Several years back there was a movie titled The Quick And The Dead starring Gene Hackman, Sharon Stone and Russell Crowe. It depicts a small western town run by an unscrupulous character played by Hackman who was, of course, the fastest gun in town. The town is having a public tournament for gunfighters in which they draw names and pair up who will face whom in the streets of this western town. If you werent quick enough on the draw you were dead enough.
In golf we have our own version of the quick and the dead. It happens when we speed up our natural swing rhythm eventually dead hooking the ball to the left for right ‘handed golfers and to the right for left-handed golfers. In our case, its just the opposite of the gunfighters dilemma where too slow is too dead. In golf, too quick usually means too dead left or too dead right.
Golf is a game of rhythm. The FlowZone is a performance state where your rhythm is in balance and not only do you move with grace and power but you also swing with grace and power. When you get out of your own best rhythm you increase your chances to be too quick and too dead.
Ideal rhythm is different for everyone. It is important to find your own rhythm and find ways to come back when you get out of it. Remember, airplanes are off their charted path up to 75% of the time. Every time this happens, they have inner mechanisms built into the computer to bring them back into the proper flight path. We also get out of balance and need to have an inner mechanism to come back to our ideal rhythm
Here are some ways to turn the quick and the dead into a better rhythm.
Make it a clean getaway
Make a clean getaway from your pre-shot routine into address position. Too many golfers just move from one into the other too quickly without cleaning it up. Stand behind the ball and STOP. Ask yourself: Am I committed and clear? This will provide a clean break as you transition from pre-shot routine to address position.
Slow Down Your Approach
As you walk to address positionS L OW D O W N! One of the reasons we experience the quick and the dead is that we move into address too quickly without creating a clear break from the pre-shot routine. This triggers our mind and body to be too quick over the ball.
Final Check-in
Before you begin your golf swing, give yourself a final check-in. Take a breath and take note of the tension in your jaw, shoulders, arms, hands and legs. Just take a moment for a mental scan and wherever you notice extra tensionbreathe and let the muscles go.
Related Links:
Copyright 2004 David Breslow. David is the author of Wired To Win and offers a highly acclaimed Perform In The FlowZone’ program for sports and business. David has appeared on The Golf Channel, ESPN radio, etc. For more programs/services/products or sign up for a free newsletter (write newsletter in subject box). Also, review the new series of Performance Training Manuals available online! Contact: David Breslow at 847.681.1698 Email: David@theflowzone.net or visit the web: www.theflowzone.net For book orders call toll free: 1.888.280.7715