From Richard Carline. Croquet Academy Director of Coaching.
A visit to Caversham CC is always a pleasant experience and two days this autumn were no exception. I based the October and November coaching days on my Croquet Academy Workshop which is proving to be a very popular Course. The opening session which involved everybody being videoed from the front, side and behind when striking a ball. This was carried out with minimum fuss, but plenty of enthusiasm. The footage was played back through a TV monitor in the Clubhouse and gave everyone a chance to see themselves ‘in action’. Very few of us get an opportunity to see exactly what goes on when we play our strokes and being able to analyse these moments in both real time and slow motion can be very enlightening.
Stalking is an important part in preparing for whatever stroke we intend playing.
Plan – Plot – Stalk and Strike is a useful breakdown to work through in order to prepare mentally and physically for that stroke.
Standing well away from the ball to be played – make a plan.
Once a plan has been made, a plot line needs to be ‘seen’ and laid. This imaginary line can only be visualised from a good distance behind your (striker’s) ball.
At this point take time to ‘see’ the line of play and imagine the stroke to be played.
You are now ready to stalk the ball – walk the imaginary line, take your stance and address the ball.
When all necessary adjustments to stance and swing are done – keep your head down and ‘smoothly’, strike the ball.
Out on the lawn a few practice routines were shown and with the video analysis in mind everyone worked on their technique.