The mental game

[mariner]

Here`s a quote from another thread (from Teaching Pro)

Next, trust me when I say this: very few 15+ handicappers can properly and effectively apply the mental part of the game. Better mental approach is almost exclusively the domain of the sub-15 handicap players. I've been teaching golf for a LONG time, played on various tours, been scratch since the age of 15 (so that's 21 years) and I have yet to be convinced that someone who scores in the high 80's and above even understands, let alone can apply advanced mental techniques. They are focussed on making better swings and improving their scores.

I`m right at the point in question (16 handicap) and strongly suspect that I don`t understand advanced mental techniques and have to fight my mental weaknesses all the time . . . . so where do us 85-95 shooters go to next to sort our heads out?
I middle almost everyhing and feel as if I`m playing better than my scores suggest (though at the moment I`m trying to straighten out an over the top swing discussed at length elsewhere)

[TeachingPro]

Re: The mental game

I was waiting for this question ...

With golfers who score in the mid 80's and above, I like to keep the mental approach very simple. We work on course management, we work on relaxation techniques, we work on very simple "one shot at a time" sort of stuff. But even then, its basic and "not very deep" like I would teach a prospective touring pro.

There is nothing worse and demoralising than working yourself up mentally for a shot and getting your psyche in the zone and visualising the result ... and then duffing it. I feel very strongly that those circumstances do more damage than good to 80's and 90's and 100 scorers.

I have read many books on the mental approach to golf and studied sports psychology as best I can and two things always seem to be a common denominator: staying positive and stay realistic.

Without exception I encourage 80s/90s/100s to stay realistic, accept that you will make mistakes and work on "fringe mental apsects" rather than very detailed mental aspects of the game.

I like to encourage 15 handicappers and above not to worry about "mental golf coaching" at first but learn by experience by reading and applying basic things they have picked up.

So, give these books a go:
1. Going Low: How to Break Your Individual Golf Scoring Barrier by Thinking Like a Pro by Patrick J. Cohn
2. Inner Game of Golf by Timothy Gallwey.
You can get them quite cheaply through Amazon.

I hope this answers your question.

As an "add on" as your golfing game improves (as in the swing, the short game, etc.) your enjoyment will improve, your confidence will improve and these all make a better mental approach easier to implement. But no matter how well you respond to mental coaching it will in itself not improve your golf swing or your golf game, only improved technique will.

[Ian Hancock]

Re: The mental game

Hi Mariner,

If your knocking it round ok then you may need to work on avoiding some goals each time you play, maybe getting through the last three on the back nine level or mastering a hole and making par on it..... is the type of goal you set yourself......

It is important in Golf to work towards a target, sometimes this target may seem unreachable, and sometimes not.
More importantly

Set performance goals, not outcome goals: You should take care to set goals over which you have as much control as possible. There is nothing more dispiriting than failing to achieve a personal goal for reasons beyond your control. These could be bad business environments, poor judging, bad weather, injury, or just plain bad luck. If you base your goals on personal performance, then you can keep control over the achievement of your goals and draw satisfaction from them.

Next time you play set goals like:

Today I will have one swing thought.
Today I will not rush my swing.
Today I will swing smoothly.
Today my putting will be rythmic

Trust me if you make a goal it is hard to stick with it all the way around, the key is why you are working on rythem or one swing thought, you will suddenly realise that you have put a good score together, once you do and break that barrier it is suddenly easier to achieve again like breaking 100.


Set a goal and break a barrier, each barrier increases your mental ability.


Hope this helps

Ian.

[mariner]

Re: The mental game

I`ve got "The Inner Game of Golf" but obviously need to read it again!
Come to think of it, when I first got it about 12 years ago I did improve quite dramatically (down to 11, but it was an easy, short course)

As an example of something wrong between my ears - I have a mental block with a lot of the holes on my home club, the first 5 holes have OOB on the right and I have taken to hitting huge pulls across 2 fairways to stay safe even though the shot I am trying to play is just a fade up the left side.

I must have played nearly 50 rounds at the same course in the last 3 months, then a friend came to stay and we played some different courses that I`ve never been to before - everything went pretty much where I aimed it and I`ve never driven better, but the first shot back at home was a ridiculous pulled hook into a pond 2 fairways away.
The tee shot on the par 4s and 5s are my problem at the moment - I know everyone says work on your short game, but I hit the pin 3 times and didn`t 3-putt once on my way to my usual 93. I am gradually straightening out my out to in swing path on the rest of the clubs even fairway woods (the "inside approach" in the back garden) but if I tee it up and hit 3 wood or driver, it`s a goner.
This HAS to be something I`m doing, or not doing, with the mind?

[Ian Hancock]

Re: The mental game

Mariner,
Everytime we have a bad experiance in life it haunts us...........ever bit by a dog when you were a kid, every time you see one your heart missed a beat...know what I mean. This can happen mildly with golf holes, somehow evertime you walk on the tee you have to remember the bad one.

All you need to do with mental block holes is: work with your clubs not the hole, if you are confident with your three iron for instance hit straight over the dog leg or whatever.....just concentrate on the club, you know you can hit it well so hit it. Hit it like you have hit it a hundred times at the range picture the ball flight you always hit.

Once you manage to score the hole a couple of times the barrier is broken and you will find it easy.


Ian.