Tension is the most common physical cause of making mistakes in the golf swing. Unlike other sports, the harder you swing at the golf ball in an attempt to hit it further, the shorter it goes due to improper impact. Gripping the club too hard can cause the club face to close or open at impact. Tight shoulder muscles where most people hold tension can restrict you from completing the backswing, causing the downswing to be off-plane. The “yips in putting, chipping and even the full swing are a result of involuntary tightening of the affected muscles.
When we look at a professional golfer swinging, it looks so easy. When we look at golfers on a practice range, their jerky, hurried swings lack the powerful fluidity of the pros. Distance in golf results from the speed of the club head making solid contact with the ball. The club head speed comes from the flexibility of your body when the muscles are relaxed. When the muscles are tight, the club head slows down. This tension will also interfere with the rotation of the club and the path of the swing. Using less effort will produce more club head speed, power and distance.
Some days you will have more tension than other days. To be relaxed you have to be aware of the feeling of tension when it surfaces. Practice these mental coping skills to replace tension with calmness:
- Replace all negative thinking with positive thoughts and images.
- Slow down your breathing.
- Stretch your muscles by taking slow practice swings.
- Tighten your tense muscles to their maximum and then release them.
- Shrug your shoulders up to your neck. Move one shoulder at a time in circles.
- Move your focus from outside of you to inside using your seeing and feeling senses.
Tension results from trying to make something happen. Instead of focusing on the result, concentrate on what you can control. Use your pre-shot routine on every shot to put you in the present moment of allowing your subconscious mind to swing the club in your own perfect rhythm.
You focus best when your mind and body are relaxed. When you are focused you play better. Your mind becomes more alert because your attention is focused and not divided. You will then feel as if you have more time to perform the necessary swing motion because you are one with the process. You will be relaxed, focused and “in the now.”
Play “in the zone” with Joan
Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances
Increase your ability to relax and stay in the moment by listening to the PMI “Progressive Relaxation of the Mind & Body” CD in the privacy of your own home. Available now at www.pmi4.com/cart
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