What are the two big secrets to pick up from Trevor Immelman? (part one)

The Masters is always a fantastic learning experience. There are so many lessons to take away from it. Last year we learned (again) just how important the short game is. We also saw how even a relatively short hitter like Zach Johnson can tame a monster course like Augusta by never attempting to hit any of the par fives greens in three strokes.

So what was the big learning experience this year?

Well for me it was Trevor Immelman’s incredibly clear visualisation of every shot. He stood on every tee looking from ball to target and then back again. Sometimes it only took one or two glances but sometimes it took him several. You could tell when it had “clicked” with him. His face would change and he would spring into gear.

The use of visualisation and good old fashioned Harvey Penick-style “take dead aim” was an incredibly important part of my progress in the challenge. Not only did I make sure I have a full clear image of the shot before I hit it I would also mentally play the course perfectly EVERY night before I went to bed.

Immelman is in good company of course. Nicklaus would play every shot in his mind before he hit it. He would imagine it sitting on the fairway EXACTLY where he wanted it and then play it backwards so that it arrived back at his clubface in his mind.

There is so much to learn by watching these guys before they actually even hit the ball. That remains the big difference in my mind between the pros and the rest of us. They all have a very clear and coherent pre-shot routine that actually does something for them. The average golfer simply swings the club a couple of times because that seems to be the “right thing to do”.

Watch Harrington here at the Ryder Cup. His visualisation is so strong he doesn’t even need to take a practice swing!

Try this the next time you’re out. Particularly when putting. Get an incredibly clear image in your mind of the putt going into the hole and hear the sound. Only when you have this image clearly and you can feel the confidence grow from it should you start to take the club back. It takes a little practice to get it right but when you really “get” it your confidence soars. The last time I played I had it nailed and holed a 50 foot putt for an eagle.