Start putting with tick-tock timing!

[Pete Hurrikane]

I always had a very active inner critical voice during my golf swing but only really started to notice it as an adversary to my performance about ten years ago.

You all know the voice I am talking about, the one that says,

"Don't hit this one fat"

or

"Remember to start back slowly"

or

"Don't pull this one to the left like you did with the last one"

And does this help... sometimes but unfortunately rarely!

I also noticed that the closer I got to the hole, especially on the green, this voice would increase the volume of its commands with a non stop 'rat a tat tat.'

I haven't made a putt all day - I probably won't make this one - Oh stop being so negative - that's it think positive - this ones going in - OK back smoothly - don't jerk - forward smoothly - don't jerk - oh shit, I jerked - I should give up right now. etc etc

I decided there had to be a way to stop this incessant voice that was bullying me during a procedure where I would rather not hear commands or reminders.

Reading the green and approaching the ball was no problem but as soon as I got over the ball the voice would start issuing these endless commands. During my back swing I would hear it saying, "Don't leave it short," and sometimes I would hear myself thanking it for the warning.

Now, if one of my playing partners had said this to me during my back swing, regardless to how well he meant it, I would probably have warned him to keep his mouth shut in future. But how could I silent this uncontrollable inner voice? You can't say shut up to yourself and if you do it doesn't stop anyway. What to do?

I decided to use an 'Inner Game' method - Tim Gallwey - and give the inner voice something to do that it does very well. I commanded my inner voice to say, "Tick" at the end of the back swing and "Tock" at impact. These two words are also quite logical because it is a pendulum motion and the two seconds are also quite apt. It covers timing and rythym and also shuts up my inner critic.

Give it a try, it helped me.

[davetrx]

Actually, this isn't bad. I use the tick tock thing in my routine, setting up perpendicular to the hole (so I am looking at it straight on with both eyes), making some practice swings to get distance while hearing "tick tock", then very quickly walk up the line of the putt to the ball, take my stance, one look, tick-tock, and fire. It helps equate my practice swings with my real swing.

I have more to say on this, but I have to go out. The wife's shouting on me. ;DLol

[ipman]

I get those same inner voices, haha.

It's gotta be the nerves especially when I get a birdie chance. Then the inner voices are SCREAMING.

I'll give it a shot in practice and see how I fare.