The Performance Cycle
The Skill Cycle
How skill is created and transferred to results:
Technical Competence
IJGA coaches make informed choices for the players by using technology at their disposal including:
- 3D Motion Plate – A unique combination of a state-of-the-art pressure plate technology (Balance Plate) and a highly advanced force plate. Not only can you study detailed foot pressure data and CoP patterns, the 3D Motion Plate also provides horizontal and vertical force measurements. From 3D Motion Plate – A unique combination of a state-of-the-art pressure plate technology (Balance Plate) and a highly advanced force plate. Not only can you study detailed foot pressure data and CoP patterns, the 3D Motion Plate also provides horizontal and vertical force measurements. From this, we measure the amount of torque- and ground reaction forces generated during a golf swing. All 3D Motion Plate data is perfectly synchronized with high-speed video images and data from the most popular ball/club tracking devices.
- Trackman – Fact based system that looks at ball and club ballistics.
- 3D – The MRI of a golf swing. Sees things the human eye cannot, including energy creation and loss as well as how the components fit together.
- Bodi-track – Shows the pressure and weight movement in the feet during a swing.
- Video analysis – The X-ray of the swing. We do a ‘before and after’ to show evidential changes.
- SAM Puttlab – Gives 24 parts of information about a putting stroke.
This evidence-based blueprint then allows IJGA Coaches to use their coaching instinct. This stops the player ‘searching’ and allows them to be self-maintaining and non-technical.
Skill Acquisition
Golf is a learned skill. It is part science and part art. Skill acquisition includes:
- Tour quality short game skills- learning to subtly spin shots and have a bullet proof strike.
- Playing shots of strange lies rather than just off a flat lie.
- Golf IQ- how to create golf instincts.
- Course management.
- Shaping shots.
- Hitting specific clubs like the driver.
- The art of putting.
In order to acquire skill, the player needs to be aware of how these specific shots are played. At IJGA, we have some tour proven ways which often fly in the face of the conventional teaching doctrine, but are much more effective and proven at the highest level. This proprietary information allows players to accelerate their learning and skill level.
Skill Mastery
When a player has the motion and skills needed to perform the multitude of shots golf calls for, then they can start to master those skills.
Golf is a game of problem-solving to a large extent. The practice styles should reflect this in order to create true mastery. The practice styles in this period are based on creating a lasting learning in the player by making practice more game-like and introducing stress and challenge points to simulate actual play. Creating desirable difficulties to challenge the player to practice the art of problem solving in practice is how deep learning takes place. To encourage this, some of the practice styles here include:
- Block- Ball after ball from one spot.
- Random- Different clubs, targets and lies each shot.
- Interleaved- Interlacing different practice styles with each other.
- Constraint- Having pressure applied through penalties or constraints.
- Competitive- Interpersonal competitive practice.
The reality of practicing golf is that most of the traditional ways to practice, namely Block practice, are counter- productive and a waste of time if done as the only way a player practices. Block practice is fine during a technical change, but in order to be able to transfer that skill, the player needs to alter approach. A periodized schedule helps, in which the player moves from technical to blending to competitive and then on to rest and evaluation. There are many types of practice in that framework as a player shifts gears.
Practicing the new technical skills in a ‘game-like way’ is the bridge from the range to the course and great scores
A player is trying to master hitting the ball from A to B. They need to attain the skills through technical competence, but also have the ability to retain, master and transfer those skills in order to become a proficient player
Rest, Reflection and Analysis
Big picture of a periodized training month:
The training month varies from player to player in its length. A player may need more technical time than another, so we have to personalize it.
There are so many components to golf, which is the challenge and the frustration. It is a multifaceted sport which has many games within the game. There are numerous skill acquisition elements, which is why it is so coaching intensive, probably more so than any other sport. Throw into the mix that the ball is stationary, again one of the few sports that has that, along with much time to think between shots, and you start to see the challenges. We refer to the game as a performance pie or wheel. The coach’s job is to train the player to be competent and flowing in each area. There are more areas than in the below example obviously.
