Hey Geoff,
Well i played 9 early this morning and tried out your idea on letting the vision just kind of fade or go fuzzy, it was a little odd at first but sure enough had one of my best rounds in ages. Once over the ball i never had any thoughts or anything even close, it was like as my vision faded away so did the thoughts, doubts, etc. I had one final question about the shot planning though. As you are behind the ball deciding on your shot, and once you have decided for example you are hitting a 7 iron with a fade. Do you suggest visualizing the shot shape behind the ball and visualize as nicklaus said yourself making the swing necessary to produce that shot, like watching a movie of yourself? So see yourself produce the desired swing and shot flight andresult even to the point of seeing it land and bounce on the green? And finally when you are deciding the shot, are you allowed to have or use technique thoughts or reminders that help produce the shot you want, like thinking hip turn, hand release etc. Obviously no thoughts once you are ready to pull the trigger and starting to let vision fade, but was curious if they were allowed before? thats all, thanks again for all the help on this forum. Todays round was the most fun i have had in ages!
Stuart

Dear Stuart,

Sure! All of that and any of that, just get to the "clear spot" when you're ready to go. You really don't need each little piece every single time, since it should all be "background competency" like a sack of candy -- reach into your tool kit full of candy whenever you feel like it and take out the sort you feel like tasting right now, and forget the rest -- it'll keep for later.

Build the skills, don't carry around rules that need reassembling every shot. Once the skills are built, play the game. Then if you want a piece of candy from the tool kit, by all means, get some and have fun.

Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
Putting Coach and Theorist
PuttingZone.com