Positive Thinking

Having the right mind set when playing golf is more important than any other sport I know. What you are thinking can nearly determine the out come before you have even hit the shot. The amount of times I play golf with amateur players who as soon as they get to a water hole pull out the oldest ball in their bag astonishes me. By doing this they have already convinced themselves that they are going to hit the ball in the water and 9 times out of 10 they do. The water should not even enter their mind, their vision should be up at their target and visualizing the perfect shot. Sounds easy, but if that was the case everyone would be better golfers.

Imagine an aerial snow skier just about to perform a jump, 10 stories in the air with 3 flips and a couple of twists. They would never hit that jump until they have a perfect vision in their head of the exact motion of the jump and can visualize themselves skiing away perfectly. If they did hit the jump without this perfect mind set then I hope they left their will that the top of the run in. So what I am saying is why would we ever hit a golf shot if we cant imagine exactly what we want it to do. We are just asking to hit it in the trees if that is what we are thinking about.

I know it can be extremely tough to think positive when our last 3 drivers have been big slices into the trees but it needs to be done. So the question is how do we stop thinking negative on the golf course? Well I guarantee at some stage in your golfing career there is a great shot you can remember, an amazing strike that felt so good and brings you back each week. Stop thinking about this shot on the way to the course in the car and start thinking about it just before each shot you hit. Actually talk yourself through the shot, relive the experience as your walking in to hit you next shot. Remember the day, remember your playing partners, the weather, the feeling as the ball came off the club, the high flying trajectory, the way the ball landed so softly on the green and how it finished right next to the hole. Your probably thinking of a shot right now, smiling and feel relaxed. This is the mindset and feeling you need before your hit any golf shot.

I’m not saying by using this technique you will hit every golf shot great, but at least it will improve your chances! Give it a go next time your on the course.