Mental game

[Matt]

I'm looking for some advice on helping me get off the tee. My problem is confidence and head games. I'll go to the range and confidentally hit my 3 iron, 3-wood and driver straight throughout the hole bucket, but, when I get to the course I become tense and anxious. Lately I have been hooking the ball off the tee, but, slices are common too. I was hoping some of you could share your advice on mental preparation and your experiences on how best to address the ball on the tee (ie practice swing, focus, and address). Any advice on comforting myself to eliminate these anxiety attacks on the tee would be appreciated.

THANKS!

[Andru]

two suggestions

1) Create a pre-shot routine.And use it at the range and on EVERY shot. This will create a routine that will make you feel comfortable when the pressure is on.

2) take your mind off everything and focus on the target. Target, target , target. Find and area on the fairway you want your ball to land. And focus on that. Let your swing happen without thought.

Have you ever played the games at the amusment park? You're not thinking about your throwing mechanincs. You're focused on the target.

Right before I play a shot I imagine trying to toss the quarter on the plate to win the gigantic prize. Apply this approach to golf. Focus on where you want the ball to land.

3) To calm you before you tee off. Grab a golf ball and toss it in the air 10 times. ( Not while you partners are hitting This will take you mind off the tee shot. You'll be focusing on tossing and catching the ball.

[Weazl]

I have to agree with the preshot routine, especially off number one. I use to have the same problem where I would hook it into the woods, or dribble it just past the ;adies tee, now I consistently get it out there because I focus on my alignment, the target and then hit the ball as per normal, DON'T TRY TO CRUSH IT!

Another thing I find works well for me is to put the driver away off number 1 and hit whatever club I'm most comfortable with and just get it out of the way. Alot of times I hit a low to mid iron, may only go 175 - 225 yards but I'm in the fairway and straight and avoid the anxiety of trying to crush a drive 275 - 300 yards with people watching.

Good luck and remember it's all in your head so when you find something that works for you, stick with it!

[faldo]

ALso take that "target" idea to the Range with you.
Most of us "Amateurs" think we killed all those shots right way thru those two buckets. BUT the darn range is 100 yards wide. All those Slices & Hooks are still there. It just looks like it would have hit the fairway. Pick a house or a lamp-standard at the end of the range, then don't be satisfied until your shots are really going there

2 cents worth & no charge...

[Thom Panikorn]

Mental Preparation...

We play golf with both physical and mental strength. Physically someday we're very tired and we know it and it shows. Mentally, though , it's harder to detect. I meditate a lot so it helps my focus. But i still have to learn to apply the meditation skills to golf. Cocentration in golf is "knowing what to do" before you swing the club. I try to find out the percentage of each club at the range. I will hit 10 balls with my driver and count how many are "in the fairway". and i will do that with all my clubs. And every time i pull out, say, my driver i "know" my chance of hitting the fairway and i accept the result.
Going through "my" ruetine is a way to "calm" myself down and to "convince" myself that I can do this. I will check my grip, my ball position(the lie), my weight distribution...another word my "setup". And when i am convinced that everything is in place the only thing left to do is to pull the trigger. And just before i start my backswing i take a deep breath and hold it for one second or two and as soon as i let the air out i swing the club.
I can't control where i will hit the ball. i can't control the wind or the spin on the ball or the bounce after it lands or the condition of the green/fairway....but i can control my "setup" and the start of my backswing, my club selection based on the condition of the course and so on. I focus on the element that i have control over.
The day that i am "ON" mentally i can play very well as they say you are in the "zone". The day like that you don't have doubt in your mind about where to aim, what club to use or how much break you need to play. I dont' have many such day though. That's why most of the time i have to rely on my "percentage". Your average on the range will show up on the course as soon as you figure it out and play the average.
Physically, show up early so that you have time to hit a few balls to warm up your body. Hit the shot you want to hit on the first tee until you can do two-three in a row and bring that confidence to the fisrt tee.
And on the first tee i try to swing with 80% not 100%.

Good Luck!

TP.

[Sphere Hunter]

"My problem is confidence and head games."

What if you tried putting more pressure on yourself on the range.
I will often create imaginary fairways using a few trees or markers as borders and imagine a green with water on one side of it. I find this creates a more realistic practise session.

You could take it one step futher and if you have a particular hole you consistantly hit a bad shot on, force yourself to imagine your on the range. After you line up to hit your tee shot, put your head down and blank out the hole your on and visualize a hole or range where you always hit it well.

Best of luck.

[Rough Stuff]

Its a tough one Matt. Really, mastering the brain is what its all about. The brain is behind golf just like its behind sex, but we put way too much emphasis on the body in both cases.

Positive attitude helps. Once you increase your percentage of the shots on the range, as discussed above, that comes with you to the course. If you come to any situation with the feeling of failure, chances are you will fail. Ever take a club and think "I'm not sure I can hit my X out of this rough." Chances are you will fail, so pick a different club. If you hold a club and say "I know I can do this because I've done it before", your chances of success increase.

I think we all feel a bit nervous on the first hole. Even Tiger Woods says he feels nervous, but he says its a GOOD sign, not a bad one. Accept nerves, they mean you care. Embrace your nerves, try some breathing method to get rid of the shakes, and definitely show up early so you don't feel rushed.

It also always has helped me, just before any shot, if I imagine the result I want. If I imagine the ball sailing down my intended target line PERFECTLY. I imagine it and I think "Ok, now I'm going to hit that shot." Sounds hoaky, but usually good results.

IF I GET A BAD SHOT, its very very important to not let it influence your next shot. Shake off the last shot as best you can. Its amazing the number of times I've hit a fairly poor shot off the tee, sometimes even into a hazard, and then hit a spectacular shot after that. Some days, when theres no one on the course, I hit two balls. If I hit a beautiful drive and a lousy one, I keep track: 50% of the time my score ends up being the same or better with the lousy drive. IE: one bad shot doesn't influence the next shot unless you let it, just as rolling a 6 on a die doesn't influence the next roll. So don't shoot the next shot with the last shot in mind.

People succeed in any field with confidence. Its easier to do anything a second time if you've done it once successfully. Good luck.

[beatnik58]

Always remember that golf is a game and that a game is "an activity for the enjoyment of the participants".

Relax and take it easy on yourself. I know it sounds trite but....try to have fun as you chase the little white spheroid object around the obstacle course.

[Mayday]

read the Book ""Zen Golf"" you can buy it frokm Amazon for less than 20 bucks

Its not crap. it teaches you how to understand and overcome the
mental block when we face pressure or cowds in our game,, especially when people are watching .. posterior and anterior muscles mmake up a swing and when we are nervous only the stronger posterior muscles take over therefor cousing us to muscle our shots.. he book contains exercises that really do help if you are willing to try to overcome your fear.

[el tigre]

I have to agree with the preshot routine, especially off number one... now I consistently get it out there because I focus on my alignment, the target and then hit the ball as per normal, DON'T TRY TO CRUSH IT!

Totally agree, but I would also add that you might try to add a "waggle" to your preshot routine, if you don't use one already. It's a good way to loosen up and relieve tension, and in my case I also use it to groove the initial part of my takeaway.

Another thing I find works well for me is to put the driver away off number 1 and hit whatever club I'm most comfortable with and just get it out of the way.

Also good advice. When your first shot is good, it gives you confidence that can carry through your entire round - so maximize the probability of a good first shot by hitting one of your favourite clubs.

After my club selection and many-waggled, pre-shot routine is finished, I try to have only one swing thought on the first tee: "OK Terry, just hit the damn ball!" Works for me.

[Farzin]

After my club selection and many-waggled, pre-shot routine is finished, I try to have only one swing thought on the first tee: "OK Terry, just hit the damn ball!" Works for me.

Forget about red, just go with green Terry. It works better.

[el tigre]

Forget about red, just go with green Terry. It works better.

Been there, tried that. Just like Mike Weir, when I cut out the waggles I played terrible so I went back to them and played much better. May try to cut down from 3 to 2 though.

[natgolfer]

Having read all the Rotella books and many others on the mental game, all of which supposedly have the keys to help one maximize one's performance, I have only found one that works for me.(Details later)

It's easy to say, focus on the target, but when I finish looking at the target, I look back to the ball, and the target image is gone. I use the target only to plan the shot and to line myself up.

A preshot routine may help some, but what happens when you do this and you still don't feel comfortable? Do you swing anyways? I say setup until you feel comfortable, and then swing.

What do you think about when you take the first swing? A swing thought? Not the best idea. An image of the target? Great, if you can still "see" it while looking back to the ball. A feeling? Like "smmoooothe. Whatever you choose it should not contain the word "Don't." Like, "Don't swing too fast." Because your subconscious mind does not hear the word, "Don't," it then hears, "Swing too fast," and your are likely to do it. "Don't hit it Out of Bounds," becomes, "Hit it out of bounds," and there it goes.

So what should you think about? The one that has worked for me comes from Carey Mumford(Clear Key Golf). He believes that for best results that when you swing, you should do so thinking of something, non golf related. A Clear Key. Reciting "Mary had a little lamb..." (a silly example) while you swing, allows your subconscious mind to control your golf muscles into doing what you trained them to do, in practice. Conscious golf thoughs will prevent you from swinging your best. So, just pick your own clear key. I recite a Moe Norman poem, "I have a little robot, that goes around with me. I tell it what I am thinking, I tell it what I see..." This may sound dumb to some, OK, it is dumb, but it works. To practice this, Mumford wants you to utilize a 32 ball routine. On the first 4 balls you hit in practice, work on the mechanics of your swing. For the next four, recite your clear key only, while you swing. Repeat this 4 times, (32 balls) and take a break. In time, you will train yourself to swing subconsciously and most importantly, comfortably and with confidence.

To the initial poster who gets nervous on the first tee, enjoy it. We all get nervous. It ain't fun, unless you are a little scared. And if you mess up so be it. Analyze why, and do something different next time, and eventually you will break through the mental barrier and strike a pure shot, that feels so good. I don't know how and when I did this, but now I just love a pressure situation, whether it's the first tee, a playoff to win a tournament, being in contention or having a good game. There is always pressure in golf, but don't let the awareness of this pressure cause "the house of cards to crumble.

http://www.clearkeygolf.com for Carey Mumford's ideas.

[LobWedge]

For crying out loud. Repeat after me, "I will not think about my swing on the golf course."

The birds don't care what your swing looks like. Neither do the squirrels. And for darn sure, neither do your playing partners.

"Am I getting to parallel?", "Am I following through?", "Is my ball position right?" Who cares?

Save the heavy "mental" lifting for the range.

Smell the air. Look at the trees. Talk sports with your buddies. Breathe through your eyelids. Don't think. Relax. Hit the ball. Find the ball. Hit the ball again.

[NoBack]

For crying out loud. Repeat after me, "I will not think about my swing on the golf course." ............................ Don't think. Relax. Hit the ball. Find the ball. Hit the ball again.

AMEN to that. If this is not the best advice one can get for free, I dont know what is. The only thing you forgot between hit ball and find ball, is soccasional Drink Beer

el tigre....

May try to cut down from 3 to 2 though.

imagine how much time you would save for the range after your round if you cut it down to just one

[el tigre]

imagine how much time you would save for the range after your round if you cut it down to just one

Probably about 8 minutes, but who ever goes to the range AFTER their round? Not me.

Anyway, here's an interesting letter from David Feherty's Mailbag column in GOLF magazine that addresses the "mental game" issue:

Why am I not ever able to bring the same game I have on the practice tee, where I rarely miss a shot, to the first tee? Please help.
-- Lawrence Green, London

Lawrence, Lawrence, Lawrence. Why do your best burps show up when you're on your own? For exactly the same reason, that's why. Try a biggie in front of the boys, and you choke. On the range, you care less about where it goes, because no one's watching but you. Do you care about where your partners are hitting it on the range? I didn't think so, but you laugh your arse off at them when they screw up on the first tee, don't you? My advice to you is to start drinking heavily, (standard procedure) and care less.

[Rough Stuff]

[QUOTE=LobWedge]For crying out loud. Repeat after me, "I will not think about my swing on the golf course."

I will not think about my swing on the golf course.

[Ty Webb]

LobWedge,

Do you have a picture for my avatar? You are my new role model/guru. Excellent advice.

Ty

For crying out loud. Repeat after me, "I will not think about my swing on the golf course."

The birds don't care what your swing looks like. Neither do the squirrels. And for darn sure, neither do your playing partners.

"Am I getting to parallel?", "Am I following through?", "Is my ball position right?" Who cares?

Save the heavy "mental" lifting for the range.

Smell the air. Look at the trees. Talk sports with your buddies. Breathe through your eyelids. Don't think. Relax. Hit the ball. Find the ball. Hit the ball again.

[LobWedge]

LobWedge,

Do you have a picture for my avatar? You are my new role model/guru. Excellent advice.

Ty

Thanks for the props Ty, but I'm just saying what many others have said before.

I'm not saying that there's no place for the technical side of the game, far from it. The trick is to learn when to leave it behind and let "automatic" take over. I'm still working at it, but I'm having fun getting there.

[Andru]

Golf is really really fun when you're actually playing it.

Here's a senerio, if this doesn't get you off technical swing thoughts. I don't know what will.

So let's say you hit a poor shot. I know it's unlikely but just humour me. Now you have to analyze what you did wrong. This is really incredible, but you hit a second bad shot. Very very rare, but it happens.

Now you have to decide.
1) did I do the same thing again or
2) was my original analysis incorrect.

Now I'm really really stretching things here. But let's say you hit a third bad shot.
Now you're totally f@#$ed.
a) Did I do the same thing again
b) my original analysis was incorrect and therefore corrected the wrong thing
c) did I have more than one thing wrong
d) did I create another mistake by compensating for a correct analysis
e) Did I create another mistake by compensating for an incorrect analysis.
f) Should I just ride in the cart and drink beer

By the third tee you're suffering from Paralysis by Analysis.( Gary Player ) you're so clouded with swing thoughts that you can't take the club back. And the only two instruments that can help you adjust your swing can only look outwards. You can't see yourself.

There's a better way. Hit the ball to your target. If you miss to the left 5 times in a row. Aim to the right. Just get through the round in one piece. Then fix whatever you need to fix on the practice tee.

How do I know. Let's just say. I like beer.
Cheers

[hoopd]

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