golf psychology

[GPStyles]

I disagree Kieran.

I think the mind functions best when concentrating on one thing but the body works best when it is left to the subconcious.

If you think back to the four stages in learning a new skill you will see where I am going.

Stage 1 - Subconciously incompetent or 'you're s**t and don't even know it'

Stage 2 - Conciously incompetent - 'you know you're s**t!'

Stage 3 - Conciously Competent - 'You know how to do a thing'

Stage 4 - Subconciously Competent - 'You do a thing well without thinking about it'

If we take the example of person learning to drive a car, it is very easy to see the 4 stages in action. When I first learned to drive I had to take quick looks at the gearbox when selecting a gear, now I don't look at all. Ditto with music. A top musician isn't thinking of where their fingers go, they read the note and let their fingers go where they need to go.

It is a common misconception that in golf or other sports one must concentrate hard to achieve optimal performance. Think back to when you played at your very best - either a drive, or a long putt for example. The most common response when someone is asked what they were thinking was 'nothing'. If you have ever been 'in the zone' you will know that is the absence of thought or anxiety that 'gets' you in the zone.

This is why I firmly believe that clear keys are the simplest way to achieve optimal performance on a consistent basis. A clear key should be unrelated to the matter in hand so there should be no instructional aspect to it at all because it gives the concious mind an opportunity to try and steal control.