Performance Routine 101
How to create YOUR routine to improve consistency and performance
A lot has been written about the benefits of the performance routine to golfing performance. In this article, I outline the underlying science, the basic components, and some tools you can use to develop or refine your own. It’s important to note upfront that there are no right or wrongs, only what works for you (of course respecting time rules and courtesy to other players).
What does a performance routine achieve?
A routine incorporates consistent and systematic task-relevant thoughts and actions that a player undertakes before, during and after each golf shot. It serves as a constant and reliable process that can be replicated under different shot circumstances, and allows a player to hit the best shot they can in one particular moment.
Next time you're watching the pro's on tv, pay attention to what a player does as they walk up to their ball. What do you notice about their movements, their sequence, their breathing?
“All sound routines incorporate certain fundamentals. A good routine enables a golfer to be trusting, decisive, and focused on the target. It fits his or her personality.” - Bob Rotella "Golf is not a game of perfect"
Benefits of having a consistent performance routine are reduction in negative or irrelevant thoughts (quiet mind), increased body awareness, improved motor performance and ultimately enhanced confidence.
Typically it incoporates three “phases”
Different coaches/ researchers have different versions of the performance routine, but there are some principle components which I list below. (You can access further reading (in the library) or by reading Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott's book Be a Player, and Bob Rotella's book Golf is not a Game of Perfect - both incredibly useful and informative resources).
Phase 1: the Pre-shot (or "Think Box")
This is where you use that incredible problem-solving machine - your brain - to analyse the situation. Consider things like distance, lie, wind, target, trajectory, and which club to use. Depending on your orientation, you may find it useful to visualise the ball in the air and landing on the target. If you're not a visual person, you could also use your other senses, such as hearing the sound of your club connecting with the ball on impact, or the feel of the shot as you take your practice swing.
Question to ask yourself at this point: what is my intention with this shot?
The purpose of the pre-shot phase is not just to "go through the motions" - it's vitally important that you achieve a sense of commitment to your shot, to "know" that the ball is going to the target. In the moment, it's an unwavering belief - your mind is clear and your body light and ready to go.
Phase 2: the Shot (or "Play Box")
This is where you execute the shot. Transitioning into the shot stage involves moving from the thinking mind to the quiet mind, which is best done by feeling the body. Choose a cue to help you do this: some players take a deep breath and shrug their shoulders whilst standing behind the ball. Some feel their feet on the ground. Others feel a connection between a part of their body and the target. Take some time to experiment and find a way that works for you.
The shot is completed with a quiet mind - calm, focussed, decisive. Body is fluid and natural. There is a balance of absolute trust between the two.
"Look at the target. Pause. Look at the ball. Pause. Swing." - Bob Rotella "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect"
Phase 3: the Post-shot (or "Memory Box")
It may not be obvious at first, but what you do after the shot is as important as what you do before and during. Let’s explore this concept before we continue.
Think for a few minutes about the most important moments in your life - what comes to mind?
Significant events with family or friends
The death of a loved one
What about in golf?
That putt you made from 20 meters last year
The time you hit a seven iron into water in front of lots of people?
These events are stored in your memory because of the emotion you experienced when you had them. Our brain is wired to forget insignificant moments (like what you had for lunch last Thursday), and store emotionally-charged ones (like when you touched a hot stove). Negative memories - to avoid or prevent them from happening again, and positive ones - to make us feel connected and have purpose. Research shows you're actually more likely to store negative ones, and to therefore recall them in future.
The good news is, you can influence this process. You have
control over your process (routine) and
choice in how you respond to the outcome of a shot.
Your response to the outcome of an event, and the attached emotion, influences how the event is stored in memory. This is why the post-shot, or "Memory Box" is so important.
Try it out for yourself - next time you hit a shot:
Instead of automatically reacting to the outcome, give it a bit of space. Keep your attention on your body, watch curiously what it does. Notice if anything arises in your mind. This simple act of observing creates a distance between the outcome and your response.
You can take an objective approach to appraising your shots, both in terms of process (did you follow your routine?) and outcome (what was the result?) by deciding on the following after each shot, was it great, good, good enough, or not good?
Process: did you follow your routine?
Great: yes absolutely, felt really good
Good: yes, but a little hesitation
Good enough: yes, only went through the motions
Not good: didn't even think about it, reset for next time
Outcome: what was the result?
Great: exactly how you planned
Good: result was good
Good enough: didn’t go as planned but you can recover
Not good: ok, need to reappraise and learn from what happened.
You are creating a bias towards the positive, neutralising any potential negative responses
In this way, shots that don’t work out as planned are an opportunity to learn. That’s one less bad shot you have to hit on the journey! (This relates to the 70:30 rule here).
I’ve applied the three phases to my own routine, and it’s been a game changer. I feel more in control of the things that I do have control over, and I enjoy the feeling of going through the process of Think Box - Play Box - Memory Box. It’s a trustworthy santuary to lean into when circumstances change, or unexpected things happen.
I will write more on each of the phase in future articles, in the meantime feel free to reach out if you would like support to develop or improve your performance routine (contact here).
