Mental Golf Secrets

Some people say they named it golf because all the good four-letter works were taken. I don’t know, but I can see where they were coming from. What I do know is that golf is supposed to be fun and I’m going to give you some mental tips that will help you get the most out of every round you play.

First, relax. Even if you rushed to the course, once you arrive take a minute to relax. Some light stretching and controlled breathing are a good start. Take in the beauty of your surroundings and always try to remember that a bad day golfing beats any day at work.

Relieve the pressure you put on yourself. What is the worst that can happen? Often times we place so much pressure on a round of golf that it interferes with our ability to execute. It helps to allow yourself some room for error and accept that bad breaks are a part of golf and life. If you find yourself worrying about how you will preform, try to occupy your mind with thoughts of what your best possible round might feel like.

Next, visualize. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking. Make a mental commitment with yourself to stand behind every shot and visualize yourself taking a smooth and controlled swing, striking the ball with precision and the ball landing on your target. Now all you have to do is step up and do it. Your shots may not look exactly like you envisioned, but it is a better mental starting point than none at all.

Always focus on the good. Don’t get down on yourself after a bad shot; bad shots happen. It is a natural tendency to try and analyze every shot. What I am suggesting is that you attempt to only analyze the good ones and forget, all together, the bad ones. What’s done is done, and too much focus on what went wrong can hurt your confidence.