same skills in different ways, doing
exercises that are related yet may be slightly
different to what you are doing.
Sometimes it can be really beneficial to look at
the isolated components of a movement; bite
sized chunks which allow us to focus more
mental and physical resources into turning that
weakness into a strength. But, after breaking the
movement down, we need to reintegrate it back
into the bigger picture. Also, performance may
decline as the practice progresses but we are still
learning and the magic happens during the next
few days as the body repairs itself.
Different Types of Practice
Five main types which improve a different thing.
Block - relates to doing the same thing over and
over again for large percentage of total
repetitions.
Broken - having a short break/rest after each
shot.
Random - using a different club each time, hitting
to a different target of different shape of shot.
Differential - practicing something that you
wouldn't necessarily need/do in a real game eg.
hitting the ball on a certain part of the club face
Variable - try things that you do need/use on the
course but in varying ways so that we build up
compensations to achieve the desired outcome
There are
Quantified Practice How to Change Task Difficulty
We need to quantify our practice so we can tell if Open up/close down boundaries - change the
we are improving and keep to the program as boundaries of difficulty
learning happens gradually in small increments. Type of practice - make the task easier in block
You set goals and then verify to see if you are format and once achieve 7/10, move to broken
achieving them. The small improvements that practice.
stack up over time will be recognised and
Combination v isolation - isolate to one objective
recorded, rather than fade into the mists of the
such as face strike then add direction as a
new you. Quantify your practice in some way,
second objective with double points awarded.
through a notebook? It also allows you to identify
Good way of linking components to aid on-
your errors. You can also look at quantitative
course transference.
data and qualitative data. Reviewing your mental
processes after a round will put you ahead of the Smaller/less difficult swings - can help build up
pack the swing from impact backwards. Can take out
some of the biological elements that resist a
Gamifying swing change. Example is hit draw with a
Creating tasks is like creating a video game, with pitching action.
the difficulty being the equivalent of a level. The Increase swing/shot difficulty - hitting to a narrow
level needs to be challenging enough to create fairway, hitting out of a bunker, tighter lies or a
concentration and give you a sense of more difficult club.
achievement when completed, yet not so
challenging that you are failing and losing Take away the result/.make it more important -
hit into a net or use something other than a ball
motivation/confidence.
so brain doesn't override the need for a result.
3-7 rule: with 10 balls, you have to achieve a Give ten balls for free. This can give the player
minimum of 3 out of 10 to stay on the task and freedom they need to step into the unknown; acts
get 7/10 to go up a level. This allows you to stay as a bridge to the next stage. You can also crate
in the sweet spot of learning and creates the
pressure by competing with other on Trackman
sense that you are becoming a better golfer. Also or play for money.
induces pressure since you don’t want to go back
a level. You can apply this to the course by Bigger ball - makes it easier and takes away the
tracking how well you do certain things like result; useful bridge from taking result away and
ground strike so that you can take this back into then bringing it back.
your practice. More/less preparation - use practice swings (3-5
in the beginner stages)
Chapter Ten (page 225-253) 2 of 2

Quantifiable Practice and Goal Setting There are

Goal Setting Smarter Goals

Goal setting not only increases your chances of Specific - goal has to be precise, detailed and
success, but it creates a whole host of other unambiguous
benefits which allow you to stay in the process. Measureable - you have to be able to measure
Goals should be big and dreaming big allows you your goals so you know you are making
to be inspired. But you need to know why you progress.
need your goal. Use ‘why’ as your motivational
Achievable - stems from being both realistic and
fuel.
relatable
You need to break your goal into lots of
Recorded - write it down and pin it where you
achievable mini goals that act as mini-successes.
can see it every day. Record the process too so
Success is in the process and these mini-
you can visually see the progress and
successes provide motivation, a sense of
achievements
fulfilment and also fun along the way.
Time-based - we are creatures of procrastination
Reticular Activating System
so set a deadline to add punch to your goal.
Part of our brain that helps direct our attention
Evaluated - evaluate your goals, preferably with
towards relevant stimuli; like when you’ve chosen
a coach to help guide you to more appropriate
to buy a type of car and then start seeing it
goals
everywhere. The words you use and the actions
you do can create your reality. By setting a goal Renewable - create a back up plan as you never
you are more likely to filter information which know what may come along to interrupt your
allows you to reach that goal. progress.
Process, Performance and Outcome Goals
Outcome goals - ultimate achievement and
suitable for long-term goals that are inspiring but
largely out of our control.
Performance goals - relate to our skills and
slightly more in our control
Process goals - relate to things which are in your
complete control and will be the things which
help you achieve your goals.
Chapter Eleven (page 259-274) 1 of 1
Direct Technical
This sections requires that you have a clear
understanding of what you are working on
technically in your own swing. Recommended
you work with a coach.
Using a coach can help speed up changes as not
everyone self-organises efficiently. This phase of
your training will consist mainly of improving your
macro techniques big body moves and micro
techniques. When we are changing body or club
motion, we must have the following goals in mind
‘any change must aim to bring impact variables
into more functional ranges, make impact more
consistent, and/or decrease chance of injury’
Address Impact Concepts and Awareness First -
you need to understand what you are trying to do
at impact and have awareness of it. One of the
biggest resistances to making a technical change
is when aware they’re doing the wrong thing.
Focus - the main aim of this phase is to increase
your ability to make the desired movement but
this can only be done if your focus isn't split
between the desire to make the technique
change and the desire to hit a good shot. That’s
why you need to go through a progression which
takes the result away and allows the player to
heighten their focus on the movement instead.
This progression slowly adds in more difficulty
and slowly brings the result back into play. This
phase of learning is purely movement-based.
There are ……...
How to Facilitate Mechanical Change
There are many ways to make the change, some
of which are as follows:
Set-up - getting set-up better is something all
players can do themselves and helps self-
organising other pieces of technique.
Command style education - most common form
of golf teaching
Getting rid of physical limitations - physical
limitations are often the reason a person swings
the way they do so good idea to get checked out
by a competent practitioner.
Environment - use say the wind to force you to
hit the ball a certain way that encourages what
you are working on eg. changing a slice to a
draw by hitting in a left to right wind.
Instinct - use the natural way to us that we have
learnt to do and can achieve huge amounts of
both body and club movement changes; things
like throwing the club or use a ball with a nail
through it.
Imitation - we can take in a lot of information
visually but better for macro movements.
Equipment - we can change the specification of
our clubs etc.
Training aids - motor learning shows that the
training aid which constrains and forces a
movement is less likely to be learned than one
which encourages the movement by itself; better
trying to recreate the move through your own
feelings.
Five Phase Training
These should be implemented in your routine
to some extent and each works on different
things. Some are designed purely for maximal
change that also produce some instability in
performance while others are designed for
maximum performance but tend to promote
less ability to make changes.
Drills - movements that make you focus on a
certain area of the swing or exaggerate the
feeling of a specific move.
How it all ties in
Attentional focus - majority of this phase shifts
our attention closer to us and possibly away from
where we perform our best so there will be some
loss of skill as the new movement can be
associated with the desired focus of attention.
Variability and skill - players may also lose
awareness of the target
Consistency - also a large tendency for players
to become less consistent
Learning and performance - emphasis on
learning so we may see a subsequent decrease
in performance but the whole goal of this phase
is not to maximise performance but to make
change. We should therefore look to do this
phase when we can tolerate maximum disruption
say during the off-season.
Chapter Twelve (page 275-300) 1 of 2
Experimental Practice
This is the exploration of different movement
patterns, some that we may not need in the
course of play. We want to develop good
movement variability which takes us closer to our
desired goal. You can develop feel for different
movements and the interaction of the club face
and become able to respond to a consistent error
during play. This is fun and you are exploring and
pushing boundaries.
Building a Theory
We shouldn't discourage variability but see what
we can learn from it. We can explore new
variables and discard the ones that don’t work,
like we did when we first learnt to play the game.
This is difficult as we are wired to keep with what
works and this exploration can mean short-term
loss in performance. There are two forms of
experimental training.
Differential practice - this is practicing a skill that
you may never use of the golf course like topping
the ball. This is useful because if a game of
constant self-correction but if you can't fix
yourself you will be lost so we need to be able to
repair ourselves. By exploring all the variables in
their extreme form, you have much more
information to draw from. This also makes
boundary pushing more comfortable as it allows
us to learn new skills. The objective may also
require a much greater level of skill, making
hitting the ball cleanly off a tee quite a simple
task. We can also explore new ways of hitting the
ball which sends new messages to your brain
about ball/club contact possibilities that change
our subconscious concept.
There are ……...
Variability practice - practicing a goal you wish to
achieve but in a varying way such as hitting the
sweet spot from varying positions or hitting to a
target with different shots. Allowing your body to
explore different ways to achieve your goal gives
more options, more information and experience
to work with. It’s like developing your auto-correct
abilities. You are also no longer completely
reliant on your starting position or type of shot.
Differential practice drills:
Hooks and slices - try and hit the biggest hooks
and slices you can varying ball position, grip,
address position etc. Don’t be afraid of extremes,
this is boundary pushing.
Tops and fats - try topping and fatting the ball, hit
a divot as far forward as you can
Crazy ball positions - forward and backwards
Toe and heel shots - do ten of each, and then
alternate, divide club face into five sections
High and low - try and hit the ball higher and
lower on the clubface
More advanced drills - hit from your knees,
strange grips, one-legged, left-handed, happy
Gilmore, deliberate faults.
Variable practice drills:
Variable set-up Sweet Spot Strike - set up with
the ball opposite the heel or toe and then strike
the ball on the sweet spot.
Varying ball positions - wedge in the driver ball
position or outside your back foot (Adam Young
learnt the feel of compression). You also learn
the face/path combinations that work and don’t
work
The Nine Ball Flights - should be a staple in
everyone’s practice routine to learn how to hit to
the target in different ways. Once you have a feel
for what the clubface is doing, you are able to get
a feel for what shot your practice swing would
produce and adjust accordingly. Once you have
mastered the shape, learn to hit different heights.
Divot depths - maintain ball position but vary
divot depths which improves your ability to
control the height and position of your low point
to make something variable.
One foot high, one foot back - hover the club
head a foot above the ball at address and then
one foot back from the ball, even both which will
massively improve your coordination.
Variable stance position - open and closed
stances and try to either shape the shot to the
target or manipulate the swing path to be on-
target.
Variable face positions - the best players feel
where the club face is throughout the swing and
adjust accordingly rather than try to be perfect at
address so address the ball with an open/closed
face and then try to be square at impact. Aim at a
target and use the 7/10 rule to progress.
Grip change - hit an online shot with different
grips
Roll and hit - get a partner to roll a ball between
your legs and try to hit it as it is moving, as
improve do it at different speeds and angles; this
improves hand-eye coordination
Finally, invent your own drills or combine two or
more
Chapter Twelve (page 275-300) 2 of 2

Experimental Practice There are ……...

How it all ties in Golfer’s toolbox - this type of practice allows the
Consistency - by encouraging inconsistency in player to accurately calibrate desired
practice, we learn to become more consistent in performance on the course and will start to find
play. One reason is that we are better able to out how certain changes affect the result. when
instinctively fix our swing mid-round. We can also struggling, implement a DEFCON system of tools
start to select from more desirable traits from all which can be progressively implemented
our variations. While it can cause biological Eg. DEFCON system for controlling direction
inconsistency to start with, over time these
DEFCON 5 - adjust aim, both physically and
improve as you are using your muscles in subtly
mentally
different ways, just like a weight lifter doing
supplementary strength training in addition to his DEFCON 4 - open/close clubface at address
main lifts. DEFCON 3 - change right hand grip
Plateau breaking - experimental training can take
something to the extreme so we experience DEFCON 2 - change left hand grip
something completely new and break our DEFCON 1 - introduce a swing thought which
subconscious concept when we hit a different helps change the face as desired
type of shot for the first time. Hitting a hook for Experimental practice allows you to devise your
the first time gives a reference point. Rather than own DEFCON system for certain systems
keep banging against a wall, leap over it and
bang it from the other side.
Learning and performance - can disrupt
performance in the short-term but outweighed by
the long-term benefits.
Locus of attention - players tend to shift to an
external locus of attention like the club head so
this is a nice transition from technical to later
phases of our training. We can start to link our
movement to the target and our perception of it
Use of quantitative practice - draw up your own
progressive plan to work through
Chapter Thirteen (page 301-318) 1 of 2

Calibration There are ……...

The aim of this phase is to hone in on the desired
impact variables and create skill stability. The
previous phases have put you into better
positions and given you the ability to move
variables at will.
We are now going to use our knowledge of ball
flight laws and try to get them within desired
ranges using specific feedback. This is a nice
transition phase between off-season and on-
season.
A Wall of Skill
Three main skills we need to master in golf
· Hitting the ground in the right place
· Striking the middle of the face
· Controlling the direction (via path and
clubface relationship)
Create Boundaries
Decide what our boundaries of acceptability are
which reduce as our skill improves. You will have
boundaries for say performance with sub-
boundaries for ground strike, face strike and
direction
Identify
Hit 20 shots and award a point if you have
achieved an acceptable result within your
boundaries for each of the three skills. Note that
a poor ground strike can obscure the face strike
so award one point for face strike if can't be
determined. Draw up a table and mark the result,
after each shot, with a simple note if not
acceptable.
Ground ü F ü T ü ü
Feedback - utilise forms which only relate to
the impact variable
Attention/Focus - place your focus on the
matter in hand
Technique - an awareness of technical
elements which could improve your chosen
impact variable can help
Subconscious Concept - push boundaries of
the skill through exploration of extremes. Also
try to visualise what you are trying to do
through impact
Progressively Build
We now need to improve by starting with an
easier task and progressing to a more difficult
task using the 3/10:7/10 rule
Ground strike example:

EASIER
The process is one of constant testing and chipping swing block
progression Face To ü ü H H ü
pitching swing: block
Direction ü L ü ü R L + vary target
full swing block
CREATE BOUNDARIES F=Fat T=Top To=Toe H=Heel L=Left R=Right
+ full routine
Isolate Weakness + vary club
IDENTIFY Use SIPFATS to isolate and improve our + vary target

HARDER
weakness
+ change ball
ISOLATE WEAKNESS Skill - encourage variability using drills from position
previous
+ hover club
Idea/concept - make sure you understand what head at
PROGRESSIVELY BUILD you are trying to do and visualise it address
Preparation - use practice swings to increase Re-test with 20 shots: you will need to achieve
awareness of the impact variable you are a minimum of 14/20 in each impact variable to
trying to improve progress. Demoted if fall below 8/20 in all
Chapter Thirteen (page 301-318) 2 of 2
Calibration
Chipping and Pitching
Additional variable of distance with L=Long and
S=Short
Need to determine if it is ground strike that is
causing variations in distance rather than
clubhead speed. You can tee the ball if distance
is your weakness due to clubhead speed rather
than ground strike to isolate and ensure a clean
strike
Putting
The main skills with putting are:
Distance control
Line (high or low)
As line is irrelevant if distance isn't acceptable,
only record if missed high or low if distance is
acceptable. 20 putts of 15-20 feet, all different
and full routine.
Boundaries - see inset
Identify - identification table
Distance Control üüüüüüüüüüüüüü
High üüüü
Low üüüüüüüüü
Isolate Weakness
If distance control for given boundary is less than
14/20, isolate and work solely on this by putting
to the fringe or a towel. Once you have achieved
more than 14/20, see if you have more than 11
or more misses in either high or low category and
check green reading etc.
There are ……...
Progressively Build
Same as before using the 3/10:7/10 rule
Ground strike example:
10 feet within boundary distance of fringe
15 feet within boundary distance of fringe
20 feet within boundary distance of fringe
Vary 15-25 feet within boundary distance of
fringe
Vary 20-30 feet within boundary distance of
fringe
Progress when you have achieved a 7/10
success rate then attempt the 20 putt test
again. If you achieve 14/20 or more in distance
control and less than 11 misses in any one
category, you can move to the next category of
boundary.
If you drop below 8/20 for distance control or if
you have 11 or more misses to one side, move
back a category.
In conclusion, we are trying to see the big
picture, identify and isolate the weaknesses
and building them into stronger parts. The
gamification and quantifiable data gained will
help to create pressure and give you
something to aim for. The focus in this phase
shifts to a more external focus.
Calibration Express
Hit a shot, note down what you believe to be
the biggest fault, first element to reach 10
faults gets isolated, use SIPFATS and a
progressive task-led plan to improve, then
repeat
Chapter Fourteen (page 319-338) 1 of 2
Performance Training
Need to find out what works best for the player to
perform. Used nearer tournament time and less
about changes and more about maximising our
performance with what we have. We need to find
out which variables make a direct improvement
to our performance. This can form its own
improvement programme where the golfer wants
to get better but doesn't wish to make technique
changes; the ideas here can knock shots off
anyone’s game.
Testing
This could be comparing a chip and run to a lob
shot and seeing which on average gives the best
result. This allows the golfer to become self-
reflective and you will learn a lot about yourself to
see what variables you perform best with at this
current stage of development (things may
change in the future). This is about settling in and
maximising what we currently own.
Procedure - hit a series of balls to a defined
target testing a minimum of 3 different variables
per shot with 20 shots per variable but don’t hit
more than 2 shots in a row with the same
variable so that you aren't testing one variable
while still fresh. After you see which one you
perform best with, zone in further, constantly
refining and improving. You need to be able to
keep stats on your proximity to the hole.
There are ……...
Variables to test - Execution Attention
Examples of variable focusing on psychological
variables so remember to use a full routine.
Neutral focus - scary at first as giving up
conscious control but people can find they
perform much better this way.
· Breathing - inhale, exhale slowly as you
swing (exhale may quicken as you swing
down due to natural effort). With awareness
on breathing, this places your swing on
subconscious control.
· Tongue in roof of mouth (relaxed jaw)
· Counting - Tiger’s routine happens to the
second; carry out your routine to a
metronome and experiment with varying
timings and lengths. Do this as a standalone
drill.
· Key-word/phrase - say it over the ball as you
swing back, could be a particular word or
verse/tune; goal is to focus on this and not
movement/target.
Fade, Draw or Straight
Which shape hit the target more often? Don’t
worry if you get the shape you intend each time,
the important thing is that you are attempting that
shape. Also, you may feel that you normally play
better with a certain shape but this is about what
shape now is giving you the best results.
Internal Focus (common ones)
· Swing-cue - narrow: technical cue you may
have used in practice/training that focuses on
one part of the body
· Set-up cue - focus on body position/
alignment/set-up procedure (more for
beginners)
· Swing cue - broad: focus on rhythm or
balance or gradual acceleration
External focus - area you worked on in the
calibration phase with focus on club or ball
contact. Focus should relate to the type of shot
you wish to play. Create a mental bubble where
only the impact variables matter and focused on.
Face strike, ground contact, swing path, clubface.
External result - more target orientation and can
be like an out-of-body experience. This tends to
suit better players.
Ball flight focus - trace the flight in the air with
your mind, where it lands and where it bounces.
Both full shots and chips/pitches and putts.
Narrow external - focus on a specific point in the
fairway or on the green; get your mind completely
out to where the target is. Lock into your target
and then fire!
Wide external - a narrow focus doesn't suit
everyone and some get tight and steery. Position
a 20-30 yard circle round your target (if no
punitive hazards) and swing towards it with
freedom. Another one is to image the hole is the
size of a dustbin lid.
Strategic variables
On-course strategy to reduce risk of penalties,
charge or die the ball into the hole, different clubs
for a pitch/chip/bunker shot. Test it, quantify it.
Chapter Fourteen (page 319-338) 2 of 2

Performance Training There are ……...

Keeping Stats Consistency - as you learn what works for you,

This will be the future of golf coaching at the elite you can take it to the course with confidence and
level. If you don’t have any, go out and get stats retain mental consistency following the thought
on the practice ground but better to keep stats as process that gives you the best results.
you play. Performance and Learning
This is about analysing how much your accuracy See this phase as the thing that will let you reach
around the green costs you, based on your your potential with your game at this time. To
typical performance. For elite players, this is increase your potential, the phases of technical,
looking at how much playing to certain parts of experimental and calibrational are ideal. But if
the green can cost you based on your putting/ you are always changing your technique, you
chipping performance. Similar to Dave Pelz’s
may never reach your full potential.
testing of hitting six iron and wedge rather than
Mind you, don’t forget to test things that haven't
three wood to a green.
previously worked as they may begin to work
Adam Young goes into great detail but offers a
now; things change as you develop and a more
simpler set of stats for iron play; 8 foot putt
average, 20 foot putt average; 60 foot putt neutral focus may begin to work as your skills
average, up and down %. You can also aim at become more autonomous. A neutral or external
different parts of the green and see which makes focus holds several values in terms that you start
you hit the green more often. to play golf rather than golf swing. Neutral
Combining Strategy and Execution Attention attention can get rid of demons that plague the
good player like negative thoughts. What you
There may be certain combinations of attention
variables and strategic variables which fit perform best with can change as you develop.
together nicely. If a neutral focus produces a
more consistent shot pattern but you miss left
every time, combine it with aiming right. Be your
own detective and look for clues as to what could
fit certain scenarios best.
Different Scenarios
You may have a different attention for chipping
compared to driving. You may change from
external result such as target for a chip with a
good lie and external process of club and ground
contact for a bad lie.
Chapter Fifteen (page 339-358) 1 of 2
Transference Training
This is about implementing the defined
performance variables from the Performance
Training Phase and in a structure which gamifies
practice so it transfers to the course and in
tournaments. We do this by simulating pressure
through games which really improves access to
your motor skills. Need to do this with a routine.
Flow States
This is a state where performance is coming
seemingly effortlessly and on autopilot. Tiger
Woods can't remember some of his best shots.
Consistency
Consistency of routine is key. If your routine is
inconsistent or varies then your results will be the
same. The best players take the same time over
every shot; you should do too.
Rhythms
Make your routine rhythmical and don’t stop
moving.
Lowered Thinking
Focusing on one clear objective (the execution
attentional focus you figured out in the
performance training phase) will help you.
Repetition will help us think about things less and
get into a flow state better. By actually practicing
your routine, you make it autonomous; think of it
like learning a skill. But what should we be
practicing?
There are ……...
The Routine
Components of a good routine
Strategy - need to decide this before you pull out
the club. You will have worked out what types of
strategy work best for you in the performance
training phase.
Distance from the ball - start your routine from
the same place; bit like a long jumper marking
his run up.
Positive visualisation - if you struggle to visualise,
just focus on where you want the ball to land.
Otherwise, focus on the flight of the ball. Close
your eyes if it helps. If you can see it, you can do
it.
Practice swings - take at least one. It converts
the visualisation to feel. Test the number of
practice swings during the performance training
phase but once decided, keep it consistent.
Where you take the swing depends on which
attentional focus you are using. Internal focus
may want to stand next to the ball while practice
swing may detract from a target focus.
Intermediate marker - while normally
recommended, test it and see if it works for you.
Which foot to step forward with? - be consistent
Routine timing - use a metronome and set it on
the same tempo as your swing. The time from
the first step forward to hitting the ball should be
consistent; keep the number of beats the same.
Looks - take the same number each time, if you
choose to look
Execution attentional focus - worked out during
the performance training phase and maintain
during the shot
Analysis - after the shot, rate on 1-10 how well
you kept your attentional focus. More important is
that you attempted this, not that you did it. Also
rate the shot but related to where you were
aiming rather than the target. Mark on a grid
where your ball landed for drives and a bullseye
for where your approach shots land relative to
where you aimed, rather than relative to the pin.
Practicing the Routine
Two phases; working on the routine alone and
implanting into a game situation.
Games
Play various games using routine and attentional
focus.
3,6,9 putting drill - three tees at 3, 6 and 9 feet
and one pressure tee peg and 6 feet.
The ladder drill - place the flag a putter length
behind the hole and putt at 3 foot intervals,
aiming to stop the ball between the hole and the
flagstick. See how many you can string together.
28 handicapper can get to level 5, 10h to level 8,
scratch to level 12 and tour pro level 14 or more.
Up and down - drop a ball at random, chip it and
each time you hole it, add another ball. If you fail
to get up and down, just restart the level but start
at level 1 for each new session.
Ladder - start with 10 yard chip with lots of green,
play two chip shots and pass the level if within six
feet, move back a yard and repeat. Continue until
you reach level 10 (20 yards). Level 11 starts at
beginning but with three balls.
Chapter Fifteen (page 339-358) 2 of 2

Transference Training There are ……...

Ladder - start with 10 yard chip with lots of green,

play two chip shots and pass the level if within
six feet, move back a yard and repeat. Continue
until you reach level 10 (20 yards). Level 11
starts at beginning but with three balls. With this
drill, any time you fail a level, go back to the
beginning. Remember to use your routine and
maintain your attentional focus.
Mixed bag - pick a bunker shot, a pitch shot (35-
50 yards) and a chip shot. Aim to get all three
within a certain range; pitch to within a flag
length, bunker two club lengths and chip within a
putter length. If you pass this, add an extra ball to
each station.
Pitch, iron, drive - alternate between the three
shots and define a range.
Work your way through the bag - pick a target 40
yards wide and try to land within the range with
sand iron, wedge etc. all the way to the driver. If
successful, reduce the target range.
Impossigolf - apply rules to make the game
harder.
This phase of learning is vital to the transference
of skill to the golf course. Our use of games
really helps us to link up the movement patterns
to situations and styles of thinking that we use
when under pressure. Good players understand
their tendencies under pressure - and how to
manage them. You will only get an idea of your
‘under-pressure tendencies’ when you have
practiced pressure situations. We are using
quantified practice principles in our games where
levels are set, boundaries defined and rewards/
punishments.
Chapter Sixteen (page 359-370) 1 of 1

Periodisation Organise your training phases so that your learning doesn't disrupt your performance

How you structure your practice program phases Macro-Meso-Micro and Nano Cycles
over time; doing the wrong phase at the wrong Not enough to simply split the year into off-
time can set you up for failure. This is because season and tournament season.
the learning maximising phases can also be
highly disruptive to performance. In the short- Macro - year Micro - week
term, experimental practice can be a little Meso - 2 months Nano - day
disorienting so not wise to do this the day before You might split the year into 2 month intervals
a tournament. See the phases as an expansion with a different balance of phases in each so that
of skills and change, or a contraction into the change is gradual. Also allow some time to
performance. You need to decide what your goal be flexible in case you need to add in an
is. unplanned phase.
Are you trying to improve yourself as much as Apply to this even if you are a ‘twice-a-week’
possible, or are you trying to play your best golf? practiser.
Seasonal periodisation
We tend to place emphasis on technical,
experimental and calibrational practice during the
off-season. During the tournament months,
higher focus on calibration, performance training
and routine and games which helps with the
transference and actualisation of skills gained
during the off-season. Be flexible; may be that
you need to apply a technical intervention to a
slice during tournament season but be careful,
the best players have learned to manage the
faults they bring on the day and not to make
drastic changes before they go out.