The Fix To The #1 Mental Problem in Golf
Over the past ten years I’ve taught a lot of golfers how to improve their golf game through a better mental approach. During their initial assessment, I determine what their goals and current struggles are. Then we work on “picking the low hanging fruit”…
In 99% of cases, the place to start is with one very common mental game mistake.
They will say: “I practice way better than I play…I don’t understand it. I shoot in the 70s in practice but in competitions I’m usually in the 80s or even higher.”
We all want to get better at this game. We all know that we have a better game within us. We just need to figure out the way to set it free.
But simply trying to make this happen, doesn’t work, does it?
The problem with trying too hard in golf
There are sports in which trying harder helps, like running or weightlifting. In sports that require power and speed, having the attitude of giving “110%” will always help you perform better.
But in golf, trying too hard is probably the biggest mental mistake and one of the first things I address with a new student.
In golf, trying needs to be replaced with trusting.
Replace trying with trusting
When you set out to shoot a good score in golf, you are outcome focused. I.e. your focus is more on a future outcome, than it is on the present. The future (for all of us) is uncertain, and when anyone focuses on something that is uncertain, anxiety usually follows.
If you’ve had the chance to take my Mental Game Training Program, you’ll fully understand what anxiety does to your golf game.
If you’re thinking “If I make this then…”, or “If I miss it then this then…”, you’re in for a rocky ride and more often than not, under-performance.
Process = Trust
Instead, during your rounds (and in practice), you need to focus on a process. It’s the process that gives you the trust. It gives you confidence and it gives you the ability to handle set-backs.
Fortunately for us, we can only focus on one thing at a time. So when you know what your focus should be on, it’s a very powerful force, that can take you to extraordinary performances.
Focus on the present, not the future
With a good process, you will be able to stay present and focused on the things that are going to most influence the outcome in your favor.
Your process is your plan for how to prepare for every shot, react to every shot and maintain the optimal mindset in between. If you can do this, you’ll find those scores you know you are capable of, much more frequently.
So what is this process?
Start by getting a copy of my free Mental Game Scorecard by signing up below.
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