From the 10 years that I’ve been coaching the mental game to golfers of all levels from weekend golfers to Tour pros, I’ve concluded that there are 3 essential components for a better mental game, which will lead to more confidence, more focus and higher performance.
The first component is establishing a mental process for your rounds and making that the goal not the outcome. You’ve probably heard of the phrase “stick to the process”, but what does it mean and what is the best process for you?
The biggest distraction that a golfer faces is thoughts about the outcome of each shot. Whether it’s shots already played or upcoming shots, that little voice in your head is always judging and predicting. It might say “You’re playing great so far”, or “You’re playing badly” or “If you keep playing like this, you will shoot X, based on how well or badly you are playing right now).
We all care about how we perform, but looking back with regret or focusing on what the future might or might not bring creates frustration and performance anxiety and takes focus away from what’s most important – the “process” of hitting each and every shot as best you can. The brain wants certainty, but the future is uncertain. Letting this uncertainty distract you from the present moment and your process causes the brain to activate the nervous system to protect you from that future uncertainty.
The process, however, is 100% certain and completely within your control. Instead of going out there focusing on the future and what might happen next, we must break the performance down into small focal points in the present moment which you execute step by step. This will have the following positive effects on your rounds:
It will lower nerves and performance anxiety
It will keep you focused on the actions that will increase your chances of a good performance
It will develop performance habits overtime – allowing you to execute your process automatically in the big moments.
So what are the steps of putting together the optimal process?
First we need to break the round down into the following phases – the pre round routine, the pre shot routine, focus during the swing, the post shot routine, in between shots and your post round review. What is it that you will do in each of these phases? How will you deal with the potential challenges in each of these phases? This is your performance process.
Finding your optimal process is what you’ll discover if you go through the modules of my Mental Game Training Program. I’ve spent the past 10 years refining my coaching program to ensure that golfers can assess their mental skills and continually work on them, in a practical, step by step method.
In addition to developing your performance process, you’ll learn how to:
- Improve your focus
- Deal with setbacks and challenges
- Increase confidence
- Use performance controllers such as body language and breathing
- Get yourself mentally prepared before each round
- Evaluate your mental skills after each round, so you know what to improve
- How to practice in a way that simulates the mental and physical changes that occur when we play under pressure
If you purchase the program in the next 24 hours, you can get it for 50% off the normal price for a one time purchase of just $49. You’ll get access to 7 training modules, over 5 hours of audios and training exercises which you can work through at your own pace. As a special bonus, you’ll also get access to my practice drills book containing over 70 pressurized practice drills.