Because we have so much free time to think during a round, there is a lot of time to stew about things that bother us.

Are you bothered by someone who gets very angry, or a Chatty Cathy who is talking when it is your turn to hit, or a complainer whose shots are never good enough? These kinds of distractions can keep you from focusing on your game.

The best way to handle these problems is to focus on the solution. For the most part, men and women handle these situations differently. Generally men handle annoyances by confronting them head on, often by making fun of the person’s behavior. Women on the other hand, are afraid of hurting feelings and will find solace in talking about the annoyance to the other players.

Here are some examples of relationship problems you might encounter on the golf course:

• A person who never stops talking.
• A chronic complainer.
• A slow player.
• A person who cheats.
• A person who has poor golf etiquette.
• A person/spouse who tells you what to do.
• A person who uses gamesmanship.

Paying attention to the annoying person and becoming emotionally involved will surely affect your game negatively. Think of these kinds of situations as part of the process of preparing your mind, just as you do for other challenges.When the annoying behavior breaks your concentration, take personal responsibility by using one of the following options:

1. Ignore it. All golfers says things out of frustration and expectation. Know that we are all human and having occasional emotional outbursts is part of the game of golf.
2. Detach yourself. Move away from the person. Get out of the cart, walk and breathe deeply to relax your mind and body. Focus your attention on something you love.
3. Confront the person’s behavior. If the person continually repeats the annoying behavior, say how it is affecting you. Communication skills are very important here so you don’t get into a shouting argument about who is right and wrong. When saying what you want it is important to speak up before you get too emotionally involved. Tell the person what it is you want, not what they should do.
4. Use imagery to change your belief. Reframe the picture in your mind of the person’s behavior. Use your imagination and see the person’s behavior as humorous instead of something to combat. If the person is talking too much, see the person as a chattering hyena or a Disney character like Elmer Fudd stammering.
5. Don’t play with the annoying person. The last option is to decide that you are playing golf for fun and will not tolerate the abusive behavior.

Golf is a game where you have to be responsible for your behavior. Without personal responsibility, there is a lack of self-worth. You must be responsible for how you create your life. Positive energy works more effectively than negative energy in each and every situation.

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances 

If you would like to improve your mental golf game, call Joan for a complimentary 15-minute consultation. She can be reached by phone at 828.696.2547 or by email at pmi4@bellsouth.net  Self-hypnosis CDs to improve your golf game are available at www.pmi4.com/cart

Frustration on the golf course could be the result of unrealistic expectations of your game. When you set high standards that aren’t readily attainable, you will constantly experience failure and frustration. It is important to acknowledge that you will mishit shots. Blaming yourself and feeling angry only increases the chances that you will make even more mistakes.

You will experience less frustration and be more relaxed if you do not demand perfection from yourself. Don’t make your missed golf shots the central theme of your thoughts. The more you replay the missed shots in your mind, the more you deplete your mental and physical energies to play good shots.

Most golfers are disappointed unless they hit a perfect shot.  They will voice their analysis of why the shot wasn’t perfect.  “I lifted my head,” “I hit it on the toe,” “I swung too fast,” etc. To maintain an even temperament, acknowledge the praise of your good (not perfect) shots with a sincere thank you. Smile within to anchor your success. This will keep you in a positive frame of mind with a sense of accomplishment.

Golfers see bunkers, rough, uneven lies and trees as problems. Change your fear thoughts to thinking that these are just different shots and an opportunity to be creative. Focus on the solution, not on the problem.

Options for lowering your frustration level:

• Choose to hit shots that you know you can pull off successfully. Failing to pull off the “miracle shot” can result in frustration.
• Be realistic about the distance you can hit your clubs and don’t expect to hit the maximum distance every time.
• Use your missed shots as an opportunity to focus on recovering well.
• Realize that you cannot change your missed shots, but you can change the thoughts that upset you.
• A round of golf is very seldom all good or all bad. Focus on the good shots that you have hit.
• Have the feeling that golf with all its ups and downs is a fun game to play!

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

If you would like to improve your mental golf game, call Joan for a complimentary 15-minute consultation. She can be reached by phone at 828.696.2547, or by email at pmi4@bellsouth.net. Strategies to improve your mental golf game are available on the PMI website, where you can  purchase self-hypnosis golf CDs at www.pmi4.com/cart

Playing at your peak performance levels means managing your thoughts and emotions to your best advantage. While most people think these are two separate entities, they are entwined. In order to have control over your swing and your game you need to have control of your thoughts and feelings.

It’s not your feelings that cause you problems. It’s the undisciplined decisions that you make as a result of focusing on the feelings.

How do you control your thoughts? You are the only thinker in your mind. It is up to you to choose what you want to think.

The only thing you can control is yourself. Do not give any mental or emotional energy to what you cannot control. This includes the condition of the golf course, the weather conditions, your playing partners’ behaviors or their scores. Spend your energy on preparing for your shot, sticking to your game plan, using your own awareness, and changing negative perceptions to positive thoughts.

  Tips for having control of your game 

1. Never give up.
2. Make a plan and stick to it.
3. Let go of expectations.
4. Give yourself permission to make mistakes.
5. After a mistake, slow down and breathe deeply.
6. Let go of old habits of being concerned with score.
7. Know your skill level and play percentage shots.
8. Be flexible. Golf is full of surprises.
9. Use positive self-talk throughout the round.
10. Use the same preshot routine on every shot.
11. Give every shot and putt 100% of your effort and focus.
12. Be patient and maintain your arousal level.
13. Play by “feel” instead of mechanics.
14. Give up judgment and analysis on the course.
15. Play from your heart.
16. Play for your own enjoyment.

One of the mental keys to playing in the zone is having control of your thoughts and emotions. To play well in a tournament or in a match where you are competing against your friends, you need to have control of your emotions.

The pressure of a situation has to do with your perception. You can decide to thrive on the pressure (being in the hunt) or become nervous and anxious (fearful of the results). It all depends on your internal dialogue. Choose to shift your thoughts into the present by focusing on creating a good shot or putt. Concentrate your attention on your pre-shot routine to move you into the flow, and Just Do It.

Play “in the zone” With Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

Improve your golf game by listening to eight different self-empowering hypnosis mental golf CDs in the privacy of your own home. Now available at www.pmi4.com/cart

Yesterday was my regular day to play competitive golf. On the sixth hole, a 109-yard par three hole, I shanked my iron shot into the creek paralleling the fairway to the right. This shot has popped up at unexpected times in my golf game for years. I thought I had learned how to correct this faulty swing. When I teed up my second ball, I again shanked it into the water, proving me wrong.

I have been told many times that a shank is very close to a perfect shot since it is hit less than an inch from the sweet spot. The feeling of shock that surged through my body denied that truth. Hitting a pure shot is a much, much different awesome feeling. Shanking is a very emotional experience that destroys confidence to hit another ball. The players in my foursome also felt the distress as their silence was deafening.

A shank is a ball that is hit on the hosel or neck of the club instead of the clubface. The hosel is the part of the club where the shaft connects to the clubhead. When the ball is struck on the hosel, your hands get further away than they did at address, and the ball takes off at a distinct right angle.

There are as many physical remedies to the shank as there are to the yips. But there is no denying the feeling of lost confidence that occurs for everyone. To correct the faulty swing, it is necessary to regain confidence by restoring rhythm and visualizing hitting on the toe of the club.

What I have learned about recovering from a shank includes:

• Do not rush into hitting another shot. Without relaxing the mind and body, the shank shot will be repeated.
• Check body alignment and posture. A shank can be caused by standing too close to the ball causing the hosel to move right into the ball.
• Release tension in hands and arms. Holding on to the club tightly will move the hands too far forward in the downswing, making the clubhead slide into the ball instead of allowing it to square up.
• Practice the feel. To regain confidence I practice hitting iron shots with the proper alignment until I can feel my hips moving through, hands releasing, and the clubface squaring up at impact.
• Correct the swing. Using slow motion video will show whether you have an extreme inside-out or over-the top swing path causing the shank. For me the shank is caused by taking an inside-out swing at the ball. I retrained my mind and muscles by standing against a wall and swinging a club. If the club hit the wall, I was taking the club too far inside making it impossible to square up the clubface.

Even some of the best tour professionals have shanked a shot in competition. They don’t let it cause a nervous reaction or loss of confidence and concentration. While it is embarrassing, they forget the shank and focus their attention on putting their best swing on the next shot.

Play “in the zone” With Joan 

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances 

Improve your golf game by listening to eight different self-empowering hypnosis mental golf CDs in the privacy of your own home. Now available at http://www.pmi4.com/cart