Play Your Best Golf in 2024 w/ Lynn and Pia from VISION54
The podcast kicks off its "New Year New Golfer" series with an inspirational two-part interview with renowned golf coaches Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson, co-founders of Vision 54. In this episode, Lynn and Pia share the 8 essential playing skills from their bestselling book "Play Your Best Golf Now" that can help all golfers unlock their potential and play their absolute best in the new year 2024.
About Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson
Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson are two of the most highly respected golf coaches in the world. They co-founded Vision 54, an innovative coaching program based in Scottsdale, Arizona focused on both technical skills and mental performance.
- Highest ranked female golf instructors in America by Golf Digest
- Selected as Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers and Top Teachers of All Time
- Coached many LPGA tour players and elite amateurs
- Bestselling authors of "Every Shot Must Have a Purpose", "Play Your Best Golf Now", and "Be A Player"
Their teaching philosophy goes beyond just perfecting swing mechanics. Lynn and Pia believe mastering essential playing skills like decision-making, focus, and positivity can transform a golfer's whole experience on the course.
Vision 54's New State-of-the-Art Facility
The interview took place at Vision 54's brand-new headquarters at Talking Stick Golf Club. The tribal-owned facility invested extensively to create the ultimate coaching venue complete with a dedicated academy building, covered range, high-tech club fitting, conference rooms, and more.
Lynn and Pia now have an exceptional environment to host students for camps, corporate events, assessments, seminars, and personalized instruction. Students work extensively on inner skills and course management, then implement lessons immediately on Talking Stick's championship course.
Inspiration from Today's Elite Players
Over their careers, Lynn and Pia have coached some of the best players in women's professional golf. They shared how inspiring it is to see today's young stars like Nelly Korda and Atthaya Thitikul raising the bar athletically and maturing into grounded, positive role models.
Social media pressure and criticism affect female players intensely. Lynn and Pia try to nurture the next generation to stay healthy and find an empowering personal path despite outside opinions. When players succeed in both golf and life, it brings the coaches great joy.
Essential Playing Skill #1: Leave Your Golf Mind Behind
The first essential skill Lynn and Pia outlined is getting out of your analytic "thinking brain" and into an athletic sensory state they call the "play box." This is the mode elite players enter while executing shots where they rely on feel, instinct, and muscle memory instead of conscious analysis or self-talk.
Remaining in the play box or "athletic state of mind" for 4-7 seconds while pulling the trigger keeps golfers present and focused. Suppose they think too much during the swing, doubt and tension creep in. Developing the discipline to recognize when you've drifted from the play box and promptly return is key to playing your best.
Essential Playing Skill #2: Decide and Commit
The "think box" is where golfers make decisions before settling into the play box. This is where you consciously assess conditions, choose your strategy and shot shape considering your capabilities, select a club, and commit to the plan.
Many amateur golfers overload their think box with lots of aimless routine steps and minutiae. Elite players simplify this process to just the essential factors, make confident decisions quickly, and then wholeheartedly commit to the plan and execute.
Tuning into your ideal energetic state - calm or adrenalized - during the think box also optimizes your upcoming play box. So personalize what best facilitates your peak performance.
Essential Playing Skill #3: Balance, Tempo, Tension
This trio of "BTT" elements is Lynn and Pia's framework for mastering both physical and mental balance around the innate variability of golf. Human beings and golf swings have natural inconsistency day-to-day based on factors like rest, nutrition, arousal, and stress.
Balance is a foundation for any good motion. Tuning into balanced posture, foot pressure, and rotational resistance trains essential proprioceptive feedback. Addressing deficiencies directly improves shotmaking consistency.
Tempo also varies from round to round and shot to shot due to mental tempo and physical rhythm. Identify your personal optimal tempo for different clubs and scenarios. Controlling tempo steadies play under pressure.
Tension arises from mental strain, technical flaws, or physical discomfort. Left unchecked, tension sabotages fluidity, speed, and accuracy. Assessing and releasing tension proactively is vital for peak performance.
Essential Playing Skill #4: Match Your Speed
Generating fast clubhead speed is integral to power. But uncontrolled speed leads to tension and erratic ball striking. Pacing matters hugely. Learn to match tempos perfectly to sync body motion and club delivery efficiently at impact.
Matching speed session by session also applies to playing appropriate tees based on driver distance. Golfers lose shots struggling with course length beyond their current capability. Consider adjusting tee boxes strategically to shoot lower scores while you build skills.
Essential Playing Skill #5: Master Your Mindset
Lynn and Pia see attitude as one of the biggest differentiators between golfers who realize potential versus those who remain stuck. Adopting a growth mindset where you view setbacks as learning opportunities is essential to keep motivated.
How judiciously you assess decisions and misses also impacts your mindset. Be constructive yet kind. Channel positive emotions like gratitude to boost confidence during play. Embrace a "one shot at a time" mentality focusing only on the task at hand.
Essential Playing Skill #6: Manage Your Emotions
Emotions like fear, anger, dejection, or desperation can swiftly derail smooth performance. But feelings can be managed effectively once acknowledged. Labeling emotions, and using cues and habits can restore optimal arousal.
Creating useful narratives and avoiding unhealthy storylines also directs attitude. Reframe nerves as excitement, not dread. Attribution influences emotion too - explaining outcomes based on skill, not limited self-worth fosters resilience.
Essential Playing Skill #7: Master A Victory Routine
Ending holes decisively with a standardized "victory routine" is invaluable. When golfers get sloppy after shots, they dwell on mistakes, don't commit plans for the next hole, and carry frustration. Strong hole closure rituals prevent downward spirals.
After holing out, immediately conduct 3 positive reflections on the hole and 1 future improvement idea. Map the next hole quickly too. A firm hole closure technique ensures great shots get rewarded and poor shots are left behind.
Essential Playing Skill #8: Actively Practice
Purposeful practice makes permanent progress. But poor practice can breed bad habits, not excellence. Employ "active practice" methods utilizing accountability, feedback, and lesson review to ensure maximal skill development between rounds.
Set metric-based goals spanning short game skills, troubleshot percentage, stroked gained areas, and more. Design mixed training combining technique, playing, and non-technical skills for best retention. Active practice amplifies on-course learning too.
Conclusion
In the second half of this two-part interview, Lynn and Pia will detail their personal play and think box routines plus share examples of applying these playing skills on the course. Mastering their eight essential human skills can help all golfers build confidence, consistency, and love for the game during the 2024 golf season.
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