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ROUTINE CHECK-UP

COLUMN BY MARK CHENEY

Mark Cheney is a Certified Mental Performance
Consultant (CMPC) and member of the Association for
Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). For 20 years, he has
helped performers do what they love to do, better.
You can learn more at www.CoachMarkCheney.com
or by following him on twitter @CoachMarkCheney.

PRACTICED HABITS
PRODUCE RESULTS

“We are what we repeatedly
ristotle never played golf, but he certainly knew the
importance of repetition and routine. Twenty-three do. Excellence, then, is not
Ahundred years later, Dr. Matt Bridge confirmed
this importance in a study of European Tour players’ routines. an act, but a habit.”
Bridge examined over 22,000 shots, measuring the time play-
ers spent over the ball, the number of looks at the target, and - Aristotle
the number of practice swings. He found the following:

• Players were 50 percent more likely to make the cut when they
demonstrated greater consistency in their routine.

• Players who were quicker over the ball were twice as likely to hole
putts from five feet and in.

• Spending less time over the ball could be worth a quarter of a mil-
lion dollars in earnings.
C – Commit ment
If the routines of professional players can have this much impact, The second step in this process is perhaps the most important.
think about how much more it could impact your game. I’ve found that Doubt and a lack of commitment have sabotaged many a shot. I would
most golfers have some type of pre-shot routine. Most of this routine, rather have a player commit to the “wrong” shot than be uncommit-
however, involves physical movement, rather than mental preparation ted to the “right” shot. The commitment process should include both
for the shot. Using the letters DCBA, let’s take a look at how to trans- seeing and feeling the shot. Mentally rehearsing the swing and resulting
form your pre-shot routine. ball flight provides a vivid picture of the intended outcome. Feeling the
D – D ecision shot shape in your practice swing provides the sensation that you are
trying to produce.
The first step in a sound routine involves your decision-making.
Good shots start with good decisions; the converse is also true. Start by B – Ba sic s
asking yourself, “Where would I like to play my next shot from?” The
answer to this question, combined with the ball’s lie (and an honest They’re called the basics for a reason, but players can get sloppy with
assessment of your abilities), should dictate the shot you select. Con- their stance, posture, ball position, and alignment. Misalignment leads
siderations should include the lie, distance, wind, slope, and firmness to second-guessing and swing compensations. You should always stand
of the landing zone.

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