Know what decision you are making
Standing over the ball is an awkward time to discover that you are still deciding what you want to do. Before preparation becomes a routine, the shot needs a plan. Use the decisions your coach has taught you to consider, and ask for help in practice where those decisions are still unfamiliar.
Aim for a plan you can describe simply. That gives you a recognizable point at which to begin your familiar preparation. If the situation changes, there may be good reason to reassess. The routine should help you understand the decision, while leaving you responsive to the course around you.
Keep the cue connected to familiar instruction
Choose a short reminder for your current practice priority. It might refer to the target, a known rhythm or another detail your coach has selected. Avoid collecting several swing thoughts from unrelated sources immediately before a shot.
Explain the cue in a sentence. “This word reminds me to ___.” If the explanation changes every time, the routine may need clarification. Your coach can help distinguish a useful reminder from a technical change that needs its own practice time.
Rehearse ordinary interruptions
Then comes the waiting: another group ahead, a pause in play or something nearby that needs attention. Decide how you will return to preparation when it is appropriate to resume. Stay aware of people, shots and instructions. A private routine still belongs within a shared, active setting.
A brief example: after waiting, the player checks the situation again, confirms the plan and uses the familiar preparation. They do not need to preserve an exact feeling from several minutes earlier. What matters for this exercise is knowing the next job.
Review the decision and the execution
After a practice shot, separate the intended decision, your preparation and the result. A good outcome can follow an unclear decision; a disappointing outcome can follow a sensible plan. Ask your coach which part should receive attention.
Keep the review specific enough to use. “I changed my cue several times while preparing” gives you a routine question. “I am bad under pressure” gives you much less to work with. Save detailed technical analysis for an appropriate practice setting.
This is an original golf application of Brown’s general cue-and-action teaching. Bring the idea to your coach and make the details your own through practice. The aim is preparation you understand well enough to use on an ordinary shot, then recognize again when the shot starts to feel important.