With Instinct Putting, when we stroke the putt, we look at the hole instead of the ball. That makes sense for straight putts. But what about breaking putts? If you look at the hole, and hit the ball to that spot, you’ll miss. Here’s how to solve that problem.

When you perform at the most instinctive level, you don’t consciously think about how to make things happen. You simply allow your body to do what it knows how to do. This is called “athletic intuition” and you don’t need to be a pro to develop it.

When you putt looking at a target, your brain is directly influenced by a continuous flow of visual information. This includes important factors such as where the hole is located, whether you’re putting uphill or downhill, and the speed and break of the green. Here’s how to test this theory on the practice green.

This week, we begin a 7-part series based on the book Instinct Putting Revisited by Dr. Bob Christina, Dr. Cary Heath, and PGA Master Professional Eric Alpenfels. Instinct Putting is based on the idea that visual input is stronger than memory. When you look at the hole, there’s a visual link between what you see and what you want to do. When you look down at the ball, you break that link.

Do you have a pre-round plan that helps you play your best? Annika says, “I follow a strict warm-up routine. After some putting and chipping, I head for the range. Then it’s back to the practice green.” Here’s how to create a warm-up routine of your own.

Most pros play a few practice rounds before a tournament, taking notes as they go. Annika has a different approach. She says, “I walk each hole backward, from the green to the tee.” Turns out, that strategy can help us score lower too.

Annika says, “I was a mediocre junior golfer. By 15, I was shooting in the mid to high 90s. No one would have said I was going places.” Then one rainy day on the range, her dad offered six words of advice that changed everything.

“To score low,” Annika writes, “you must conserve your energy and your focus for all 18 holes. One way to stay sharp is to go on a vacation between shots.” Psychologists call this “the incubation effect” and today we’ll learn how to use it.

In 2003, Annika decided to do something no LPGA player had done since 1945: compete in a PGA tournament. She was so nervous on the first tee, her hands were shaking. Annika shows us how to manage our anxiety under pressure.

As a junior golfer, Annika was so shy she’d lose on purpose just to avoid attention. When she got to college, she feared she wasn’t good enough to turn pro. Today, she shares the story that helped her overcome a lifetime of doubt and fear.