Advice from Famous Golf Players:
Seven tips to improve your mental strength in golf
It’s no secret; golf is a sport that requires good mental strength. Today, many professional golfers use mental trainers to train the mental strength of golfers so that they are well prepared to deal with the hazards of a game of golf. You have certainly experienced experiences where your mind has been a trigger for your more reduced performance. Whether it’s a bad start to around or just a sequence where you’re having trouble with a type of hit. Nor is there a lack of quotations to demonstrate the importance of the mind in golf.
“Golf is 95% mental when you play poorly you don’t need a pro; you need a shrink – – Mark Twain
“Thinking instead of acting is the most common illness in golf” – Sam Snead
Training your mind is not only suitable for professional golfers. Amateur golfers also need to master their mental strength to improve their performance. However, in the case of amateur golfers, it is not necessary to resort to the service of a psychic.
Over time, many techniques have been developed and unveiled by golf professionals to control one’s mind during a game and use its full potential. Indeed, your account can become your greatest asset for your development as a golfer. Here are seven tips to improve your mental strength during your golf games.
- Enjoy playing
Of course, it is vital to take golf seriously when we practice it because golf requires rigor and consistency. However, as an amateur golfer, you should not take yourself too seriously, as it may break your motivation and your pleasure to play if the results do not live up to your expectations. When pride takes control of our attitude, our performance may suffer. It is, therefore, important to remember that the goal is to play for fun and set realistic goals for one’s abilities. If you have a handicap of 15, there is no point in setting the purpose of not missing a single move. Pressure’s no use, except to spoil your fun of playing. Champion Ben Hogan had as his goal to achieve six shots as they had precisely anticipated. Imagine if you don’t fix your target, but don’t overestimate your golfing abilities. Do your best every time and have fun; success will undoubtedly come! In this way, you maximize the chances of being happy on the course.
- Every shot is a new one
In a game, it’s no use thinking about the previous wrong moves or the possibilities of the remaining birds. Throughout the 18 holes, we tend to be easily influenced by the hazards of the game, and this affects your consistency, which is an essential aspect of golf. In your next game, don’t think about the moves already made, your score or the holes to come; focus on the progress to be made, right now. Living in the moment will help you stay focused and reduce your stress. Do you see how golf is like life?
- Thinking positively
As you know, when we focus on something, it is very likely to happen. In golf as in life, it is then necessary to focus on the things you want it to happen and not on the negative.
Did it ever occur to you when you were preparing your coup “I mustn’t go in the sand”? What was the result of your coup? I bet that it was close to the sand ;). It’s perfectly normal; your body follows your mind. That’s why it’s essential to focus on where you want your ball to land and not what you don’t want it to happen.
Also, positivity is related to finding the positive aspects of your game throughout your game and at the end of it. Getting the positive out of your competition will help you keep the motivation and fun to play, which are critical aspects to enjoying this sport.
This little tip seems natural to apply, but once you’re on the ground, you’ll see that it takes rigor. It is rather easy to focus on the more negative aspects of your game.
- Don’t expect to do anything but good
In golf as in life, you have to accept mistakes. Throughout your game, you will do less good shots; this is part of the game. One of the tips is to take a possible error percentage before the start of each game. In this way, when you make a wrong move, you will not be morally demolished, as it will be part of the lot of false steps that you allocate yourself for your game. This way, you can move on to the next move without giving too much attention to the previous movement. Professionals can tune up to 6 faults per 18 holes. Once again, it is up to you to set realistic goals based on your golf skills.
- Focus at the right time!
If it is necessary to concentrate during a game of golf, this is not required 100% of the time. Indeed, to enjoy playing, one must let oneself go in the present moment and therefore accept to be bothered by the beauty of landscapes and nature. These small actions are means to remain in a state of semi-concentration. Also, having a conversation with your golf partners is an excellent way to relax and have fun while playing golf, depending of course on the goal of your game.
- Visualize your moves
Visualization is an increasingly popular tool in the sporting world and is no exception in golf. Mental visualization (or cerebral imaging) is a popular technique for increasing athletic performance. No matter what type of hit you have to make, visualizing the trajectory of your ball will help you make your move. Jack Nicklaus once said that he never played a single shot if he hadn’t visualized it before. By visualizing your progress, you create an image of what you want to accomplish, so your brain sends your body a clear message of what it needs to perform.
It is therefore essential to integrate a visualization period into your placement routine before each move. Position yourself behind your ball and visualize its trajectory. At first, you will find this advice difficult, but you will quickly realize the benefits, and you will find the exercise easier.
- Creating a placement routine
Having a placement routine allows you to execute your move without continually thinking about your posture. As they say, “the most common disease in golf is overthinking.” A placement routine allows you not to stand over your ball for more than 2 seconds thinking about your momentum.
Also, an investment routine helps you to get into your concentration bubble, necessary for the proper execution of your move. Enjoy watching the placement routine of professional players or golfers in your area. You can learn from them and then create your own. Don’t forget to integrate a viewing period before positioning yourself for your move.
Your mind at golf can be your worst enemy as your best tool to achieve your goals. It is therefore essential to know how to control it and to take this aspect of the game seriously. With these seven tips, you will be able to exploit your full potential on the aisles this summer! Proper preparation and don’t forget, fun is the key to golf as in life.