DRILL DRILL DRILL DRILL
FULL SWING
FULL SWING
FULL SWING
Structured practice using spacing , variability and challenge creates cognitive stress that induces deeper learning through keeping your brain activated and engaged during the practice session .
When you ’ re headed to the range to practice a swing change , it is critical that you have a plan for your session .
SPACING , VARIABILITY AND CHALLENGE How do we make a new motor pattern stick ? Having a drill that focuses on a specific change in the swing helps to create a new feel . Just like working out at the gym , these drills need to have a specific number of reps and sets to be effective . I use spacing , variability and challenge to make these changes stick . Spacing is the time between shots , variability is performing the drill a prescribed amount of times and then performing a full swing , and challenge is the penalty for not performing the drill correctly . I structure sessions with students by awarding the student the opportunity to make a full swing once the drill has been performed correctly . If done incorrectly , the student will be “ penalized ” with a challenge . Once the challenge is complete , they will return to the drill and attempt to perform it correctly .
Structured practice using spacing , variability and challenge creates cognitive stress that induces deeper learning through keeping your brain activated and engaged during the practice session . A structured practice may look something like this : perform a prescribed drill two-four times , if done correctly you are rewarded with a full swing . After the full swing is made , the student will return to performing the drill ( example : three drill swings followed by one full swing x five = one set ). If the drill is done incorrectly , the student would have to perform a challenge ( example : make three putts from three feet , five feet and seven feet ). Once the challenge is complete the student will return to perform the drill .
I find this structure to be beneficial on days that things aren ’ t going well because we remove ourselves from working on the change to perform a separate skill — this puts stress on our system by forcing the student to refocus on the challenge and then come back to the drill . Our mind and body will begin to learn the new motor pattern , be forced to forget it and perform a different skill and then return and refocus on the change .
Having this approach to your practice sessions will put a lot more value on each shot . If you ’ re practicing and hitting more than two balls in a minute — you ’ re going too fast . Each swing you take , regardless of a drill swing or full swing , should have a practice or rehearsal swing performed before you hit the shot .
Making swing changes stick starts with finding an instructor and believing in the change , loving the process of improvement , dedicating time to improvement , having a plan for each practice session and using spacing , variability and challenge as a structure to your practice sessions .
vsga . org M ARCH / A PRIL 2023 | V IRGINIA G OLFER
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