Many junior golfers are still in the process of developing all of the fundamentals of their game. One of the challenges faced is how to measure the progress of a player in these basics on the golf course, besides the obvious measurement of score. When going onto the golf course it is critical that the young golfer have a specific purpose in mind as to what she or he is attempting to accomplish. These “process” objectives can become the criteria for determining how much growth is being made. Some examples are below: Are all considerations being addressed in determining proper shot selection? *Wind speed *Wind direction *Lie *Slope *Yardage from center of the green *Hole location *Choice of correct club *Choice of correct shot Is the young player reading the putts thoroughly? Are the swing changes being attempted? Is the player eating and drinking healthily enough and regularly enough? Is the player adhering to the preconceived game plan? Is the player playing too quickly or too slowly? Are shots being played “one at a time” or is frustration mounting? Is a narrow target being selected before attempting a shot? Junior players can work on these kinds of things on the golf course by determining which one or two of these types of items they intend to work on. Giving oneself a hole by hole grade can be helpful. Simply marking on the scorecard on a 1-10 scale or a grade of A-F can keep the youngster paying attention to these goals. Make sure that these types of positive habits are formed which will help in their growth and development, and ultimately impact the player’s bottom line score! Jeff Troesch is an internationally recognized expert in the field of mental skills training and performance enhancement. Jeff also served as Director of Mental Training for David Leadbetters Golf Academies. For more information on Jeff's work, visit http://www.fitnessforgolf.com.
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