When a golfer develops a new technique on the practice tee, what is likely to happen in competitive situations?

• A. They will perform better instantly
• B. They might revert back to old habits
• C. They will forget the technique
• D. They will only practice the new technique during rounds

Answer: (B)

When you learn a new swing on the practice tee, that motion is still becoming automatic. In a competitive round, the pressure, crowd, and stakes raise arousal and cognitive load, so your brain relies on familiar, well-practiced motor patterns rather than a still-developing change. That tendency to fall back on what you’ve done consistently in the past makes it likely you’ll revert to old habits under pressure, even if the new technique feels solid in practice.

To help the transfer from practice to competition, train the new swing under pressure and in varied, game-like conditions. Repetition with consistency, integrated routines, and cues that reinforce the new mechanics can help the movement become automatic, reducing the pull of the old habit over time.