- share:
Bookmark on Delicious- Digg this
- Recommend on Facebook
- Share on Orkut
- Share on Reddit
- Share with Stumblers
- Tweet this
- Tell a friend
Who is Ready to Play Golf?
As a sport psychologist who has been fortunate enough to have counseled a number of outstanding golfers through the years, I must state a needed proclamation: There is a vast majority of golfers who don’t know how to go out and just “play” golf. What I mean by this is that a large number of players go to the golf course and lack any idea about how to consistently get themselves ready to play “their games” effectively or anywhere near their athletic potential.
Many of these golfers do not take the time to warm-up their minds and bodies correctly (if they do any warm-up at all) and when they head to the golf course, they rarely give themselves a chance to “play” as well as their talent should allow.
Because of a lack of proper focus and pre-round preparation, they are not ready to endure or face the challenges ahead in a four hour athletic contest on an unrelenting athletic field known as the golf course! This lack of mental and physical preparation creates lackluster performance which often leads golfers failing to enjoy their time on the links and ultimately may lead some players to quit the game entirely.
The Culprits of Mediocre Golf
The major culprit to this dilemma is a dual combination of physical and psychological misunderstandings and lack of self-awareness. The first culprit of mediocre performance and lack of a “play” focus deals with the physical nature of golf.
Even now in the 21st century, many golfers still do not understand or “buy into” the notion that flexibility training, mental toughness training, yoga, or strength training can help them immensely with their golf games.
The simple truth is that a large portion of our amateur golfing population still doesn’t believe that a golfer is truly an athlete. What this attitude leads to are golfers who are not ready to play when they arrive at the first tee because they have done nothing to get themselves ready to perform a series of coordinated athletic movements known as the golf swing! What a shame!
I have been told in private sessions by a few golfers that “strength training and flexibility exercises probably only help the really good players; it probably wouldn’t help me that much.” Absolutely nothing could be further from the truth! Everyone can benefit from having a stronger and more flexible physique and in truth, having a better body can only lead to a stronger self-concept and improved mental outlook!
This positive self-image and improved physical being can only help in providing incremental increases in shotmaking accuracy and distance on the golf course! One can only ask: Why wouldn’t a golfer want to get into the best shape possible to play great golf? The excuses of not being fit would astound you!
Add to this that many golfers (even after years of enlightening research on the psycho-physiological benefits of weight and body training) still do not take the time to stretch or even hit any balls to properly warm up before they head to the first tee!
Subsequently, when they start “cold” on the first tee, they aren’t ready to play golf at all, and fail miserably and then start to wonder: What is going wrong here?
They begin to berate themselves on the course and ask questions such as: “Why can’t I improve?” or “Why can’t I play the way I know I can play?” The end result is frustration and disappointment and often leads golfers having unmet expectations and poor performance.
The second culprit is cognitive or ego-based. Many golfers fail to play their own game because they fall into the many traps of psychological distraction. These mental traps happen when golfers become caught up in what others think of their golf game, how they are swinging the golf club or what they will shoot on a particular day.
I even know of golfers who dwell needlessly about their golfing outfits and wonder if their playing partners will notice or say anything positive or negative about what they are wearing!
This over-thinking and over-concern about others leads to an outcome-focus which creates obsessive thought patterns concerned with swing mechanics and overall scoring results. What usually happens is that a day that started out with the best intention for fun and personal achievement turns into a quest for social acceptance.
This quest goes on and on and eventually begins to feel a lot like work. This “work” concept robs enjoyment from the game and golfers end up frustrated and disappointed with a game that used to be fun!
So, what does one do to create a “play” mindset versus working their golf game? With so many different factors that influence our enjoyment of the game, I always remind my players to keep the game of golf as simple as possible.
Learning to organize your thoughts into a winning game plan can be simplified if you provide yourself with some specific keys to help you channel your focus and eliminate the distracting internal chatter. I group these golden keys into six separate aspects of playing great golf. The following section will help you to learn how to create a “play” mindset and let go of the self-doubt and “work” mindset.
Six Golden Keys that Allow You to Play Great Golf
In order that you start to use your mind and body in an effective fashion to create a playing focus for your golf game, I have created six vital areas for your review. These six golden keys for “playing your game” consist of:
1. Create a “Play” Attitude for the Day
2. Warming up your mental and physical “oil”
3. Committing to each shot
4. Backing away and refocusing when distracted
5. Creating a feeling of trust and confidence while swinging to the target
6. Letting go of the results and enjoying the process
Allow me to explain these six components and describe how you can implement them into your winning game plan.
1. Create a “Play” Attitude for the Day
The first thing that you can do to create a “play” mindset is to be in command of your golfing destiny.
Take charge of your playing attitude the minute you leave your home and head for the course. Remind yourself that today is about your performance and golfing enjoyment. It is not about trying to play perfect golf, impress your friends, or to “work on your golf swing” during the round.
When you enter the clubhouse gates, smile and remind yourself that today you will be the most upbeat and emotionally stable golfer on the course. Leave your ego and expectations outside of the golfing gates. Remind yourself that today you will focus on your ball going to the target more than trying to hit the perfect shot or make the perfect swing! I think it is always a good reminder that in any professional tournament,the official starter on the first hole always says: “Play away please” versus “Work away please.” Keep your day about “playing” golf, not “working” golf.
2. Warm up Your Mental and Physical “Oil”
It is vital to start your thinking about playing well before you get to the golf course. As you drive to the golf course, imagine yourself swinging the club with fluidity and grace. Mentally replay the good shots in your mind the last time you played. It is also a good strategy to imagine handling adversity well and to remind yourself that you can recover if you do get in trouble.
Also, take the time to stretch and warm up your muscles before you go to the range. Almost every pro golfer on any major tour will take the time to start their morning or golfing day with a few stretching exercises to warm up.
After you have sufficiently warmed up your body, I suggest that you hit some balls on the warm-up range in an organized fashion. Taking the time to hit balls in an organized warm-up procedure helps to calm down the first tee jitters and anxious feelings you may have.
I also want you to go through your specific pre-shot routine just like you will do it on the golf course. Actually take the time to mentally and physically hit some shots on the range just as if you are on the golf course. This is a wonderful way to simulate what you will be experiencing in just a few minutes when you have to do it when it counts on the golf course.
Finally, go to the practice green and make a few short putts. See, hear, and feel success as you drain a few short putts. It is amazing what a few success pictures of actually making a few putts can do for your confidence.
Walking to the first tee knowing that you have experienced success just moments before you tee off helps reassure that everything will be okay for the round ahead.
3. Commit to Each Shot
Before you step into the address position, take the time and commit yourself to each shot with full intention and purposefulness. Do not allow yourself to hit any shot until you have completely thought the situation and the shot through. Become clear about what you want to do.
Sharpness of mind and intent is what you are trying to achieve in the commitment phase. Committing to your decision will help create feelings of confidence and control. Nothing is more crucial to a “play” mindset than knowing that you have thought the situation through and that you are ready to execute your plan with decisiveness and clarity.
4. Back Away When Distracted or Unsure
To achieve a “play” mindset, always back away when you are unsure or have doubt as to how you want to hit a shot. Just as when little league baseball players are distracted or want to make sure of something, they call “time out.” When they are ready, they simply say, “time in.” This allows them to get their thoughts and actions together before they step into the batters box and face the pitcher. You should do the same on the golf course.
The single, greatest mistake that a golfer can make is going ahead and hitting a shot when self-doubt is present. If you have doubt or feel unsure while addressing the ball, simply back away and start your procedure over. It is much easier to back away when distracted and start your mind “clear” than to stay over a shot and fight through the demons. Thinking this way will help you become more confident on the course.
5. Create a Feeling of Total Trust
Trusting your decisions and your shot plan is crucial to playing great golf. Thinking each shot through helps to create a foundation of trust. Step into each shot knowing that you are sure of yourself and your decision.
Develop an action plan of knowing what it is you are going to do and where you want the ball to go. Adhering to this action plan will allow you to swing at your target with trust. Remember, trust is the letting go of trying hard, of trying to shoot low numbers and trying to impress others. The ability to trust is simply an assurance that everything will turn out okay. Trust is a feeling you provide for yourself, but you need to create it on each and every shot.
6. Let Go of Your Results and Score
It is crucial to know that when a shot is hit and the ball stops that whatever has happened to that point cannot be redone or replayed. That shot is history. It is finished. It is up to you to accept the result for what it is and move on. The notion that you can retrieve or get that shot “back” is a mistake and bogus. “Back” simply does not exist in the process of playing golf. In golf, the only moment that you can do anything about is the present moment.
A great strategy for letting go of the result is after a shot has been played, to take a few swings or putt and to swing the outcome away. Allow the dust of emotional frustration (or emotional jubilation) to settle before you move on to the next shot. Failure to do so will result in a number of blown or missed opportunities. As you walk to your next shot, allow the frustration with each step to dissolve from your memory. Get yourself into the next shot with renewed enthusiasm and a positive focus.
Summary
Being able to “just go out and play” golf is about making your day on the course a day of passion and the pursuit of being excellent to yourself. Do not distract yourself into the games of score, comparing yourself to others, or working hard to make the perfect golf swing.
Rather, commit yourself to these six golden keys and relish the enjoyment you will derive from being yourself and becoming one with your target! You will find that by allowing yourself to simply “play golf” will lead to not only an enjoyable day on the golfing links, but also lower scores as well!