Practice Thoughts vs Playing Thoughts
 

Could some of you AI's out there, especially Yoda, please talk to us about the things that we should be thinking about and working on when we Practice vs the things that we should be thinking about and working on when we are Playing.

Swing Thoughts are always late!...In other words when you think you're doing it is usually too late and it has already passed you by..

Try this callout the 3 sections in chapter 8...during a swing callout "Start-up"..."Backstroke"..."Top"...in one continuous motion and proceed to strike the ball...Then try the 3 to get you down..."Start Down"..."Downstroke"..."Release"..You might be able to be slow enough to the Top...but coming down..I'll bet you are late....
Thus the term "PREP" is vital...As in Delivery Prep...12-3-0 #20/21/22...You must learn to plan ahead!!!!:confused1

In practice...

Anything goes really I think....you can think of mechanics....shots to hit on the course....etc. etc....you're just working on your game....everything.

On the course...

MINIMAL mechanics.....and your last thought....your last "command"...before you approach the ball...IMO needs to be about WHAT you want to do ("Hit it in the middle of the fairway")...

....not HOW you are gonna do it (i.e. swing thoughts).

...

But man it's hard to do sometimes.....

Esp. when things are not going well...

But the thing is...you're there to post a score.

Anybody ever think about working on the 3 Imperatives in practice and using any one of the 3 Essentials as a swing thought when playing?

I think on the course you have to abandon mechanics somewhat . . . Give your mind CLEAR POSITIVE INSTRUCTIONS e.g. I will hit the ball with a fade to the right side of the bunker taking the lag all the way down. After you have stated you intention (try saying it out loud), then make the COMMITMENT to your stated INTENTION. Don't get over the ball and change your target or change your thoughts to mechanics. COMMIT to your intention for that shot and do not abandon it. Your mind has to be as disciplined as well as having a disciplined swing.

Go read Every Shot Must Have A Purpose . . . bar none the best book on actually PLAYING the game that I have ever read. You'll love it.

Three
 

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That sounds reasonable to me. Also... Have a thought that allows, or even promotes good performance. Come up with thoughts that work in pressure situations. Some that may work OK in casual golf, may be too much for pressure situations. This may take several rounds, and tournaments, to figure out.

Learning and playing process.
 

For Practicing,

Progress: Drill --> Hit --> Get --> Skill
(know and do not want to think)

Depress: Interprete --> Hit --> forGet --> Struggle
(Always think but do not know)


For playing,

Do not Think just hit that ball.
When you think it means you don't know.
When you know you don't think.
If you think you did not get.

The same, what you want the body to do.

I'm not an AI (although my initials are AI :) ). When playing I strive for mental relaxation by recalling some pleasurable moment in my life, or a joke that really made be smile -- to mask out any swing thoughts, just before I swing. Practicing is a very different environment as usually others are also practicing around me, and I need to concentrate on what I'm practicing to not be distracted. When you're playing, your companions fall silent as you prepare to take your swing and although you may think that you're under the microscope, they're probably not thinking about golf at all, or you. If that silence is deafening, think of something that makes you happy and relaxed.