Research about Practicing and Playing Golf - By Michael Hebron PGA Master Professional

David and I are honored to have permission to share with you an article written by PGA Master Professional Michael Hebron. I first saw Michael Hebron speak in 1990 at the PGA Teaching and Coaching Summit in New Orleans and then again at European Teaching Summits in Montreux, Switzerland and with David in Nime, France.
Ever since then both David and I have been ardent followers of Michael's work. Enjoy reading his fascinating article and to find out more about Michael and his significant contributions to the game of golf we have included a detailed bio and his contact details at the end of his article.

Studies show our brains simply do not allow us to ‘code’ the golf swing perfectly, so it will repeat time after time. We are all, in a sense, doomed to some level of inconsistent swings.

The brain does not plan the swing the same way each time. "Each time” the brain tries to solve the problem of planning how to move, it does it "anew”. FACT.

Practice and training can help the brain solve the problem capably. We are NOT wired for consistency like computers or machines. Humans come into the world as "improvisers”. 

The brain is wired for improvisation because the vast majority of situations that require movement are novel. The nervous system is not designed to do the same thing over and over again.

Most players, when performing poorly attribute the result to technique and then spend more time practicing. The pervasive belief is that we can ‘groove’ our swing to the point it will just repeat and repeat, while science has shown that the brain will never allow this to happen.

When we accept that golf swings will always be a somewhat variable, then training can take on a more constructive approach. 

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Golf is a random game played in an ever changing and flexible environment, yet most players spend hours on the range trying to hit ball after ball the same way in a fixed and closed environment.

A poor training approach for a game that never needs the same swing twice.

Keep in mind we cannot predict our score on the first tee and every shot is a surprise. One of the greatest mental skills is the ability to ACCEPT an outcome and move on from it. 


When you play golf, and have stayed with your processes goals, as well as you possibly can, then you have done your part.

Knowing the difference between a "process goal" and an "outcome goal” is a vital factor for success in any area of life.

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As humans we tend to send our brain way out into the future and set "outcome goals” around performance, making money or winning tournaments. 


The problem, with this type of goal you are in a win/lose situation.

If we have "outcome goals” we will constantly be disappointed and our emotional unconscious mind will tend to feel unfulfilled and unmotivated. 

Effective goals are short term, driven by a process, as opposed to result oriented goals.


Stay in the process and wanted outcomes will follow.

FACT, you cannot control an “outcome goal "like winning the tournament. There are just too many variables at play.

Golf may rank #1 in sports for having ‘luck’ influence the outcome of a result. From a brain perspective we could say our conscious mind is concerned about the future.

Our unconscious mind, which is the true driver of human behavior, is mostly concerned with the here and now, the present.

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Michael Hebron PGA Master Professional

Decades ago Michael Hebron played a key role in orchestrating the first PGA Teaching and Coaching Seminar, bringing together instructors from across the country to share ideas on teaching methods.  Following that event, Michael gained the nickname of "the teacher's teacher".

Highly respected throughout the international golf community, Michael consults on golf instruction to PGA Switzerland, Italy, France, Finland, Canada, Japan and Sweden. 

He has given instruction clinics at 30 PGA of America sections.  Through his dedication Michael earned the honored status of becoming the 24th PGA of America Master Professional.

His book, See and Feel the Inside Move the Outside, was the first golf instruction book accepted as a PGA Master’s thesis. 


Since then, he has written hundreds of articles for leading golf magazines and authored 4 other books and 3 DVDs.

Michael has appeared on The Charley Rose Show, Today Show, The Golf Channel and numerous local cable shows.

Golf Magazine and Golf Digest have consistently named Hebron as a member (since their first listings) of America’s Top 50 Instructors.

Over the years, Hebron has worked with many successful golfers from the PGA and LPGA tours and several national champions in America and abroad including three time men's major winners. He has also worked with many successful high school and college golfers—but Michael’s pride is working with club golfers.

You can contact Michael through his website at http://www.michaelhebron.com/ or through his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/neurolearninggolf.live 

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