On Course Instruction
Thoughts precede motion! It's important to think properly before each shot.
Mental Game Techniques Video's
Self Talk - Golfer #1: Example of Poor Self Talk
You have free will, so it's up to you to catch yourself when you have negative self talk happening. Call a "timeout" on yourself and rephrase your self talk. Thoughts are real, they cause biological and physiological effects on the body as if it were physically happening.
Listen to video examples below:
Listen to video examples below:
Self Talk - Golfer # 2: Example of Good Self Talk
Have a Clear Intention of what you want! State it out loud if it will help you MEAN IT when you say it!! Replace the words: Don't, Should, and Try. Example: I am going to TRY and hit the fairway, OR, I will aim at left center of fairway and make a smooth swing. I DON'T want to hit it Out of Bounds, OR, I am aiming at the right edge of the fairway and see the ball drawing into the center of the fairway. Your self talk is one piece of learning golfing skills. Pay attention to it and practice rephrasing your thoughts. The conscious mind controls our brain 5% of the day, the subconscious mind has our thoughts 95% of the time.
Course Management
1. Thinking and Strategy
There are many ways to play each golf hole. For example: Hole #10 in the videos above is a Par 4. Blue Tees- 342, White Tees- 327, Red Tees- 275. The Bunker on the right side of the fairway is about 110 yards from the green, so when I'm deciding what club to hit off the tee I determine the distance I can hit the ball and not reach the bunker. This way I can aim at the bunker on the right and swing with confidence that it will not reach it, and it takes the water on the left out of play since I'm aiming at the bunker on the right. So with that said if you are playing the White Tees you would only need to hit a 217 yard shot which would leave you 110 out. So the club for that tee shot would be your 210 yard club, for me this would be a 5 wood or 3 wood shot depending on if I hit a draw or fade. Don't always grab for your Driver, do the math and play the smart shot it will lower your scores.
Another example of using course management would be on a Par 5. If you hit your tee shot and you have 250-270 yards left, you could divide that in half (125-135) and hit 2 - 125 yard shots and be on the green putting for birdie. Seems like on Par 5's no matter how good or bad the lie is the golfer takes out a 3 wood and thinks they have to blast it, often times miss hitting it OB, top, fat, or slicing it. I like to lay up to a yardage I'm great at for my 3rd shot on Par 5's. So let's say I have 250 left after my tee shot and I want a 100 yards for my 3rd, then I will hit a 150 yard club for my second shot. PLAY SMART - NOT HARD!!!
On Par 3 holes know what the yardage is to get it to the front of the green and what the distance is to the back of green. Choose the club that will have you miss it in the best spot.
Always aim for the center of the greens instead of "pin hunting" by aiming at the center of the greens if you miss hit shot you will usually still hit the green. Whereas if the pin is tucked front right and you go for it, and miss the green short or right you leave yourself a very difficult up and down.
Another example of using course management would be on a Par 5. If you hit your tee shot and you have 250-270 yards left, you could divide that in half (125-135) and hit 2 - 125 yard shots and be on the green putting for birdie. Seems like on Par 5's no matter how good or bad the lie is the golfer takes out a 3 wood and thinks they have to blast it, often times miss hitting it OB, top, fat, or slicing it. I like to lay up to a yardage I'm great at for my 3rd shot on Par 5's. So let's say I have 250 left after my tee shot and I want a 100 yards for my 3rd, then I will hit a 150 yard club for my second shot. PLAY SMART - NOT HARD!!!
On Par 3 holes know what the yardage is to get it to the front of the green and what the distance is to the back of green. Choose the club that will have you miss it in the best spot.
Always aim for the center of the greens instead of "pin hunting" by aiming at the center of the greens if you miss hit shot you will usually still hit the green. Whereas if the pin is tucked front right and you go for it, and miss the green short or right you leave yourself a very difficult up and down.
Mental Thoughts
- Confidence, Composure, and Concentration - Remember your good shots, and delete bad shots from memory, we all hit bad shots- don't panic take a deep breathe and refocus on what you WANT to have happen. Must narrow your focus when it is time to hit and then relax mentally in between shots. Our brain has 70,000 thoughts in a day, choose your thoughts!!
- Toughness - Never give up, look at each new shot as a challenge, welcome it!
- Staying in the present and playing one shot at a time - Often we begin a round of golf hitting shots all of a sudden we are 5 holes into it and realize we have a good score going. Suddenly we began playing protective and TRYING to not make mistakes. Instead, keep doing what got you the good 5 holes. Having fun, and focusing on the shot at hand. Stay in the present state of mind, don't allow your mind to shift to the future or on a past mistake. Let go of score and outcome. It's a game, the course is your playground, GO PLAY!!
- Managing Expectations- Ever notice a Tour pro have a first round score of 62 and then follow it up with a 72? So what do you think happened overnight that caused a 10 shot difference. Expectations! After the great round, they expected to shoot low and sometimes are forcing shots. Again, we must go out each day and play one hole at a time, one shot at a time. Stay in the moment of the shot/task at hand.
Emotional Control
- Nerve Control- Ever feel nervous on the first tee shot, or when you are playing in a tournament or with people you want to impress? Nerves are OK, we can still hit good shots. It's more important to be CONFIDENT than COMFORTABLE. I was once told it's ok to have butterflys in your stomach, just make sure they are flying in formation!! Being nervous means you care, embrace the feeling next time.
- Attitude- Keeping a positive attitude on the course is very important. When things are not going well it is important to not get down on yourself, or get frustrated, instead you have to look at it as a learning lesson and do the best you can. I will often think of something that makes me happy when I am on the course and am frustrated with my play. Maybe a favorite place, person, or food will get you in a better mood.
- Anger Management- It's important to control your anger after a bad hole or shot, staying angry on the course will only result in poor shots, let it out and move on.
- Understanding Disappointment- It's inevitable that during a round of golf you will experience highs and lows. Practice playing each hole in a state of NEUTRAL- not too excited and not too disappointed. Play each shot as an outsider, use constructive criticism, reserve judgement, it's history, and move on. After your round of golf remember the things you did well, think about what you could have improved and have a game plan to improve those things.
Just as exercising your body takes time to build muscles, so does "exercising your mind". Be patient, stay focused, and you will make changes in your way of thinking. Enjoy the process, we can't race to the finish we need to welcome the challenge and enjoy the ride!
Tees, Sprinkler Yardages, Flag placement, Nutrition:
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