It's only robotic if you have to think about it, and you shouldn't have to if you've practiced it enough. Even your hero, CJ Wiley, has a consistent warm up stroke.
From 2006
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdRNeETSAaE
From 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMB-Q-KbwX0
CJ Wiley is certainly NOT my "hero".
If I have any "hero", He is no longer living on the planet, but should return soon, or at least I hope it will be soon, but thanks for posting the CJ links.
A robot does not think AT ALL about what it does, it just does as it is programmed to do, even more so than a slave.
Your post about the slight pause is fine, but you missed the point that I was making about having a set number of pre shot strokes.
IF, they are done after one is actually set & committed then that is just a build up to launch.
IF, they are done DURING the process of getting committed then one would possibly launch on the programmed number regardless of whether it's correct or not.
There are quite a few golfers, even pros, that putt very mechanically by using a very regimented process. They generally go to that method because they were/are not very good putters. They did not have any very good feel & by going to the mechanical approach they will never garner any real feel. It is a rather sad thing to see them go through their very long regimented mechanical process just to miss what should have been a simple tap in. Yes, almost everyone has missed a tap in for some reason but it is more 'painful' to see it for the long regimented pre putt process individuals because they have gone to that process to supposedly to eliminate such & in fact, I think, it can almost be the cause of the miss in some cases.
I used to have in my sig line that each individual should make their own determinations & hence be responsible for their own game. (I should probably put that back in.)
Rather many give too much credence to what an authoritative figure says & they do not really give much of their own thought to matters put forth by such figures.
We are individuals & hence different... & one approach to matters is not, & does not fit everyone well.
Each individual should find what suits them best & it is not always that black or white uniform but instead is that grey suit or even a purple one or a bright red one... or maybe a bright multi colored poke-a-dot tie with that blue suit.
In my opinion too much 'instruction' is given in an extremely definitive manner as though it has been delivered from Mount Sanai... without any caveats attached when they are really just suggestions & may not be a fit for THAT individual.
That, I think, comes from some rather inflated egos that then turn into arrogance. There is a huge difference between confidence & arrogance.
Then there is that thing about caring about others & a Doctors Hippocratic Oath 'to do no harm'. Rather many are more concerned with themselves, reputation, etc. rather than what damage they might do by constantly putting out cookie cutter remedies like a robot that has been programmed.
Our methods of attempted communication are not the best & much can be & is mis-communicated because of what amounts to a lack of concern regarding possible mis-communications.
I will repeat again what the acclaimed golf instructor Butch Harmon has said about himself. "I may not know how to build a Championship Golf Swing, but... if I am not very careful I am sure that I can ruin one.". A bit of humility.
We are all individuals & unique in many ways & especially of the mind.
I am now up to 3 posts in this thread, because of you, Jon.
Best Wishes to ALL.
The above is just some food for thought & is NOT directed toward any specific individual.
