What should be documented to help identify player progress?

Documenting a player's progress is crucial for evaluating improvements and making informed coaching decisions. Video of pre-shot routines provides valuable insights into a player’s technique, mental approach, and consistency. By capturing these routines, a coach can analyze specific elements, such as grip, stance, alignment, and tempo, over time. This allows for targeted feedback and adjustments to training practices.

Additionally, reviewing video footage enables both the player and coach to track changes in behavior and technique, understanding how these adjustments may impact overall performance. By comparing videos taken at different stages of the player's development, it becomes easier to recognize patterns, identify areas of improvement, and celebrate progress.

Other forms of documentation, while useful, do not provide the same level of direct insight into the player’s technique as video does. Playing history offers context on a player’s experience, course stats provide information about performance in specific rounds, and club purchase records can give some indication of changes in equipment, but none capture the nuances of the player's routine in the way that video does.