Do you have control of your emotions on the golf course?

“Manage Your Emotions* 

Emotions show what you are thinking about yourself and your golf game. It is the key to understanding and knowing yourself as an individual. It is your heart speaking through your emotions signaling a call to action to bring your body back into balance and peace. Your negative emotions are like a buzzer going off in your heart and brain announcing the arrival of a thought that needs to be cleared out.

Your emotions can interfere with your arousal level, your breathing, your concentration, the tempo of your swing, your decision-making abilities, your confidence, and most of all, the enjoyment of your game. The most detrimental feeling comes from thinking and worrying about what others may think of you and your game. Self-judgment is the quickest and most powerful way to ruin your golf game.”

My physical trainer is an avid golfer who regularly plays with a friend who is a scratch player. My PT told me about his last round where he was even par when his friend mentioned how well he was playing. His game immediately went south and he didn’t know why. His ego was triggered by what his friend thought of his game and he struggled with the fear of not being able to keep it going.

Control of your emotions is the most important part of your mental game. 

All golfers experience many emotions on the golf course. Emotions come from the thoughts in your head. Every time you experience an unpleasant emotion, it is a signal to change your thinking and enhance your self-worth. Here are some ways you can change the way you think about how you play the game of golf so you won’t develop a mental block.

1. Golf is a game I play for my own enjoyment. I am not concerned with what others might think of my game. Conversely, I am not concerned with how others play their game.
2. My physical game doesn’t reflect upon me as a person, but my reaction to it does reflect on me as a person. I always act like a champion even when my game goes south. I believe in me.
3. I see the good in every shot. Mistakes are to learn from. The shots that don’t come off as I desire are for me to learn from so I won’t make the same mistake again. I believe that golf is a game where I will mishit more shots than I hit perfectly. I accept my misses, learn from them, and let them go.
4. I take enough time to recover well. There are many ways to score well after a mistake.
5. I congratulate myself when I hit good shots. I feel the euphoric feeling deep within my being.
6. I trust my preshot routine and do it consistently on every shot. I am confident in what I decide to do.
7. The only part of my golf game I can control is me. I take the time to prepare my mind for the results I desire.

*Excerpts are from Chapter 7: Emotions; “THE HEART OF GOLF, Access Your Supreme Intelligence for Peak Performances”

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“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.

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 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.