To produce more consistent shots, practice making your mental preparation more consistent. One of the most important mental tools is your pre-shot routine. Would you want to fly with a pilot who didn’t check out all of his instruments before he started the plane down the runway? Of course, not. In the same way it is important that you have a pre-flight checklist to prepare your mind to give the proper instruction for your golf swing. The pre-shot checklist prepares you to let go of conscious thoughts so you can to put your swing into a smooth automatic flight pattern.

Your pre-shot routine is the map that gives direction to your brain about the shot you are going to hit. For your results to be the same, your routine prior to swinging must be the same every time. Successful golfers train their minds to do the same routine in sequence over and over until it becomes a habit. On the golf course they can then activate the sequence by a trigger or swing key to start the process.

It is likely you prepare for your shots differently on the range and on the golf course, 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.

Practice the way you play. Train your brain by using your pre-shot routine with at least 60% of your shots on the range until it becomes a habit. Write down your routine and take it to the range so you can execute it the same way with every shot. If your practice routine and your on-course play routine are the same, your results will be similar.

Play “In the Zone” With Joan

If this article is helpful to you, and you want to learn more about developing a strong mental 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-empowering mental golf CDs are available on the Positive Mental Imagery website.

Here in the northeast US, the official summer season has ended. Fall made its debut on Sunday with the days and nights equal at 12 hours each. The leaves on the trees are turning yellow and beginning to fall. The cool nights and warm days make for pleasurable rounds of golf.

Now is the time to reassess your mental golf game and how well it worked for you this summer. The way you played the game is reflected by your state of mind, your behavior, your conduct on the course and of course, your scores.

Attitude is a habit of thought 

The more you repeat a thought you create an attitude that you put into your subconscious mind. Attitudes produce energy which effects your emotional level. You can always change your attitude by reframing your way of thinking.

If you have developed an emotion of anxiety over missing four-six foot putts, it is time to change your attitude. You have a choice to see the putt as a wonderful opportunity to score, or feel the self-deprecating emotion of failure if you miss it. Repeating to yourself that it is an opportunity instead of an intimating stroke will eventually change your attitude and your feeling about putting.

The putting stroke is one of the simplest skills in all of sport. Golfers can make it the most difficult. Don’t take the fun out of putting by creating a fear thought of the outcome. Let go of the thoughts of having to make it for a birdie, or to win the hole, or to make up for a 3-putt. These are all thoughts that will change your emotional state.

Prepare your mind for success

Know that you don’t have complete control over the outcome of making the putt go in the hole. But you do have control over your attitude. Change the thought that you might miss the putt by preparing your mind for what you want to accomplish. Then you can move from the need to not make a mistake to the free expression of your ability.

When your putts go in, you judge that you are doing it right. When they don’t you think you are doing something wrong and try to fix it. Let go of this judgment.

The purpose of putting is to roll the ball well enough to give it the best possible chance to go in the hole. You gain confidence by accomplishing your purpose. Trust that you can do this. Once you have made up your mind, trust that what you have decided is right. Be decisive and don’t second guess.

Golf gives us many opportunities to feel good about ourselves.

Good putters don’t spend time thinking about missing putts. They remember the good putts they made. Choose to change your putting attitude by visualizing and thinking only about your good putts. Give your putts the best possible opportunity to go into the hole by using your preset routine, trusting your decision and breathing deeply to relax and focus.

Improve your putting attitude by listening in the privacy of your own home to the PMI self-hypnosis CD, “Confident Putting for Lower Scores.”  You can order today at http://www.pmi4.com/cart

What do you do when you are paired in golf with a person whose behavior bothers you?

This is a question I am always asked in my workshops. Because we have so much free time to think during a round, there is a lot of time to “stew” over things that bother us.

Are you bothered by someone who gets very angry and even throws clubs, or a “Chatty Cathy” who is talking when it your turn to hit, or a slow player, 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 kinds of situations differently. Generally men handle annoyances by confronting them head on, often making fun of the person’s behavior. Women, on the other hand, are afraid of hurting feelings and will find solace in talking about it to the other players in the foursome.

Paying attention to the annoying person and becoming emotionally involved will elevate your scores. Think of these kinds of situations as part of the process of preparing your mind, just as you do for other challenges.

If you were playing in rain you would focus on keeping your grips dry, swinging easily, and so on. When the annoying behavior breaks your concentration, take personal responsibility by using one of the following options:

1. Ignore it. All golfers say 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 and walk and breathe deeply to relax your mind and body. Focus your attention on all of the wonderful reasons you are playing golf.

3. Confront the person’s behavior. If the person repeats his annoying behavior, tell him 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.

4. Release your frustration. Take deep breaths to calm down your emotions. Release any physical tension by taking practice swings as hard as you can before it is your time to hit.

5. Don’t play with the annoying person. The last option is to decide that you are playing golf for fun and you will not tolerate abusive behavior.

When you focus on the solution rather than the problem you create change.

Golf is a game where you have to be responsible for your behavior. Without personal responsibility, there is no self-esteem. You must be responsible for how you create your life. Positive energy works more effectively than negative energy in each and every situation.

Learn how to play “in the zone” for your peak performances. Contact Joan at info@pmi4.com or 828.696.2547 for a free 15-minute consultation. Learn what is missing in your game so you can achieve the success you desire. 

This is a question I am asked frequently. When a golfer is running late and doesn’t have time to hit balls on the range, they are usually anxious about what to do on the first tee.

The ideal would be to get to the course at least 30-60 minutes prior to your tee time. Then you will have time to take care of all the details of signing in, warming up, getting water for the course, socializing, etc. When things off the course cause you to not have this extra time, there is a way to prepare your mind and body to be relaxed and ready to tee off. These tips are especially helpful for high school team members who go directly from school to the golf course for their matches.

Warm up your mind 

On the way to the golf course when you are running late, let go of any unfinished matters and decisions and replace those thoughts with the game you are about to play.

• In your mind’s eye look at the upcoming round of golf and be aware of how you feel about playing. If you are looking forward to it with anticipation that is great. If you are anxious or fearful, change your images to more fun loving, positive ones.
• Next, visualize the hole where you will be starting. See yourself confident, swinging with ease and playing the entire hole in your imagination to the best of your ability. Remember, that your muscles and nerves don’t know the difference between physically swinging a club and visualizing doing it.
• If you haven’t arrived at the course yet, play the next two or three holes in your imagination. This will prepare your mind and body for a good start. Otherwise it might take you a few holes to find focus and rhythm.
• To build confidence in scoring, take a few minutes on the practice green to figure out the speed of the greens. Otherwise you will just be guessing when you get to the first green.
• At the first tee, swing a couple of clubs to loosen up your muscles. Before you tee off  swing your driver a couple of times to find your timing and rhythm. Be diligent about going through your pre-shot routine.
• And the most important thing to do is to take a several deep breaths to calm yourself down and relax your mind and body for easy focus.

To prepare mentally to play your best golf, listen to the guided imagery CD, “Self-Hypnosis for Playing In The Zone” available at www.pmi4.com/cart

Most golfers rely on playing well to have fun. I believe that the opposite is true. You will have fun when you are at ease, focused and enjoying what you are doing.

How then do you have fun? 

Children have fun when they are totally engrossed in what they are doing. That is why they can watch the same cartoon over and over, enjoying it the same every time. They can play the same game a multitude of times, enjoying it every time. There is no judgment. There is no criticism. There is no analyzing. They just enjoy being a part of it.

Golfers on the other hand, make work out of what is supposed to be their play. Golfers can make golf a game of frustration, aggravation, humility, fear, worry, anxiety and other self-defeating emotions. Where is the fun in that?

Change your thinking and you change your game

• Stop thinking about the could’ve, would’ve, should’ve possibilities. Stop thinking about what could go wrong, or what could have happened, if only you had done something different. Focus only on hitting the present shot and having fun doing it.
• Stop thinking about the part of your swing that you are trying to correct. Enjoy finding the rhythm and tempo of your whole swing.
• Relax and focus on having fun. Enjoy the course as if it is a board game, playing one shot at a time, constantly moving forward to the hole.
• Remember what it is you like about the game of golf.
• Let go of trying to perform well for your playing partners. Play for your own enjoyment.
• Don’t get upset by missed shots. Learn from your misses so you won’t do it again.
• Stop complaining about conditions, other people, your missed shots, etc.
• Be grateful that you can play golf when parts of the world are in life threatening situations.
• Focus on having fun and let go of every other thought.

For more information about how to play with a better mental golf game for lower scores and more funt, contact Joan at 828-696-2547 or visit the Positive Mental Imagery website at www.positivementalimagery.com

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On a deep level of feeling, most golfers believe that they don’t deserve to be the winner. They will point to golfers who are better than they are. In order to play at your best, you need to believe in yourself and in your golf abilities. Believing in yourself is all about focusing on your strengths and on what you do well instead of focusing on what isn’t working.

Self-esteem or self-confidence is having full trust and reliance in yourself. When you have a high level of self esteem you will be confident, motivated, happy and have a positive attitude to succeed.

Low self-esteem will keep you from taking chances. Low self-esteem is reinforced by thinking negatively, criticizing your performance, or by listening to others who criticize you.

Confidence comes from within. If you are confident, you will have the mental strength to face new challenges. On the golf course everything is new. Every day the golf course and each shot is a new experience.

How to develop self esteem

1.      Don’t compare your self to others. Limit your competition to playing the golf course the best you can. Don’t compare your performance or abilities to someone else’s. Play your own game by sticking to your own strategy for playing and for overcoming challenges at your own pace.

2.      Don’t analyze your performance until it is over. Adding up your score or projecting the outcome will put you on an emotional roller coaster when your expectations aren’t met.

3.      Act as if you are confident. Use good body language and you will feel more confident, and look more confident to your playing partners.

4.      Let go of short term memory. Stay in the present by giving every shot your total undivided attention and intention. Don’t bring up past memories of missed shots on a particular hole.

5.      Use your long term memory. Remember the best shots and games you have played in the past. If you do think about a missed shot in the past, look at how you can correct it. This will change your attitude and how you look at the process of creating the shot.

6.      Take deep breaths to relax. By taking deep breaths you can relax your mind and body to more easily access a positive state of thinking and physical performance.

7.      Remember to smile. Smiling inside by remembering someone or something you love will bring your focus into your heart and out of the judgmental part of your brain.

8.      Reinforce your good shots. Anchor your good shots into your memory bank by congratulating yourself with a heartfelt, congratulatory feeling.

Learn how to be confident enough to win by purchasing the Positive Mental Imagery self-hypnosis golf CD “Confidence to Win Golf Tournaments” at www.pmi4.com/cart

 Contact Joan at 828.696.2547 for a free 15-minute consultation. Learn what is missing in your game so you can become the winner..

2013 may prove to be the wettest year ever in Western North Carolina with 30 inches of rain having fallen so far. It is raining now and the forecast is for more severe thunderstorms and flash flooding. Many parts of the country are experiencing multiple days of steady rain creating soggy golf courses and frustrated golfers.

In the second round of the PGA Championship at Oak Hill CC, Rochester, NY last weekend, the players warmed up in constant pouring rain. At the end of Friday’s round, Adam Scott led the field with a 2-under 68 on a course playing really long in the rain. How was he able to do that?

How playing the game is different in the rain

• Playing golf in the rain creates new physical and mental challenges. The golf course will play differently and you have to adjust your game to fit the conditions.
• Take 2-3 clubs with you when the course is playing “cart paths only.”
• Rain will shorten the flight of your ball. To get more distance, tee the ball up for a higher trajectory as there won’t be any roll when it lands.
• Take 1-2 clubs longer than normal to swing easily with a firm grip and good balance. Make sure you have enough club to clear the greenside bunkers. A shot hit short of the green will most likely be plugged in the wet sand.
• This is the time when you can aim at the flagstick as the soft greens will hold.
• When the golf course is wet it will play longer with minimum roll. The fairways will play wider because your ball won’t bounce into as much trouble.
• Wet greens will be slower and the putts won’t break as much as when the greens are dry. Hit your putts more aggressively to avoid three putts from leaving the putts short.

Proper equipment is necessary for playing in the rain

If you have a caddy, it will be his job to keep your gloves and clubs dry. If it is your responsibility, here are some suggestions for preparing your equipment to play in the rain.

• Waterproof shoes are necessary. Carry  an extra pair of socks in your bag in case your shoes aren’t waterproof. Golf shoes with spikes will give you extra traction.
• Rain pants, jacket and a hat designed to sustain heavy bouts of rain are essential.
• Have a golf umbrella large enough to keep your towels and gloves dry by hanging them from the spokes. If it looks like rain, put extra towels in your golf bag for drying your hands and grips.
• Keep several golf gloves in a plastic bag to stay dry. There are golf gloves especially designed to grip better when wet. Take your glove off after every shot and hang it inside the umbrella instead of putting it in your pocket.
• Most importantly, put non-slip golf grips such as cord grips on your clubs so your hands won’t slip when swinging. You will have more feel if your golf club grips are dry.

A positive attitude is necessary for playing in the rain 

Playing under adverse conditions can wreck havoc with your golf game. You will probably miss more shots than normal, 3-putt from misjudging slow greens, and score higher if you don’t have a good attitude. Here are some suggestions for having a good mental strategy.

• Know that everyone is playing under the same conditions. With a good attitude you will have an advantage over the players who are frustrated and complaining about the conditions.
• Think positively about all shots. Accept miss-hits and give the next shot your best effort.
• Stick to your pre-shot routine. Do not rush through it or skip steps. It will only     confuse your brain patterns.
• Smile at adversity. It will give you an advantage.
• Imagine yourself dancing and having fun in the rain like Gene Kelly.

For more information about how to play with a better mental golf game for lower scores and more enjoyment, contact Joan at 828-696-2547 or visit the Positive Mental Imagery website at www.positivementalimagery.com

Golf is a game played outdoors. Because it is always played out in the open, weather conditions can increase the difficulty of play. The wind can push a slight fade or draw headed for the center of the green into a greenside bunker.

In the 3^rd round of the Women’s British Open at St. Andrews last Saturday, play was suspended at 12:31pm local time due to 30-40 mph winds that caused balls to roll off the greens. When a 40mph gust of wind blew through, five players called for rulings for their balls moving on the greens. Play was halted shortly thereafter. Only six players had finished their rounds.The rest of the players were on standby until 6:00pm when play was suspended for the day.The third round resumed play at 6:15am Sunday morning. The fourth round tee times were scheduled from 8:00am until 1:40pm.

Turn off the wind in your mind

Having a “wind delay” in a tournament is not uncommon. Golfers used to playing in the wind in Florida and Texas are not disturbed by changing wind conditions. If you aren’t used to having the wind as a factor in your golf game, the results could surprise you. You can read about how Tour players mentally handle playing in the wind in my newsletter article at http://bit.ly/15LWoGU

Change in wind ruling

In 2000 when I was playing in the USGA Senior Amateur at Sea Island Golf Club, GA., we had a 4-hour wind delay. At that time the ruling was different than it is now. The rule stated that if a ball at rest before addressing it, is moved by the wind which is an outside agency, there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced. A ball moving after you have addressed it is a penalty, so we made sure we didn’t ground our putters in our pre-shot routines.

The current ruling states that if the ball before addressing it moves either due to the wind or the slope of the putting green, the player must play his/her ball from the new position without penalty. The good news is that if the ball was moved into the hole by the wind, then the player is deemed to have holed out with his previous stroke (Decision 20-3d/1).

Physical Preparation

• If the wind is blowing hard, widen your swing and putting stances for stability.
• To determine the direction and strength of the wind, throw some grass into the air.
• Adjust your club selection depending on whether the wind is in your face or      downwind.
• Control is your main objective. Decide on a club that you have confidence in and can hit solidly.
• When you are hitting downwind, tee up the ball to carry it farther with the wind.
• With the wind in your face, tee the ball down. With irons play the ball back in your stance to hit a knock down shot with a ¾ swing.

Positive Mental Attitudes

• When it is breezy, swing easy! Strong wind conditions will cause you to swing faster.
• Develop the attitude that weather conditions are a natural phenomenon and a part of the game to be enjoyed.
• Know that making the wind your friend gives you an advantage over other players.
• A strong wind affects your sensory system; feeling it against your face, hearing it, and seeing it blow the leaves on the trees.
• Your senses gear up and send a message to your brain for your muscles to react to this information.
• Breathe deeply to relax your mind and body.
• When it is breezy, swing easy! The windy conditions will cause you to swing faster.

For more information about how to play with a better mental golf game for lower scores and more enjoyment, contact Joan at 828-696-2547 or visit the Positive Mental Imagery website at www.pmi4.com.