THE PSYCHOLOGICAL INSIGHT: ENHANCING YOUR FEEDBACK WITH THE 'RAIL'
By Sports Psychologist, Phil Kenyon

The 'Rail' provides a valuable source of feedback that is essential in the skill learning process. Feedback can come from two sources, knowledge of results (KR) and knowledge of performance (KP). During the early stages of skill learning is it better if you focus more on knowledge of performance. Knowledge of results can provide important feedback when the skill is more ingrained.

The 'Rail' can provide you with an excellent source of knowledge of results that is essential for effective skills learning. Using the 'Rail' will give you an obvious and instant source of your knowledge of results. This will help you reflect on the development of your stroke and help guide your future practice.

FOCUS YOUR SKILL LEARNING WITH THE 'RAIL'

Using the 'Rail' can give you a yardstick or a goal to work towards as the two different directions of the 'Rail' represent different degrees of challenges. Structure your practice so that you work towards holing a certain number of putts on the easier direction (narrow to wide) before trying the more difficult direction (wide to narrow).

This type of practice and goal setting will help you build up the required concentraion needed for compettive play and also give you a focus for improvement. It will maintain your motivation to keep improving the mechanics of your stroke, positive psychology for positive practice.