THINK BOX:PLAY BOX
This is the fifth and final post in a mini-series on the ‘inner game’ of golf. Only through a ‘holistic’ approach to your golf game, including working on the ‘inner game’, will you start to realise you potential and enjoy your golf more.
To consistently play your best golf you must step up to every golf shot without fear and doubt. The method I use to help achieve this is called
‘THINK BOX – PLAY BOX’ and was developed by Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott whilst they were working with Annika Sorenstam.
It is very easy to practice – all you need is an alignment stick or a piece of string that you lay down on the floor as pictured here.
The THINK BOX is the area in which you analyse the lie of the ball, the club you will use, wind direction, the type of shot you want to play etc. It is in here you decide on your swing thought and take your practice swing.
You should verbalise to yourself your intentions for the shot, “I intend to send the ball towards the left greenside bunker and let the wind move it towards the flag in the middle of the green. It is a good, firm 5 iron for me.”
Imagine the shot you are going to hit. Take a step across the DECISION LINE and in to the PLAY BOX -when you cross this line you should quit thinking and just play! The only time there is any indecision should be when you are in
the THINK BOX.
When you cross the DECISION LINE to hit the shot, there MUST be total commitment to the shot. If you get over the ball and you are not comfortable with the decision you have made, back off, retreat to the THINK BOX and come up with a plan in which you have trust.
In the PLAY BOX you need to be efficient and not waste time; simply aim the club face, take your hold, align the body, connect to the target, and hit your shot. The longer you wait the more opportunity there is for doubt and tension to build in your mind and body. I have talked in the past about how tension is
the biggest wrecker of a golf swing!
Decide – Commit – Swing. It’s as simple as that!
Think of it as skydiving. In the THINK BOX you pack the parachute, pick the jump site and do all the other preparations. In the PLAY BOX you just jump. I recently received a telephone message from one of my pupils that simply said. “Please tell Peter – the parachute opened!”
Suggested reading…
Here are just a few of my favourite books on the mental side of the game…
Inner Game of Golf
W. Timothy Gallwey
This is my all time favourite book on the mental game and one that I would highly recommend for all my clients to read.
Golf Is Not A Game of Perfect
Dr Bob Rotella
To be honest I own all of Dr Bob’s books and I recommend every
one of them! It was difficult to choose just one but I would say this
one just edged it for me.
Every Shot Must Have A Purpose
Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott
This is where the Think Box – Play Box routine comes from. Lots of other really insightful information in this book as well as some great ways to make your practise time more effective.
Zen Golf
Joseph Parent
A really easy book to read. It is a collection of brief chapters offering the wisdom of traditional Zen stories and teachings distilled from a lifetime of
actual lessons with golfers, many of whom are PGA professionals.
Book a lesson with a PGA Golf Coach at Dunes…
If you want to unlock your potential simply book your lesson at Dunes Golf Centre.
Call 01346 510693 or go to https://yp0te5pkb5.wpdns.site/bookalesson
CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY OF INNER GAME SECRETS
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