Have you ever played a round of golf without making a mistake?
Tour Pros who are the best golfers in the world, average hitting fairways only 60% of the time. Amateur scratch golfers average 10.26 greens hit per round. However, their short games for getting the ball up and down make up for the misses. The average Tour Pro does not sink more than 20% of the balls from 9 feet with his first putt, and 12% from 12 feet. The best putters on Tour only make 2 out of 5 putts from 10-15 feet.
We are used to watching the final rounds of the Pro Tour and seeing these pro athletes perform at their highest potential levels. The above statistics are the average for all the pros over a four-day tournament. The percentages for amateur golfers is considerably less, but we often think we can perform like these pros who have the best equipment, technology, talent and put in the most hours seeking perfection.
Expectations
Whether you are a new golfer or have been playing for a long time, a strong mental golf game requires letting go of your expectations. The quickest way to ruin a round of golf is by trying to match or improve a low front 9 score on the back 9. Performing well at any task requires total concentration on what you are doing and to not let your mind wander into future thoughts.
Having expectations is different from setting goals. It is necessary to set positive long term, intermediate and short term goals so you have a strategy for improvement. Having expectations on the other hand is actively anticipating a desired outcome. In “expecting” a certain outcome in golf, you have put your attention and energy on the end result instead of in the moment when you are focused on creating the shot/putt.
Managing expectations means managing your internal thoughts and emotions to keep them in balance with your abilities. You can expect too much from yourself, or even too little from yourself depending on your level of self-esteem. If you expect to play well on the opening holes and don’t score well, you will probably feel like a failure.
How good you are at golf is determined by how you react to the ever changing situations during the round, not about what you expect will happen. The more flexible you are, the more control you have.
Here are seven suggestions for managing your expectations on the golf course:
Play “in the zone” with Joan
Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances
To train your brain to play your best golf, listen to Positive Mental Imagery self-hypnosis guided imagery CDs in the privacy of your own home, available at www.pmi4.com/cart
If you aren’t able to maintain trust and belief in yourself on the golf course, email Joan at pmi4@bellsouth.net or call 828.696.2547 for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation about developing a new strategy. Learn what is missing in your golf game so you can achieve the success you desire.
“THE HEART OF GOLF, Access Your Supreme Intelligence for Peak Performances” explores and explains negative emotions such as fear and performance anxiety, the four Cs of mind blockage, the four progressive stages of learning the supreme intelligence of the heart, and the way to access the zone in competition. It is a player’s guide for developing your true inner self by returning to the joy and love of self instead of seeking praise and rewards from the outside world.
This guide book for transforming your life and golf game is available now on
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