With the advent of Spring, I am beginning my 29th year of counseling golfers how to balance their mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual bodies to produce lower scores on the golf course by accessing “the zone state” of being.
It has been my pleasure to work with golfers because they are willing to try anything new that could produce their peak performances. Peak Performance is a state in which the person performs to the maximum of their ability. It is characterized by feelings of confidence, effortlessness, and total concentration on the task.
Most sports are determined by how well you react to the action. Golf is different. The ball waits for you to hit it. However, your emotional mindset reacts to your programmed thoughts and controls your golf game.
Whatever is going on in your mind determines whether your inner state is peaceful or resisting. The good news is that you can be in complete control of your inner realm by releasing any resistance and by allowing your subconscious to create the effortless shot that you have trained it to make. Stay focused in the moment by using your pre-shot routine for every shot.
Change is constant. When you allow it, you are utilizing the natural laws of creation. As you resist change, you are creating opposition to those natural laws. To play to the best of your abilities, you must face your fear and anxiety feelings instead of giving in, or avoiding them, which only brings up more avoidance. Face your fears whenever you can because it is worse for your performance to avoid what you are afraid of instead of facing it.
As you shift your energies within, then your outer world can change. What are the thoughts and energies that you bring to the surface on the golf course? What would emotional freedom and peace feel like? The choice to stay emotionally in a fearful situation, or to expand beyond it is up to you. Discern what it is that you want alive within you and move beyond what you don’t want to carry forward.
Golf is an inner game. Get to know yourself well. Before you can be set free, you have to be aware of the “monkey mind” chatter going on in your head. How we feel is determined by our emotions. Our emotions are influenced by our thoughts and beliefs.
When we think positive thoughts, our brain releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. But when we think negative thoughts, our body releases chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline; the stress hormones that cause the “flight or fight” response.
As every player knows, golf is played in the mind as much as it is with the body. Controlling your mood of feeling and managing the inevitable frustrations that are part of the game is critical if you plan to improve your scoring, and most importantly, enjoy your time on the golf course.
Golf is a reflection of the journey into your inner self through exploring the mysteries of this royal and ancient game. At its highest levels of hitting perfect shots, and achieving your fullest potential, your spirit quietly soars “into the zone” where you are in a state of euphoria and trust. No longer is your spirit dampened by past experiences of fear, anxiety, indecision, distractions, and self-limitations. The joy you experience is in the moment, and not in the outcome of your score.
Before adding up your score after you complete your round of golf, ask yourself if you had fun and enjoyed your experience. Your answer will tell you whether you had a mindset of resistance or allowed yourself to enjoy your time on the golf course.
I have been writing monthly newsletters since 1999 that include every facet of the mental golf game. Log on to www.pmi4.com Archived Newsletters to find information relevant for improving your mental golf game.
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.
“THE HEART OF GOLF” guidebook for transforming your life
and golf game is available now on Amazon at
All royalties will be donated to Junior Golf programs!
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