[alecoplesosse]

While you've been looking for a new way to get better and shoot lower scores, scientists have unearthed something far more important — how we learn to get better.
By David DeNunzio


We've never known more about the swing, enjoyed better conditioned golf courses, or used more advanced and forgiving equipment than we do today. So why hasn't the average amateur handicap dropped in 50 years while the pros continue to set scoring benchmarks that would make Hugh Hefner jealous? Forget Ben Hogan's mantra! The secret to success won't be found only through digging dirt on the practice range (although practice certainly helps). The first clue might just lie in new studies by the world's leading performance researchers, psychologists and kinesiology experts. These scientists haven't discovered a new way to swing drivers, irons and wedges, but rather how we learn to swing these clubs. Getting in touch with their findings may hold the secret key to releasing the low handicapper within.

1. Elevate Your Goals
The more precise you aim, the higher you'll climb

The Problem
You have a strong desire to improve, but you're not really doing anything concrete to get there. "Setting a goal of simply 'playing better' won't get the job done," says Dr. Christina.

New Way to Improve - Commitment to Excellence
LONG TERM IMPROVEMENT
Dr. Gary McPherson's music-skill study of 157 children shows that setting longterm goals results in higher learning and skill retention, even with minimum practice. (For more on this study, read The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle.)
The Solution
"Research shows that if you commit to improving by defining specific and moderately challenging goals, you'll learn a motor skill (like releasing the clubhead) faster," says Dr. Christina. "It also suggests that the longer you commit to playing the game, the better you'll perform."


The Science That Proves It
Dr. Gary McPherson, a professor of music education at the University of Illinois School of Music, asked 157 children picking up an instrument for the first time a simple question: "How long do you think you'll play your new instrument?" He sorted the children based on their answers and tracked their performance over several years using a standard musical-skill scale. McPherson discovered that progress in learning the instrument wasn't dependent on aptitude, but by the goal set by the child. With the same amount of practice, the kids who voiced a long-term commitment outperformed those who intended to play only through the school year by 400 percent . "Although the benefits of goal setting haven't extensively been studied in golf," says Dr. Christina, "the McPherson data and research with other motor skills suggest that they'll translate very well to what you do with a club in your hands."

COLD HARD FACT

A golfer who commits to "playing my whole life" will out-learn someone who wants to play for a year or two, even if they have identical skill levels and practice the same amount of time.

400%The increase in skill learning when long-term goals are paired with high levels of practice

Continued

[grosqueneen]

I think it's a pretty good article.

I like the way they covered a variety of learning modes and techniques and even though I think the article leans a bit towards lessons (I mean, it IS a golf industry magazine), they don't harp on lessons as being the only way to learn something. I have no problem with lessons, but I've met people who seem to be taking lessons forever and never seem to improve all that much and I like the fact that the article addresses that too.

I do have one issue with something they wrote which is: "Unsupervised instruction rarely leads to increased motorskill learning"

For the record, I think that being shown something by someone who has become expert or nearly expert in a given discipline is important and can save someone from a lot of frustrating trial and error and can help in establishing the fundamental skills needed to achieve success. That said, I do however think that a certain amount of unsupervised experimentation is necessary to learning because finding out on one's own what works and what doesn't is often a more memorable learning experience than anything that could be said or shown to them.

Overall, I think that this was a good article and the points it raises as well as the way those points are addressed was very broad-minded and didn't focus on any one thing as a "solution". Backing everything up with "The Science" was little overkill and I would have agreed with what they were saying without it, but it grounds everything in "fact" and that can never be a bad thing.

Good stuff!


-JP

[deermealec]

I was reading Tiger's book "How I Play Golf", and he said essentially the same thing as this article says in his book. Long term desire for improvement maximizes that improvement. Pretty much describes why Tiger is so much better than his competition. He has wanted to improve his golf game from his childhood, to some point in the future.

[Percocetti]

I play and range work a lot.
Since re-starting in June, I have only missed days due to rain or lack of funds.

In June, I could not even legitimatly score a round. in the last few weeks, have broken 100 twice

fwiw, my plans:
occasional use of a orange stick on the course to line up the shot. This is almost a miracle, becuase I cant believe how far right at address,I have been at times. I dont use it as much as I should, but I also dont want to hold up play.

Putt to reach the hole. Putts that dont reach, never have a chance.

and In the past two weeks:
Chipping and Bump and run shots even from 90 yards out. Wedges only when having to clear an obstacle.

By doing only bump and run, and chips, I get much more useful playing practice. It has lowered my score several times.

I plan to do that for a while, then I will concentrate on Wedges-only.

I feel if I use that pattern, I can lean faster, better than if it was the typical mix of short chips, and wedges here and there kind of thing, ie, never a set pattern of practice.

and 2 other things:
Relax, and aim dead ahead