Working with golfers to help them achieve their golf goals is fun for me. Due to the joyous feeling golfers experience when hitting pure shots, they are disciplined, dedicated and have an intense desire to experience that awesome feeling more often.

While golfers’ intention is the conscious act of improving golf performances, they usually try to accomplish it physically with more lessons and more practice. Overlooked is eliminating the practice of repeating negative programming.

Your mind is your garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds.

Circumstances on the golf course are neutral. The way you react to those circumstances creates negative or positive energy. To be congruent with the situation to produce your best results, your inner self needs to be aligned with this neutral state of mind, body, and spirit.

The first step in moving from negative to positive energy on the golf course is awareness of the kind of thoughts you have lodged in your subconscious mind. When you become aware by listening to your self-talk, you can then change to the following mental practices.

1. Let go of control. When you try to control your golf swing/score you will be stressed and will generate negative energy. Let go of indecision, force, and control and just allow your subconscious mind to easily produce the swing you have practiced.
2. See the positive in every circumstance. Know that good and bad are just perceptions created in the conditioned mind. In reality every life situation is to learn something or to enjoy.
3. Stop worrying about the “what ifs.” Worrying is a waste of energy. If you are thinking about what might happen, you are unconsciously creating a lot of negative energy which will sabotage your game.
4. Release past fear thoughts. Replaying past mistakes in your mind is a weed that needs to be eradicated. The past is past. If you don’t think of a bad memory you will not have any bad feelings. Forgive yourself and move back into a state of positive energy by focusing on creating the next shot.
5. Be kind to yourself.  “Could have” and “should have” sayings create guilt feelings. These thoughts come from years of conditioning where you were labeled as not being good enough.
6. Stay in the present moment. This means being neutral, not judging, not analyzing and just observing with a peaceful mind. This will generate positive energy.
7. Let go of judgment. Release all miss hits by letting go of self-judgment. Shake your hand vigorously to send a signal to your brain that you are physically releasing and letting go.
8. Release upsetting emotions. Refocus on regaining positive energy by swinging a club to the rhythm of an uplifting song to regain your perfect tempo.
9. Compliment yourself.  Give yourself encouragement by anchoring your good shots into your subconscious by feeling it within your heart. Smile and enjoy your accomplishment.
10. Be grateful. Appreciate all of the wonderful things you already have in your life. Be grateful for being healthy, playing a game outdoors in the sunshine that you truly love.

Just as you have trouble taking your swing from the range to the course, you will have trouble uplifting your energies if you are constantly repeating negative thought patterns. Lift up your game by planting a garden full of self-empowering affirmations.

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

To train your brain to play your best golf, listen to the Positive Mental Imagery guided imagery CDs, available at www.pmi4.com/cart

A belief is acceptance of the actuality of anything without certain proof. Our beliefs control everything in our lives. We consciously accept and focus upon our beliefs, never questioning them because the results look so real.

Henry Ford said, “Believe you can or believe that you can’t. Either way you will be right.” One of the reasons Ford was so successful was that he walked around his auto making plant congratulating his people on doing something right.

The Law of Attraction, popularized by the film “The Secret” states the belief that like attracts like, and by focusing on positive or negative thoughts, you can bring about the corresponding positive or negative results. This belief is based upon the idea that like energy attracts like energy. 

What you believe you will produce in your life and in your golf game

Are you successful because you believe in yourself, or

Do you only believe you are successful when you win?

A good role model would be 20^th ranked Patrick Reed who believes that he is a top 5-player in the world and that he cannot be beaten when he is playing at his best. 24-year-old Reed has only been on the PGA Tour for two years. He is well on his way to showing the world his belief by winning three times on tour, and was the leading scorer for the US with 3-1/2 points at the Ryder Cup.

A strong mental game promotes success when you believe in yourself and your abilities. If you only believe in yourself when you win, you will be disappointed a lot, and will have lost the fun of the challenge of the game.

It is important to control your own thoughts in order to achieve success, as well as controlling the energy that thoughts have with their ability to attract other thoughts. In other words when you shoot a big number that triggers previous times when you also had a big number; it compounds the emotions you want to avoid.

You are not your beliefs. You can change them at any time you wish. There are beliefs that limit us and there are beliefs that empower us. What are your beliefs about your golf game? Are you creating these beliefs from your poor results? Wouldn’t you rather believe that you are a great player who deserves to win?

Recently I have had clients who were struggling with the following limiting beliefs:

• I can’t finish a tournament well.
• Other golfers are judging my swing and my game.
• I make different swings on the range and on the course.
• Losing is much more painful than winning is enjoyable.
• Winning is the only thing that matters.
• I need to control/hold the lead when I am ahead.
• I can’t keep a good game going.
• I get tight late in a round.
• I have a need to impress others with my golf game.
• When my opponents play well, I am defeated.

These are all limiting beliefs that keep you from achieving your potential. What you resist will persist. If you have any of these beliefs it is time for you to get mental counsel to reprogram your subconscious mind that stores these self-sabotaging beliefs.

Begin today to believe in the abilities you have seen in your play and that you can make even better. Success begins with belief. Visualize your success. Be creative. Enjoy using your imagination to create the golf game that you desire. Think out of the box. Balance your flow of energy harmoniously among your physical, emotional, spiritual and mental selves.

Watch your words, monitor your thoughts and intentionally choose your actions. Write down the characteristics of the golfer you want to be. Picture yourself using each of those characteristics on the golf course.

Reframe your beliefs with positive affirmations and imagery. (www.pmi4.com, Archived Newsletters, August 2002, Affirmations) http://bit.ly/1yARX0h  World class athletes imagine themselves winning hundreds and hundreds of times in their minds.

I CAN DO THIS!

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

To train your brain to play your best golf, listen to the Positive Mental Imagery guided imagery CDs, available at www.pmi4.com/cart

We live in a world of hype that plays up tantalizing dramas that get our adrenaline rushing. Whether is it golf, sports. news, advertisements, or politics, we are bombarded with sensationalism daily to get our attention. To play golf at your highest potential requires a different paradigm. The golf swing has many moving parts that need to be n the proper sequence to produce solid, accurate shots. A mental key for peak performance is the relaxation of your mind and body parts so they are entrained.

Entraining your mind and body means being in sync or in balance of both parts. Synchronization means that things are happening or working at the same time in harmony. Your EKG (heart waves) and EEG (brain waves) frequencies are entrained when you are “in the zone”. To move into the zone state, you need to free your mind and body by relaxing, and allow the perfect timing to happen.

As a tennis professional I taught college students how to play tennis. One of the teaching methods I used was to videotape each student’s ground strokes and serve. Invariably when I played the videotape, the students’ initial reactions were that what they saw wasn’t their swing. The image in their minds didn’t match their strokes.

Watching golfers take a practice swing and then swing at the ball, I am reminded of this difference. The practice swing is usually the product of relaxation done without any pressure. The swing on course is usually the product of trying to control the ball by “hitting” it with force. If the result is playable, the golfer will usually rationalize that the swing was a good one and continue with the same process. If the result is not a good one, the golfer will experiment and try to change his/her swing thoughts for a better result.

Balance is a mental key to a smooth, solid swing

Since our minds rationalize that we are doing what we desire, here are some suggestions to “see” and “feel” what you are actually doing:

1. Is your grip relaxed enough to allow the club to make the necessary motions? The shorter the club, the more relaxed your grip needs to be.
2. Have someone use your phone to video your practice swing and then video the actual swing hitting the ball. Are the two swings different?
3. Notice the difference between the follow-through on your practice swing and your actual swing hitting the golf ball. Were you in balance on the follow-through, or did you fall forward or backward?
4. Swing with your eyes closed to “feel” your swing. Then tee up a ball. With your eyes closed, hit the ball with a 7-iron. Did you allow your subconscious mind to hit the ball, or did you tense up by trying not to miss it?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you can improve your rhythm and timing by taking deep abdominal breaths before every golf shot. For more information on deep breathing to relax, log on to www.pmi4.com and click on Archived Newsletter, November 2005. Also available on the website are self-hypnosis CDs.

Be sure to check the PMI website and Blog for previous mental golf tips.

Play “In the Zone” With Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Brain for Peak Performances

It is likely you prepare for your shots differently in the two places, but expect the same results. On the wide-open range, most golfers are not concerned with the mental discipline that is required for scoring. Then on the golf course, the score becomes the focus and the wonderful tempo and relaxed swing is left on the range.

Performance anxiety begins on the first tee. To be confident and play your best, you have to be relaxed and trust your golf swing. Deep breathing will help you relax. It takes considerable practice to be able to trust your swing mechanics. Hit balls with your eyes closed to experience trusting your swing. Also, practice the way you play. Train your brain by using your pre-shot routine with every shot on the range until it becomes a habit. If your practice routine and your on-course play routine are the same, your results will be similar.

If you get to the course and don’t have time to go to the range, practice playing the course in your mind. Imagine yourself playing each shot for the first three holes getting the results you desire. This advance preparation will relax your mind and body.

Another thing to consider is your alignment and set-up. If you set up incorrectly, even a great swing won’t produce a good shot. Every shot on the course is hit from a new position, which is very different from hitting from the same spot on the range. On the range, lay parallel clubs down on the ground to give your mind a visual image of the target line. On the course, use an intermediate target. Point your club at the imaginary line from the ball to your target to find this intermediate target.

To be able to repeat good shots, anchor them into your subconscious mind by acknowledging the wonderful feeling inside of hitting a solid shot. A “high five” or “tiger paw” are great anchors.

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

To train your brain to play your best golf, listen to the Positive Mental Imagery guided imagery CDs, available 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’ behavior 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 pre-shot routine on every shot.

11 .Give every shot and putt 100% of your effort and focus.

12. 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 golf tournament or in a match where you are competing against your friends, you need to have control of your emotions.

The pressure of a golf 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

To train your brain to play your best golf, listen to the Positive Mental Imagery guided imagery CDs, available at www.pmi4.com/cart

When you started out playing golf you probably had a different reason than you do now.

You probably were intrigued with the first shot you hit perfectly on the sweet spot that sent a warm, fuzzy feeling inside…. and you were hooked! Since then you have seen this ability many, many times and are addicted to finding it more often.

Somewhere along the way of learning to play the game you forgot about having fun and at times experienced:

1. Paralysis by Analysis: paralyzed by constantly learning the mechanics of the swing, and
2. Fearful Emotions: fear of failure, fear of what others think or feel, fear of making mistakes, stressful past mistakes, and
3. Anxiety about your performance: frustration, negative self-talk, score, losing money, disappointment, comparison to others, pressure to perform, and
4. Focus on limitations: self-doubt, unrealistic expectations, self-pity, defensive goals such as not making any big numbers.

Instead of the happy, fun thoughts and emotions that make you feel good; you became self-centered about your performance and forgot about playing the game.

When you play well, your mind is calm, relaxed, absorbed in the task of creating the golf shot, quiet, and free of any distractions. You are at ease, decisive in your pre-shot routine, focused on your target, have positive self-talk, positive imagery, and can access good rhythm and tempo.

Process vs. Outcome Thinking 

What is the belief pattern that influences your golf game? Are you process or outcome oriented?

If you are outcome oriented, you are mainly concerned with score, perfection, and winning. When a majority of your thoughts are on the outcome, your mental game will suffer and you will become frustrated with your efforts to play at your best.

If you are process oriented your main emphasis is on enjoying the game, having a quiet and alert “in the moment” mind. You accept all challenges relaxed and focused by playing one shot at a time.

To play at your peak performance levels, reduce your emphasis on the results of your shots. Focus your mental energies on making every shot of equal importance and giving each one 100% of your attention. Accept the results and play the game to the best of your ability.

Play “in the zone” With Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

To train your brain to play your best golf, listen to the Positive Mental Imagery guided imagery CDs, available at www.pmi4.com/cart

Camilo Villegas was 254^th in the world rankings when he entered the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C. on August 11^th. He had dropped from 7^th place in 2008 and hadn’t won a tournament in over 4 years. In 2012 he had to go through Q School to retain his tour card for 2013.

The 32-year-old Tour Pro from Columbia is known for his commitment to physical fitness and his personally devised putting routine. Crouching down parallel to the ground, extending his left leg back, and balancing on his right leg and putter, he positioned himself for getting a close up view of the slope of the green. For this posture he was nicknamed Spiderman.

Be patient. It’s only a game.

Villegas now has mostly given up his Spiderman stance for reading putts. “Only on putts that [look] really, really straight, when I’m not sure which way it goes,” he said. “The game is funny. I did it for a long time, trying to get a perfect read, and it seemed sometimes when you try to get too perfect it doesn’t go as good. Right now I’m trying to be a little more free, relaxed and little more reactive, more athletic and natural.” 

On Sunday at the Wyndham, Villegas shot 63 to match his opening round 63. He carded his 4^th Tour victory by one shot, rewarding his patience for the past four years. He described his game as, “Ups, downs, good years, average years, bad years. And if you ask any player in the field, everybody wants to play better. Do I want to play better? Yes. Do I feel like I have played to my potential the last two and a half years? No. But again, it’s not everything about golf. You’ve got to be little bit easy on yourself and just enjoy life.” 

Villegas prepared by going home to Columbia to visit his family and friends the week before the tournament to recharge mentally and physically. He didn’t take his golf clubs and rode his bicycle more than 400 miles while there. 

Patience with yourself is confidence and trust. If your game today isn’t what you want it to be, just give it another day.

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances 

To change your behavior so you have more patience, listen to the PMI self-hypnosis CD “Progressive Relaxation of the Mind & Body” available at www.pmi4.com/cart

Modeling is the basis of Neuro Linguistic Programming. NLP is the study of the internal maps in successful people’s brains, and then modeling their patterns of successful behaviors.

Children are the most accelerated learners. For children everything is new. They don’t have to compare their new learning experiences with old experiences (maps). Children learn unconsciously by trial and error without judgment. This is evident in the way they learn to operate cell phones, computers, and video games.

What is your knowledge base that keeps you from playing successfully?

Golf like everything else responds to your attitudes, beliefs, words and your energy. Old, outdated beliefs create conflict and indecision. When you shift your limiting beliefs to positive empowering ones, it will be reflected in your physical game.

Energy follows thoughts

In its most successful realm, golf is a mystical experience. When you are playing “in the zone” you are experiencing a profound state of one-pointed focus of concentration, fearlessness, creativity, euphoria and peacefulness. There is no need to think and analyze.

Model your behavior on success. Connect your mind and body.

1. Manage your emotions. Release a missed shot or putt by taking a deep breath and smiling. This will release endorphins to calm your mind so you can refocus for the next shot.
2. Manage your physical body. Stand tall, shoulders back, eyes straight ahead. Think of Rory McElroy striding quickly forward with anticipation of hitting his next shot.

Train your swing tempo

Imagine how you can access the perfect rhythm of your swing. For most golfers their swings tend to get faster during a round. This happens through increased confidence, or the opposite, forcing due to a lack of confidence.

Mentally practice taking the club back slowly and smoothly, making sure you finish the backswing before starting back down. There is a momentary pause at the top to accommodate the change of direction. Let the speed build gradually. If you finish out of balance, your swing tempo is out of balance.

Play “in the Zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

To train your mind-body connection for playing your best golf, listen to the Positive Mental Imagery guided imagery CDs, available at www.pmi4.com/cart

Over the past decades that I have worked with golfers, I always ask the question; why do you play golf? The general answers I receive usually include:

• the challenge of the game
• because I am good at it, or want to improve
• to enjoy the game with friends – the sociability
• the scenery, being outdoors, the exercise.

While these are all good reasons, they usually get lost in the 4-5 hours of a round of golf and fears of not performing well surface instead. Rarely do I hear the number one reason for amateurs and professionals which is to have FUN.

I was reminded of this yesterday when I played with a gal who gave me a running analysis and judgment of each of her shots. Nothing was good enough. Eventually this kind of thinking led to a couple of “blow up” holes.  Expectation, perfectionism and ego satisfaction dominated.

From the beginning it has always been my purpose to show golfers how to have
FUN playing the game of golf. Once this intention is sidetracked the ego takes over.

If golf isn’t fun, it will be a struggle.

Get out of your own way on the golf course

You have heard that golf is a metaphor for life. The way you play reflects the way you live. When you lose your focus, you become self-centered and forget about enjoying the game.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

The best state of mind/body for competing is the attitude of going out and having a good time. This will give you a feeling of being loose and free. When fun, not score is the desired outcome, it won’t matter what the score is, and more than likely the score will be a good one.

Golf has always been a game that we play. The media tells us constantly how difficult a game it is. The word golf is a noun in our vocabulary. The media is now using it as a verb or adverb as “we golf” or “we go golfing” which gives it a different belief.

When you talk or think about golf, think about playing and enjoying the game, not as trying to control the outcome by “golfing” your ball.

Play “In the Zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

To learn how to relax and have fun while playing golf, email Joan at pmi4@bellsouth.net for a complimentary 15-minute consultation.