Golf_ The Mind Game - Marlin M. Mackenzie [9]
Make mental notes of your clues as you go along. At the end of the search you can write down what’s important.
The way you watch your past performance, the way you listen to the sounds associated with it, and the kind of bodily sensations that you pay attention to will determine your success as Sherlock Holmes. The more thorough you are, the better clues you will uncover.
Identifying the V’s—the Sights
First pay attention to what you saw on the outside as if you were right there on the course, standing over the ball and making that shot. I call these images “regular” pictures. Then shift your way of watching so that you see yourself hitting the golf ball. It might be helpful to imagine stepping out of your body, walking a few paces, and then turning to gaze upon a piece of athletic magic about to unfold from your favorite athletic star—you.
From this visual perspective, called the “meta position,” take the role of Sherlock Holmes and search for something that you didn’t know you knew that made your golf shot so good.
As you watch yourself perform, change the image of yourself—the meta picture—to color if it is black and white; change it to black and white if it is in color. If the picture is bright, make it dull; if it is dull, make it bright. If the picture is sharply defined, make it fuzzy; if fuzzy, make it defined. Notice what happens to the quality of your performance as you vary the internal images this way; your performance may get better or worse. Does your swing get better or worse as you vary the color, brightness, focus, and size of the images? Make mental notes about the kinds of images that made your performance good.
Now make regular pictures of your setup and swing, no longer watching yourself. See again what you saw while setting up and swinging. Vary the color, brightness, and definition of what you saw as you were striking the ball. Continue to search for the important clues that let you know when and how to swing. Look for the clues that let you know whether your movements were okay or needed to be changed. Notice what happens to the quality of your swing as you vary the images. Does it improve or deteriorate?
Now take a moment to become aware of the internal images, the ones you had in your mind then, when you were swinging the club. What were they, if any? For example, did you see an image of the proper grip? Did you see an imaginary line in front of the ball directing you to the target? How were these internal images helpful?
Identifying the A’s—the Sounds
While watching your past performance, using either regular or meta pictures, hear again what you heard then. Listen to the sounds directly associated with setting up and swinging. Listen to the sounds in the surrounding environment and the sounds in your mind. For instance, on the outside you might hear your spikes striking the ground as you set up to the ball, or the breeze in nearby trees. On the inside, in your mind, you might hear silence or your own voice giving yourself instructions.
If the sounds were loud, make them barely audible; if hardly heard, turn up the volume. If they were high-pitched tones, make them low; if low-pitched, make them high. If they were harmonious, make them discordant and unpleasant; if unpleasant, make them harmonious. If the tempo of the sounds was an even beat, make it irregular; if irregular, make it even. And while you’re varying the sounds, notice if the quality of your performance improves or deteriorates. Continue, as Sherlock Holmes, to listen for the important clues that were present when your movements were just like they were supposed to be. Are some sounds more important than others? Make a mental note of your discoveries.
Identifying the Ks—the Bodily Sensations
As you relive hitting the shot over and over again, pay close attention to: (1) the feelings of your coordinated movements, (2) the feelings of certain parts of your body that were essential to setting up and swinging, (3) the amount of energy and tension you felt in your muscles, and (4) the bodily feelings that