The handstand is one of the basic moves that gymnasts go back to in order to refresh their body control feels. If something doesn't quite feel right during a training session or competition, they "return to base" using familiar feels such as body alignment, body tension, larger body feels, specific body check points.
The value of this "returning to base" sub-routine is significant for fundamental performance confidence. In the military project I am involved in we call this "strengthening your cognitive fitness".
What "return to base" options have golfers got? One of the first and most important sub-routines is the rhythm and pace of your walk. This is particularly important when playing out of golf carts. Your walk should ideally match or at least relate to your personal style and ideal swing rhythm. Oft times players use a favourite song that is close to their walk rhythm to "click back into" their ideal pace.
Scenario - I find myself rushing between shots because we have fallen behind our place in the field, so yes, move quickly to catch up, but in the crucial 30 yards up to the ball, click into "your walk" to better pre-cue your swing rhythm.
Having these "return to base" sub-routines is critical to monitoring your performance and bolstering your performance confidence on course, and also away from competition play. Golf, as we know, is complicated by the fact that we have lots of "thinking time". If you are finding that you either haven't unpacked your rhythm yet (how many days have you been there so far?), or perhaps have started thinking that you left your rhythm near the back door at home, do some work re-establishing your walking rhythm when moving around the hotel, practice range, or when walking around the clubhouse. If you are looking for an absolute number to measure / check your walking rhythm, download a metronome from your app store - suggest using "Pro Metronome", but there are lots available.
So is there a "return to base" sub-routine that focusses on your putting? You may recall the "chair leg putting drill" we demonstrated during the camp.
The most basic putting drill is 100 puts per night from 2 feet against a chair leg - your job is to go through your set up, trigger & stoke patterns with one goal in mind - getting VERY GOOD at knowing / believing that if I think this / feel this / do this that the ball goes straight for 2 feet and goes "CLUNK" squarely against the chair leg
Interesting challenge for the perfectionists of the world - EVERY putt in the 100 putts is with full set up routine, full eye control, full trigger, full focus - the aim is to work your way systematically to the point where you have an arrogance about the fact that with this sequence of thoughts, feelings & movements that you KNOW THAT YOU CAN ROLL THE BALL ON EXACTLY THAT LINE over 2 feet (the longest distance you should realistically be expecting to control all the aspects of a putt)
GO looking for all the ways to make a putt, all the ways for the ball to roll in, fall in, drop in - look at pace control around the hole & how good pace control opens up multiple entry doors / drop in points - a slowly rolling putt coming in above the hole can enter the cup anywhere from back to front of the cup - a pressed "have to" putt with poor pace control often has only one small entry point (if in fact it has an entry point).
So visit your putting "return to base" drill regularly during the week. There is probably some carpet at the hotel that will work ok given the pace of the greens at Amata. If you have confirmed the "pace up, holing putts typically only break inside the hole" strategy for this week, add some regular chair leg putting drills to boost your confidence in being able to start the ball on line. This work frees your mind on course to focus on speed control (impact feel).
If you have a medium to poor putting day, return to base by doing your chair leg work.
Otherwise, we might just see some handstands on the practice putting green!
JC
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