Welcome to this week's newsletter. 

Thank you all for your emails with reference to my ' Did golf beat you?' newsletter a few weeks ago. Lots of you were saying you were 'that' golfer I was describing. The next question I was asked was 'How can I improve?' There are many individual answers I could give to that question and invariably that is what we discuss during a lesson.

However, one of the most common questions I am asked is 'When I practice I'm fine but when I go onto the course my swing seems to change, Why does it all change when I go onto the course?' It's likely that you have two distinct rhythms; one smooth rhythm for the range and one quicker, tighter rhythm for the course. Why would this be the case? 

Simple: Pressure! 

On the range you can slice the ball 40 yards right of target, shrug your shoulders and play another. On the course you make the same swing and your second shot could be from the beach. Once you've made a mental note of this challenge, nature takes over. 

Anxiety levels rise, the 'fight or flight' syndrome kicks in and the adrenaline pumps through the veins. This just causes the grip to tighten around the club, restricting your arms and your ability to release the club through the downswing. A poor swing ensues and you're on that beach you were worried about… It's cause and effect. 

Even a memory of a bad shot last week is enough to trigger this reaction, but this is where the important role of visualisation and a good pre-shot routine come into their own. A good pre-shot routine will break down the processes needed for a good swing. It's like learning to drive; mirror, signal, manoeuvre, etc. It starts out as a very conscious process but eventually becomes automatic - this is exactly what we're looking for.

That's what I try to drill into my students during a lesson. Forget about the many possible outcomes of a swing and concentrate instead on hitting all the smaller targets. Resist the temptation to go back to the familiar. 

I can design a pre-shot routine that will iron out those bad habits and make sure that good habits become second nature. Just come to see me in the shop or contact me by clicking here.