[Tangram]

It has been commented in these forums that there is often useful information to be found in golf or tennis writings. I got this material originally from Chuck Dryke, and I traced it back to the BBC. Being a great self talker between pairs in sporting clays I was surprised to see the possible negative consequences on my game. I also have been wondering about its application to pre-shot routines. It is clear that overthinking may also slow skill acquisition.

Simply describing one's putting skill after it has been executed can be incredibly disruptive to future putting performance.
Prof Michael Anderson
St Andrews University

Golfers who think too much about their technique between shots could be seriously affecting their performance, a study has suggested.

St Andrews University and US scientists said they had established that too much analysis made the golfer's game worse.

They said thinking too much about the previous shot can disrupt performance.

In total, 80 golfers were given shots to practise until they got it right. Those who discussed their putting between strokes took twice as long.

The study found that when the mix of skilled and novice golfers tried again, those who had discussed the shot took longer to get the shots right as those people who had spent a couple of minutes engaged in other, unrelated activities.

Psychology Professor Michael Anderson, from St Andrews University, said: "This effect was especially dramatic in skilled golfers who were reduced to the level of performance of novices after just five minutes of describing what they did.

"Novices, by contrast, were largely unaffected, and perhaps even helped a little, by verbally describing their movements.

"It's a fairly common wisdom in sport that thinking too much hurts performance; during a game it can be an obvious distraction.

"However, what we found surprising is that simply describing one's putting skill after it has been executed can be incredibly disruptive to future putting performance."

[Ross Carter]

By breaking down the shot into detail you may be programming your concious mind so that next time it takes over and ruins your shot? We know what happens when the concious mind tries to direct out body to do something.

[JD45]

It all makes sense based on my own experience. Thinking too much will disrupt my shooting in Sporting, but it will absolutely kill a round of Trap.

Trap can be such a tense game of perfection that the slightest thought will throw me off.

I'm sure you've heard how to enforce the positive, and to stop using words like "don't". Some suggest before calling pulling to think "look for the target" or " look at a spot on the leading edge". I cannot count how many times that has caused me to drop a target. I must simply look for the target with a quiet mind and still eyes for everything to work. All of my thinking has to be over by the time I begin the pre-shot routine.

Shotgun sports are an important part of my life, but shooting a great round of anything completely exhausts me mentally. It seems strange to become so drained from not thinking.

[Jman]

Called analysis paralysis. It's real.


Jim

[ranger]

In sporting clays, the less I think - the better I score. Get a reliable shotgun, reliable ammo, put in one choke like a Light Mod - and just focus on the target.