Accelerate Your Golf Learning Process
The learning process for golf is identical to the learning process for everything else that we humans learn and is a four stage process.
Stage one is unconscious incompetence.
This stage is when a "potential golfer" picks up a golf club for the very first time and tries hitting a golf ball.
At this stage the beginner golfer is not competent with the golf swing and hasn't got the knowledge yet to put the systems in place to swing the golf club properly.
Stage two of learning is conscious incompetence.
At this stage in the learning process the beginner golfer has seen other golfers hit the ball and realises that other golfers have learned swing techniques that make those golfers better but at this point our beginner golfer has not learned the systems to swing the club correctly themselves Stage three is conscious competence.
At this stage in learning the golfer has now taken lessons, mimicked other golfer's swings and practiced and when concentrating on following the routine / systems that they have learned has now developed a competent swing which works when they think about it or concentrate on it.
But it is stage four of the learning process that every golfer aspires to, the holy grail of golf learning.
Stage four of the learning process is unconscious competence.
At this stage, the golfer swings well without thinking about the process.
It is an unconscious action which is repeatable under any circumstance.
The muscles have a muscle memory and the brain neurons have formed pathways that allow the repetition of the competent swing under all circumstances.
Typically a golfer, under pressure, drops back one step in their learning process and so the excellent golfer who is normally unconsciously competent when under pressure needs to think more about the shot, dropping back to stage three or conscious competence.
The most successful practice routines to move you through the learning process are simple repeatable drills which can be easily incorporated in the normal practice session.
The correct repetition of these drills allows the body and brain to learn the process through the four stages of learning until it is in-built both mentally and muscularly.
Stage one is unconscious incompetence.
This stage is when a "potential golfer" picks up a golf club for the very first time and tries hitting a golf ball.
At this stage the beginner golfer is not competent with the golf swing and hasn't got the knowledge yet to put the systems in place to swing the golf club properly.
Stage two of learning is conscious incompetence.
At this stage in the learning process the beginner golfer has seen other golfers hit the ball and realises that other golfers have learned swing techniques that make those golfers better but at this point our beginner golfer has not learned the systems to swing the club correctly themselves Stage three is conscious competence.
At this stage in learning the golfer has now taken lessons, mimicked other golfer's swings and practiced and when concentrating on following the routine / systems that they have learned has now developed a competent swing which works when they think about it or concentrate on it.
But it is stage four of the learning process that every golfer aspires to, the holy grail of golf learning.
Stage four of the learning process is unconscious competence.
At this stage, the golfer swings well without thinking about the process.
It is an unconscious action which is repeatable under any circumstance.
The muscles have a muscle memory and the brain neurons have formed pathways that allow the repetition of the competent swing under all circumstances.
Typically a golfer, under pressure, drops back one step in their learning process and so the excellent golfer who is normally unconsciously competent when under pressure needs to think more about the shot, dropping back to stage three or conscious competence.
The most successful practice routines to move you through the learning process are simple repeatable drills which can be easily incorporated in the normal practice session.
The correct repetition of these drills allows the body and brain to learn the process through the four stages of learning until it is in-built both mentally and muscularly.
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