1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:03,920 Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Son of a Butcher podcast. As always, 2 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: I'm your host Crawd Harmon. So this week wanted to 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: talk about something that I really believe strongly when working 4 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: with players. It's something that I've tried to talk to 5 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 1: juniors about and really any players that we work with, 6 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: but to me, when you're trying to improve your golf, 7 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 1: for me, there's five core principles, right, kind of a 8 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: framework for excellence. And it's something that I talked to 9 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:35,199 Speaker 1: the instructors about my academy. It's something that I challenged 10 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: them to work on in their instruction. I was at 11 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: my academy in Thailand and I was talking to some 12 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:46,160 Speaker 1: junior golfers that we work with, and to me, there's 13 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 1: five core principles. Number one, there's intent, number two, there's 14 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: purpose number three, there's focus, number four, there's process, and 15 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: number five there's x acution. And to me, if you're 16 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: trying to get better, if you're trying to improve your handicap, 17 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: I talk about this all the time, the handicap barriers, 18 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:11,839 Speaker 1: the score barriers. For me, score barriers are one hundred, 19 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 1: trying to break one hundred for the first time, ninety 20 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: eighty and break par for the first time. But I 21 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: think if you can start to think about these five 22 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: core principles and how focusing on them can really kind 23 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: of change your thought process, change the way that you 24 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: think about things. So we're going to go through them 25 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: individually and talk about how they can help you improve 26 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 1: your golf game. So intent, what are you trying to achieve, 27 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: Know what you're trying to achieve, Purpose, understanding why you're 28 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 1: doing what you're doing. Focus, where you need to direct 29 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: your attention process, having a system. And then execution that's 30 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: the fifth part. I think most people are trying to 31 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: work constantly on execution, but they're missing some of these 32 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: other components. And I really think if you have these 33 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: five things every time you hit a shot, every time 34 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: you go out on the golf course, every time you 35 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: play around the golf it can really really help. So 36 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: let's get into it. And the first kind of core 37 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 1: principle intent, Know exactly what you're trying to achieve before 38 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: you do it. Right, to me, intent is the starting 39 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: point for everything. Right before you swing the golf club, 40 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:35,800 Speaker 1: before you go to the golf course, before you go 41 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 1: to the range, before you go to your practice session. 42 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: You need to kind of have real clarity on what 43 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 1: you're trying to accomplish, because to me, if you don't 44 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: have intent, intention, you're just kind of going through the motions. 45 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: And I do this a lot when I'm working with players. 46 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: Intention startline for me is really really important. I think 47 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 1: a lot of golfers are kind of hyper focused on 48 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 1: the outcome, on the result, on where the golf ball 49 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 1: is ending up. But whenever I work with a player 50 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: for the first time, I'll always ask them, listen, what 51 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 1: type of shape are you trying to hit? Tell me 52 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: the shot that you're trying to hit, if it's fade, 53 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:20,959 Speaker 1: if it's a draw. So let's say it's a draw, 54 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: I'll say, okay, let's go ahead and pick out a target. 55 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: Tell me where your target is. I'll pick out a 56 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,919 Speaker 1: target for the player. So, if you're trying to hit 57 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 1: a draw, where are you trying to start the golf ball? 58 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: What is your intended start line? I think most golfers 59 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: really really struggle because there is no intention, right, They're 60 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: just trying to not hit a bad shot. And that's 61 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 1: a recipe kind of four disaster. I was working with 62 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: some players recently and we got to our eighteenth hole 63 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: at the Floridian where I work out of our finishing hole. 64 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: On the eighteenth all the way down on the left 65 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: hand side is water right, so it's kind of like 66 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: the eighteenth hole at Pebble Beach. And this player stood 67 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 1: up and just hit a high, weak, big slice way 68 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 1: right of the fairway into the trees and stuff. And 69 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: I said, listen, where were you trying to start the 70 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: golf ball? What shot were you intending to hit? And 71 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:24,720 Speaker 1: the answer was I was just trying to not hit 72 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 1: it in the water. And I think that's a bad recipe, right, 73 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 1: So going back to target line, what is your intended 74 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: target line? So if you're trying to hit a draw, 75 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: I want to know as the as a player, where 76 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 1: are you trying to start the golf ball? And I'm 77 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:45,119 Speaker 1: always really surprised when I asked that question to players. Listen, 78 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: tell me where you're trying to start the golf ball. 79 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: You'd be really surprised that a lot of players never 80 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:52,719 Speaker 1: really even think about where they're trying to start the 81 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 1: golf ball. They're just trying to not miss it in 82 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: the water. They're trying to not hit it out of bounds, 83 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: and there's no intent in that if your intention, if 84 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 1: your intent is to just not make a bad swing, 85 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: not hit a bad shot, I think that's a really, 86 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: really dangerous place to be. So I was working with 87 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 1: a player in Thailand, young player, and I was watching 88 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: them hit golf balls. I asked them what type of 89 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 1: shots they were trying to hit. They said they'd like 90 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: to hit fades. So I said, listen, can you go 91 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 1: ahead and hit me ten golf balls? Pick out a target, 92 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 1: and then the only thing I want you to do here, 93 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: the only intention I want you to have here is 94 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: to start the golf ball left to your target. That's it. 95 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 1: That's the only thing. I don't care where the golf 96 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 1: ball goes. After that. I want to see if you 97 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 1: can start ten golf balls left of your target to 98 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 1: hit the fade that you're trying to hit. There's a 99 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: right handed golfer. And so I watched the player and 100 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: I actually started to video after the first couple of 101 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:52,479 Speaker 1: golf balls. What I noticed was, can you tell the 102 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 1: player was really thinking about their golf swing right, really 103 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:58,840 Speaker 1: in kind of that technique mode. And after about one 104 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: or two shots, I just started videoing on my phone 105 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 1: and I watched this player go through hitting ten shots, 106 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 1: and I replayed the video back to the player and 107 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: what we noticed and what I wanted the player to 108 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 1: see is I said, listen, you didn't look at your 109 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 1: target once. The only thing that you did was just 110 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 1: stand over the golf ball. You pulled the golf ball over, 111 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 1: you kind of got in there, you did all your waggles, 112 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 1: you did all your kind of swing kind of rehearsals 113 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:27,559 Speaker 1: and stuff like that, and then you kind of stood 114 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: over the golf ball, and you really really focused on 115 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: the golf ball and what your body was doing. And 116 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:35,840 Speaker 1: I said, listen, you never even looked at the target. 117 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,799 Speaker 1: So I think having intention, tell me what shot you're 118 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 1: trying to hit, tell me where you're trying to start 119 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: the golf ball. And I think that's where you need 120 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 1: to start, right. You have to have a really clear 121 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 1: idea on what is your intention on this shot, What 122 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: are you intending to do? Tell me where you're trying 123 00:06:55,160 --> 00:07:00,080 Speaker 1: to start the golf ball. Clarity of intent, for me, 124 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 1: is the foundation to excellence. It's the foundation to good shots. 125 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 1: I think every time you stand over it, every time 126 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: you go to the range, every time you're going to play, 127 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: you need to ask yourself, what am I trying to 128 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: achieve on this shot? What am I trying to achieve 129 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: right now? What am I trying to achieve with this 130 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 1: practice session when I go to the range? What is 131 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: my intention with this practice session? If it's just to 132 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: get exercise, that's not really a good recipe to me. 133 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: Intent can give you real clarity on what you're trying 134 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: to do before you do it. So for me, that 135 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: is where we start. That's kind of for me, out 136 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: of these five core principles, that's principal number one. Principal 137 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: number two would be purpose. The purpose for me is 138 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: the why understanding why you're trying to do this, why 139 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: you're doing this drill, why you're working on this on 140 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: the range. The other thing I think about purpose that's 141 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: really important for players when they get out on the 142 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: golf course is why are you trying to hit this 143 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 1: shot at this moment? Right Let's say for me, purpose 144 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 1: would be hitting a golf ball offline. You kind of 145 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: get into some trouble, you're kind of out of position, 146 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: off fatigue, and you're going to go ahead and try 147 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 1: and hit a shot. Maybe it's a risky shot, Maybe 148 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: you're trying to hit it through some trees. Maybe you're 149 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 1: trying to just you know, trying to carry the water. Whatever. 150 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 1: I think you have to ask yourself why are you 151 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:39,319 Speaker 1: doing that? Why are you trying to hit this shot 152 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: at this time? Do you need to hit this shot 153 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: at this time? So, for me, purpose is the why. 154 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 1: It's the why behind why am I hitting the shot? 155 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 1: It's the why behind why am I doing this work. 156 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 1: Intent tells you what you're doing right now. To me, 157 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: purpose tells me, tells me, tells you why. In the 158 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:06,200 Speaker 1: bigger picture. Purpose is going to the range? Why am 159 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 1: I going to the range? Why am I putting in 160 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 1: this work? To me, without purpose, without having a real 161 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: understanding as to why you're doing what you're doing, motivation 162 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: can really kind of fade. If you're going to the 163 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 1: golf course and you're going to go hit one hundred 164 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 1: web shots, let's say, and the why behind that is, well, 165 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 1: because that's what I was told. That's not purpose, that's compliance. 166 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: You're just doing what someone told you to do. So 167 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 1: if you're going to the range and you're going to 168 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: hit one hundred web shots from inside of one hundred yards, 169 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 1: what's the purpose of that? Well, the purpose would be well, 170 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: I'm building a skill that's going to help me improve 171 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 1: my scoring clubs. Right. To me, that's purpose. Purpose can 172 00:09:55,360 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 1: also help transform kind of tedious drills into let's say, 173 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: meaningful preparation. It connects you with the work that you're 174 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 1: doing in the moment that will help you in the 175 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 1: future get the results you want. I think purpose why 176 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 1: you're doing things? Why are you doing this drill in 177 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:21,680 Speaker 1: this practice session? And I think having really really clear 178 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 1: intention on what you're doing on every shot, on what 179 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: you're doing in every practice session, can give you a 180 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: lot of clarity as to the direction that you're trying 181 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:34,959 Speaker 1: to go. But to me, a really big part of 182 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 1: improving and getting better is the purpose principle. Why are 183 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,079 Speaker 1: you doing this? I think as a golfer, if you're 184 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 1: going into a lesson and an instructor is telling you 185 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:51,560 Speaker 1: to do something, I think it's important you ask them 186 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:54,319 Speaker 1: the why part of this. Why are we working on this? 187 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 1: Why do I need to change this? Why do I 188 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:00,200 Speaker 1: need to do this drill? If you're not asked making 189 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 1: those questions, you're just basically doing what somebody else tells 190 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 1: you to do. And if that doesn't work out and 191 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 1: you don't see immediate results. I think that's one of 192 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:14,080 Speaker 1: the reasons why players don't get better. That's one of 193 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 1: the reasons why you go to a golf lesson and 194 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 1: you don't have a really clear picture. So purpose, I think, 195 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 1: is something that you need to have. You need to 196 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 1: be asking yourself that. But if you're working with an instructor, 197 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:30,440 Speaker 1: if you have an instructor that you work with on 198 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,679 Speaker 1: a regular basis, I think the purpose part of is, Okay, 199 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 1: why are we working on this? Why do I need 200 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 1: to change this? Why do I need to make this change? 201 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:41,559 Speaker 1: Why do I need to work on this shot? Why 202 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: do I need to do this drill So principal number 203 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: one intention really clear understanding of you know what you're 204 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:54,959 Speaker 1: trying to do, and then the purpose part, why are 205 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: you trying to do what you're doing? Why are you 206 00:11:57,000 --> 00:11:59,559 Speaker 1: trying to hit the shot that you're trying to hit. 207 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: The next principle, the third or principle is focus. Focus 208 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 1: is about where you direct your attention. You can have 209 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 1: the right intent, you can have a really clear purpose, 210 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:19,959 Speaker 1: but if your mind is kind of scattered, it's kind 211 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:23,400 Speaker 1: of all over the place, then your performance is going 212 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 1: to suffer. Focus means being present, fully engaged with the 213 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 1: shot that you're hitting in this moment, in this rat 214 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: not the last shot, not the next shot. Focus is 215 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 1: the shot that you're going to hit right now. So 216 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 1: you've just made double bogie. To me, focus means Okay, 217 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: I'm gonna leave what I just did on the last 218 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: hole and be fully prepsent over the next shot that 219 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 1: you're gonna hit, the shot that you're hitting now right 220 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 1: I've used this example before. I think a great example 221 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 1: of focus, and you wouldn't think this player. I think 222 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 1: a lot of people openly think that Dustin Johnson would 223 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: be the type of player that doesn't have a lot 224 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: of focus because of his kind of, you know, care free, 225 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 1: easygoing kind of attitude about a lot of things. But 226 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 1: DJ has a really good skill, and one of the 227 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:23,199 Speaker 1: great skills that he has is being able to focus 228 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 1: on the shot that he's hitting right now at this moment, 229 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 1: not the shot that he just hit, not the shot 230 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 1: that he's going to hit. So focus can also say listen, 231 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 1: thinking about the past, thinking about the future, none of 232 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: that helps me with the shot that I'm hitting right now. 233 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 1: A really focused thirty minute practice session will do you 234 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 1: a hell of a lot more good than three hours 235 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 1: of just hitting balls with no intent, no understanding as 236 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:03,959 Speaker 1: to why, and not being focused. Focus is also it's 237 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: a choice, and it's a skill. So before each shot, 238 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 1: before each rep, take a breath, commit your full attention 239 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:18,319 Speaker 1: to the shot you're hitting. Every golf ball you hit 240 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: on the driving range, every golf ball you hit on 241 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 1: the golf course, needs to have meaning, right. I've talked 242 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 1: about Noah Kent, who I've had on the podcast before. Knows, 243 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 1: a junior at the University of Florida, lost in the 244 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: finals of the US Amateur in twenty twenty four, and 245 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 1: I went up to the University of Florida late last 246 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:41,160 Speaker 1: year to do some work with him, and we were, 247 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,400 Speaker 1: you know, he was struggling. That's why I went up there, 248 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: and I was watching him hit golf balls, and we 249 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 1: were working on you know, we're working on trying to 250 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:51,000 Speaker 1: hit a fade right. They were working on getting the 251 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:54,080 Speaker 1: golf club, you know, in a certain position. We were 252 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: working a lot on his technique and you know, I 253 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,080 Speaker 1: kind of went through what we were working on with 254 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 1: with him, and he hit you know, four or five 255 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 1: snap hoooks in a row. The golf swing got really 256 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 1: really fast. He started hitting them really really fast, and 257 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: I stopped him and I said, listen, do you understand 258 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 1: what you're trying to do? Right? You understand the purpose 259 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 1: of what we're doing in the golf swing? Right? You 260 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 1: understand you have a really clear understanding as to what 261 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 1: you're trying to do, what we're trying to do with 262 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 1: your golf swing. You understand why we're doing this. He 263 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 1: totally got that. I said, Okay, what is your intention 264 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 1: over this shot? And the intent really wasn't great, And 265 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: I said to him, listen, you've got to have better 266 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: focus that every golf ball you hit on the driving 267 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:46,680 Speaker 1: range has to have some meaning. And I think focus 268 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: is something that everybody kind of Yeah, you've got to 269 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,160 Speaker 1: have great focus, you got to talk about but what 270 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: does that mean? And I think you have to direct 271 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 1: your intention fully to the task you're at hand, to 272 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 1: the task you're doing right now in that moment. So 273 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: I think focus is a skill. I think thinking about 274 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: it and trying to not think about the future, trying 275 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: to not think about the past. I think real focus 276 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:20,040 Speaker 1: on the golf course can can help you get rid 277 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 1: of some of the white noise that can come during 278 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: a round of golf, because listen, playing golf is hard. 279 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 1: It's hard to stay in the present. You know, a 280 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 1: lot of the sports psychologists talk about stay in the present. 281 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 1: To me, that's kind of focusing on what you're doing 282 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: right now. So what are you doing right now? Why 283 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: are you doing what you're doing right now? And what 284 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 1: is your intention with what you're doing right now? So 285 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 1: intent principal number one, Purpose principal number two, and focus 286 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:05,920 Speaker 1: principal number three, principal number four. Process. I've talked about 287 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 1: it a load of times. Nick Saban talks a lot 288 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: about process over outcome. I did an entire podcast on 289 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: process over outcome. Process is the how steps, the system, 290 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:22,440 Speaker 1: the routine, the recipe. And I think most golfers obsess 291 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 1: over outcomes. To me, the elite performers there, the elite 292 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 1: golfers that I've been around, they obsess over the process. Right. 293 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:36,639 Speaker 1: They know that if they execute their process consistently, the 294 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: results can take care of themselves. Right. Process can help 295 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 1: remove emotion ego from what you're trying to do. A 296 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:49,639 Speaker 1: great example is your preshot routine. Right. Preshot routines are 297 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: tough to stick with, and I think it really is 298 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: important to have a really good pre shot routine, right, 299 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 1: so that the same routine on every shot, every swing, 300 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: whether it's on the range, whether it's on the first tee, 301 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 1: whether it's on the seventy second hole with a one 302 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:10,480 Speaker 1: shot lead, whether you're trying to win the club championship, 303 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 1: break one hundred for the first time, break eighty, break seventy. 304 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: You know, I think process doesn't change based on the 305 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:24,960 Speaker 1: circumstance you're in, and to me, that's the whole point. 306 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:29,879 Speaker 1: A process driven practice session, for example, has a plan 307 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 1: before you hit each golf ball. So, going back to 308 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 1: working with some of the junior golfers that I was 309 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:39,160 Speaker 1: working with when I was at my academy in Bangkok, 310 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 1: I was watching this player that you know, there wasn't 311 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:47,720 Speaker 1: really any intent, there wasn't really any kind of process, 312 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: there wasn't really any focus. So I said to this player, listen, 313 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 1: what we're going to do on every single shot in 314 00:18:53,920 --> 00:19:00,920 Speaker 1: practice is to build processes that hopefully you can trust, 315 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:05,879 Speaker 1: create routines or your appreciation. So we're working on a 316 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: feeling in the golf swing, right. We were working on 317 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 1: trying to have the golf club not get so inside 318 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 1: for this player. So I said, listen, I want you 319 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:19,920 Speaker 1: to make me one practice swing before every single shot 320 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:23,119 Speaker 1: you hit with one thought. And I asked this player 321 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: to do this with their eyes closed, right, And I said, 322 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:29,360 Speaker 1: you know, let's go through the process of what you're 323 00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: trying to feel in in your golf swing. And we 324 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:35,879 Speaker 1: were hitting golf balls, and he was hitting golf balls 325 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:38,160 Speaker 1: really really quick, really really fast, and I said, listen, 326 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 1: we're going to try and slow everything down so that 327 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 1: you have clear intention on every single practice swing that 328 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 1: you're making. The reason why we're doing this is to 329 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 1: have the golf club not get so inside because the 330 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 1: player was trying to hit a fade and when the 331 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 1: golf club got behind him on the backswing, it tended 332 00:19:58,200 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 1: to get a little bit behind him on the down. 333 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: So I said, listen, we're going to build a process 334 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 1: before every single ball you hit in practice, right, not 335 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 1: out on the golf course. We were in practice mode. 336 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:14,160 Speaker 1: We were in technique mode. But you can build a process, 337 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 1: you can build a routine. I did this once when 338 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: I was working with a player and they were really 339 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 1: really struggling with putting, and I actually videoed their whole 340 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 1: kind of pre shot routine, how many looks they had, 341 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:30,240 Speaker 1: how long they took over the golf ball. And then 342 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 1: I kind of challenged this player to say, Okay, why 343 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:36,959 Speaker 1: are you looking at the golf ball this many times? 344 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 1: You know, are looking at the hole this many times? 345 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: Why are you making this many practice ords, So getting 346 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:47,119 Speaker 1: them to focus on the purpose part of it, and 347 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 1: then said, listen, let's build a routine that you can 348 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: work on in your technique mode. Work on a process 349 00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:01,120 Speaker 1: for what your backswing needs to feel like, what your 350 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 1: downswing needs to feel like. And I think excellence comes 351 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: from repeatable routines. I think having good routines, having good habits, 352 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:14,120 Speaker 1: having a good preshot routine. That's tough for a lot 353 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 1: of golfers, it's tough for them to stick with. But 354 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:21,439 Speaker 1: I think if you can really have a good process, 355 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 1: a good routine, that can really help you and keep 356 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: you from focusing on the outcome. And then the last 357 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:35,320 Speaker 1: part of this is execution. Execution is kind of the 358 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 1: moment of truth, right. All the intent, all the purpose, 359 00:21:39,359 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: all the focus, and all the process that you have 360 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 1: leads you to execution. The actual performance under pressure. Execution 361 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:55,400 Speaker 1: isn't hope, hope isn't a strategy. Execution is trusting the process. 362 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: You've done the work, now go out and execute. This 363 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:02,639 Speaker 1: is where you can really try and stop thinking and 364 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:06,919 Speaker 1: start play. I just think most golfers really struggle with 365 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:12,400 Speaker 1: the execution part of things. Execution, to me is the 366 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:17,520 Speaker 1: reward for the preparation. But it's really hard to execute 367 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 1: if you don't have intention, knowing what you're trying to achieve, 368 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:27,439 Speaker 1: if you don't have purpose, understanding why you're doing what 369 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:32,680 Speaker 1: you're doing, focus where you need to direct your intention, 370 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:38,439 Speaker 1: and then having a real process, trusting the system, trusting 371 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 1: your habits. So when it's time to perform, execution is 372 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 1: where you let go of the mechanics, you let go 373 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 1: of the technical thoughts, you let go of focusing on 374 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:57,280 Speaker 1: the outcome, You commit trust, and you execute. And execution 375 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:00,719 Speaker 1: is where we all want to be a golfers, right, 376 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 1: we want to be execute. I always ask players in practice. 377 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:07,240 Speaker 1: I was doing this recently with some players and we 378 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:09,680 Speaker 1: were working on short game and they said, listen, I'm 379 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 1: really struggling with my short game. I feel like my 380 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: short game isn't great. And I said to these players, Okay, 381 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:18,439 Speaker 1: we worked on technique, we gave them kind of a 382 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:22,120 Speaker 1: process to hit these web shots better. Right, We gave 383 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: them kind of a system. We told them why we 384 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:29,240 Speaker 1: were doing this, and then I asked them on every 385 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:31,399 Speaker 1: shot in practice, okay, tell me what you're trying to do. 386 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:34,479 Speaker 1: What is your intention. We're trying to get them, you know, 387 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 1: to have a backswing. Let's say that went back to 388 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:39,760 Speaker 1: waste Hie back and then a follow through that went 389 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 1: Wastehied through trying to figure out what that distance was. Right. 390 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:47,159 Speaker 1: So gave them clear intention, and then I told them listen, Okay, 391 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 1: So now that you have a really good intention on 392 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 1: what you're trying to do, you understand why you're doing it. 393 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 1: You've got the focus to do it, and we've created 394 00:23:55,880 --> 00:24:00,440 Speaker 1: a process, a system for you to do this. Now 395 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:04,680 Speaker 1: let's execute. And when you hit a bad shot, ask yourself, 396 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:09,159 Speaker 1: is it your technique or is it execution. So a 397 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,199 Speaker 1: great example of that would be trying to hit a 398 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:15,639 Speaker 1: fifteen twenty yard web shot and you shank it. You 399 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 1: hit one thin, you hit it fat, you top it right, 400 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:23,639 Speaker 1: that's technique. But if you hit a good one, the 401 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: contact's good, the quality of strike is good, it just 402 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: didn't go as far as you wanted to, or it 403 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:32,360 Speaker 1: just went a little bit too far. That's execution. Okay, 404 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:35,920 Speaker 1: you just need to execute better. And I think most 405 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 1: golfers are convinced that everything they're doing wrong is just 406 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:44,120 Speaker 1: pure one hundred percent technical errors. But I think if 407 00:24:44,119 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: you're focusing on intention, purpose, having good focus, having a 408 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:54,640 Speaker 1: good process, then it makes it much much easier on 409 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:58,639 Speaker 1: the golf course to be able to go out and execute. 410 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:03,040 Speaker 1: And as I said, execution is to me the most 411 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:07,800 Speaker 1: important thing can you execute when it matters on the 412 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:11,640 Speaker 1: golf course. But if you don't have the first core 413 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:19,160 Speaker 1: principles of intention, purpose, focus, and having a process, it's 414 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:21,480 Speaker 1: really going to be a struggle for you to have 415 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:26,920 Speaker 1: good execution to deliver when it counts right. Excellence isn't 416 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:31,280 Speaker 1: a singular act, it's a habit. You are what you 417 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:36,840 Speaker 1: repeatedly do right. And I think if you can think 418 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: about these five core principles every time you go to 419 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:44,439 Speaker 1: the driving range, every time you go to the golf course, 420 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:50,160 Speaker 1: I really believe that maybe just re framing the way 421 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 1: you do things can really have a really big impact 422 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:57,840 Speaker 1: on what you do, on how you do it, and 423 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:04,159 Speaker 1: ultimately it can lead you to better execution. So that's it. 424 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:08,879 Speaker 1: Five core principles, a really great framework to help you 425 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:13,360 Speaker 1: improve your golf swing. It's the Son of a Butcher podcast. 426 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:14,920 Speaker 1: We will see you next week.