Mental Tips and Musings

Golf is a game of good misses

Ben Hogan, one of the greatest strikers of the golf ball who ever played the game, said that he hit about 2 perfect shots in a round.  The rest of the time he had “good misses”.  Even the greatest players who have ever played the game make a lot of mistakes in this exceedingly difficult game.  It can be very helpful, when you make a less-than-perfect swing, to have this understanding of the difficulty of the game you are playing.  Those who can let go of “mistakes” and can return to the present moment in a fresh way tend to do better than most and get much more enjoyment out of the sport.  Selective memory is a great trait to have as a golfer.  Totally forget about poor swings as soon as possible.  Don’t give them the satisfaction of your attention (emotionally and mentally).  On the other hand, be like an elephant with swings where the ball comes off the clubface like a knife through butter….always remember the feeling of that moment.

Tension:  The killer of the golf swing and the enjoyment of the game

A sport that requires a person to turn away from the target to hit the ball straight is a recipe for physical and mental tension.  Under pressure, our instinct to control the outcome tends to become stronger and most players get into a linear mental outlook on the game.  This tension and attempt to be “straight” causes all kinds of problems in the golf swing and in the mind.  As a result, a player can end up fighting themselves all the way around the course. 

To deal with this tendency, try this….Take dead aim at the target in your set up, then totally let go of it in the swing.  Swing the golf club like you’re hitting it out into a huge green field.  Ironically, this is what will produce the straightest shot…a swing free from tension.

Play the game

When you play the game, just play the game.  Competition is not a place to be tinkering with the golf swing.  Great golf requires a mind free from words and “technique”.  A calm mind is a creative mind…an artistic mind.  As Bagger Vance says, “You’ve got to figure out how to stop thinking without falling asleep”.  That is the optimal state of mind to be in to play golf. 

The importance of a pre-shot routine

Cultivate a pre-shot routine that helps to settle the nervous system down.  A physical action that you repeat over and over again keeps the mind and nervous system occupied with a series of actions that is familiar.  With the nervous system calm, the mind will quiet down.  With a quiet mind, anything is possible.

Breathe

It sounds cliché.  That being said, the breath is the most powerful tool at your disposal in cultivating a strong mental golf game.  Short and held breaths tell the nervous system that you are in the middle of a life-and-death situation.  Let’s be real.  Golf is not a life-and-death situation.  We may treat it as such, but, it is not.  If you find yourself emotionally rattled in the middle of a round, remember this.  Every moment is an opportunity to return to a calm and centered state.  When you are feeling “off center” ask yourself this question.  Is what is happening in this moment going to kill me?  If there is a Grizzly Bear in the middle of the fairway in front of you, then by all means, let your nervous system guide you.  If not, then a few deep breaths might be in order.  Those breaths are like a messenger to the nerves that says “Okay, I’m going to survive this.”  The breaths will help slow down the heart rate and will begin to open the mind up to be creative and artistic once again.  Our “survival mind” is really good at keeping us alive in life-and-death situations.  We make rash decisions because we need to do so to survive.  That is a very helpful thing to have as a living being.  However, this mindset can be devastating to the golf game. 

Let your emotions be your guide.  If you are feeling frustrated, angry, impatient, etc. notice this and make the choice to change your emotional state.  You have the power to do so.  It all starts with being aware of it, making a choice to do something about it and breathing. 

Envisioning what you want

Get in the habit of envisioning exactly what you want to happen.  This is powerful for your golf game as well as for your life in general.  Picture that ball piercing through the air and bouncing down the middle of the fairway or rolling up next to the hole.  Feel the sensation of your body producing that shot.  Experience the satisfaction of hitting that shot…all before you actually hit it.  If the mind can see it and believe it, the body has a much higher chance of producing it.