In the opening round of the TPC Blue Monster at Doral last weekend, Sergio Garcia shot 5-under 31 on the front 9. He self-destructed on the back 9 with 6 bogeys and a triple-bogey on the 18th for 44, for a total of 75.

What was he thinking?

All golfers can relate to having a spectacular front 9 and then sabotaging it on the back 9 by thinking of score possibilities, and pressing to repeat the front 9 performance.

In the final round on Sunday, Garcia self-destructed his game again. On the par-4 438 yard third hole he drove his tee-ball into the water alongside the right side of the hole. He took a penalty drop in the rough where the ball crossed the water hazard and then failed three times to clear the pond. With his 9th shot, he finally hit over both the water and the green, then chipped on and two-putted for a 12. The press called it an octuple-bogey.

What would your motivation be after a devastating hole like this?

Garcia regained his composure making 5 birdies in the rest of the round, but closed by hitting another shot into the water on 18 for a double-bogey. He finished with a four-over par 76.

How do you recover from a disastrous hole?

 We are all human and make mistakes. In life as in golf it is more fun if we keep our mistakes to a minimum so we don’t have to deal with the resulting emotional upset.

1. Learn from your mistake. All golfers have experienced hitting a shot out of bounds, or in the water, stepping up and hitting the exact same shot again. Take the time to decide on the correct club for the situation.

2. Be aware of the resulting emotion. Feel the embarrassment, humiliation, anger, etc. and then make a decision to release it by taking a deep breath and exhaling the feeling.

3. Slow down your thinking process. Replace the image of the missed shot by taking the time to rehearse in your mind your swing, the trajectory and curve of the ball and your target area.

4. Take practice swings. To eliminate repeating the first swing, take practice swings until you can “feel” the correct rhythm and tempo. Don’t hit the next ball until you are confident you have the timing you desire.

5. Trust and let it happen. Trust the picture in your mind and the feel in your body. Your mind tells your body what to do. You can’t force it to happen. Relax and enjoy the result you have programmed.

Play “In the Zone” With Joan

 Log on to the PMI website and Blog for more mental golf tips.

Since we are all part of the golfing community and want to improve, I would like to hear from you. Let me know what your concerns are, the parts of your mental game that you need help with, what excites you, and what you love about the game. .

The questions golfers are asking are whether Tiger can repeat his lowest 62 round finish ever, and if Rory can repeat his Honda Classic win this week at Doral.

 Both golfers showed their talent in different ways. Tiger’s “grip it and rip it” personality was evident in his two eagles (Big birds as he called them.) on the 3^rd and 18^th holes. His new game showed consistency as he hit 11 fairways, 14 greens and had 26 putts. Tiger did what he did best when he was number one in the world. He came from 9 shots back to shoot 62 with no bogies for a dramatic finish.

Rory played steady golf, showing his expertise in getting the ball “up and down” when he needed to. He made two clutch sand saves on the last four holes to save par. Instead of “going for” the green in two on 18, he played an easy wedge shot to the middle of the green for a 2-putt win from 35 feet. Amateur golfers need to take note of the stat that Rory missed 25 greens during the tournament and got the ball “up and down” 21 times adding credence to the golfers’ adage “It’s not how, it’s how many.”

Do you know which behavior you use on the golf course when you are under pressure?

As humans, everyone can be included in four basic types of behavioral tendencies. Everyone has some of each of the four basic styles but you probably have more of one type than the others. When you understand your personality type you can then consider the strengths and weaknesses specific to your style and relate your behavior to your golf game. Under pressure your strengths could become your weaknesses because you would probably use the behavior that makes you feel most comfortable.

The more you understand your own behavior patterns, the more you can adapt to the different situations that come up on the golf course. The less you understand, the fewer options you have. To determine how your personality style can affect your game under pressure, link on to the Archived PMI newsletters January 2004 to April 2004 http://www.positivementalimagery.com/

Play “In the Zone” With Joan

Log on to the PMI website and Blog for more mental golf tips.

If you want to learn how to improve your mental game to score lower, and how to play on automatic pilot “in the zone” for your peak performances, contact Joan at  828.696.2547 for a free 15-minute consultation. Learn what is missing in your game so you can achieve the success you desire.

Concentration is a skill that you can develop as well as any professional.

Golf is called a mental game because you need to manage your thoughts to play well.

Internal or external distractions keep golfers from playing at their peak performance levels.

The human mind processes thousands of bits of sensory information every second so it is no wonder that we have trouble focusing on one shot at a time. A lot of golfers believe they have to concentrate on the game for four or more hours. Actually it is a good thing to relax and joke with your golf partners between shots and focus only when it is your turn.

As you approach your ball, begin to change your outer focus of attention to the inner mental process of creating the shot you are about to hit. Imagine that you are wearing blinders and can only see the execution of the upcoming shot.

Analyze the wind, yardage, type of shot, target and club selection. Be totally committed to the club and shot you have selected. Narrow your focus further by standing behind the ball, connecting clearly with the target and visualizing the flight of the ball to the target. Finish narrowing your focus by feeling the swing, either by swinging the club or mentally imagining it in your mind. If you have practiced your swing using a swing-thought or swing-cue, activate it to initiate your swing.

Concentration is the art of allowing yourself to become interested. Allow yourself to become enraptured with what you are doing.

When you are watching an engrossing movie, your attention is focused on the action. In the same way, planning a golf shot can be just as engrossing. Focus your full attention along with your full intention on what you want to happen. Stay committed to your mental and physical routines. This will keep you calm, in control, and focused on hitting one shot at a time.

If this golf tip is of value to you and you would like to improve your mental golf game for lower scores, call Joan for a complimentary 15-minute consultation. She can be reached by phone at 828-696-2547,  or through the Positive Mental Imagery website or blog. Other tips to improve your mental golf game are available on the website, where you can sign up for a free mental golf newsletter and purchase empowering self-hypnosis mental golf CDs

            Before the golf season is in full swing, why don’t you take the time to analyze the holes at your home golf course? The golf course architect designed each hole with a specific purpose. If you look at the holes from the architect’s perspective, you might find a better way to play them. 

            Golf is a game where the position of your golf ball is vital for scoring. Without a strategy it is easy to beat yourself. Professionals have a plan to play each hole for the lowest possible score. With the plan in mind, they then focus by taking dead aim at each target, one shot at a time. 

            In planning your strategy, visualize the entire hole and ask yourself the following questions:

• What is the length of the hole?
• Is the fairway wide or narrow?
• Is it flat, undulating or sloping?
• Is it straight away or a dog leg?
• What is the yardage from the tee to the trouble (bunkers, water, trees, etc.)?
• Where do I want to land my tee ball to avoid all the problems?
• Is there trouble around the green (water, sand bunkers, trees behind, etc.)?
• Is it better to hit short or long on this green?
• What is the shape, slope, speed of the green? 

            You may have lots of talent, but if you don’t know how to think your way round the golf course, you aren’t going to play up to your potential. Here are some tips for managing your game: 

1. Play the percentages. Don’t expect to hit your best shot. Hit the shot that you can hit 75% of the time.
2. Hit the ball in the fairway. Sometimes that is easier said than done. Know where the widest parts of the fairway are. Hit to the largest landing area. This may require using a 3-wood instead of a driver off the tee. Know exactly how far it is to avoid the fairway bunkers.  
3. Par 3’s: Know where to miss it away from any possible trouble spots. Plan to land the ball where you haven’t “short sided” the next shot. Give yourself the best angle to hit to the green. If the pin is on the left, tee your ball up on the right and vice versa.
4. Par 4’s: Use the terrain of the hole to help you put the tee ball on a flat fairway lie. If you miss the fairway, knowing the layout of the hole will enable you to change your strategy for the best possible recovery.
5. Par 5’s:  These longer holes give you one more chance to recover. If you have to lay-up, place the ball where you can hit a full shot and have a good opening into the green. 

If these golf tips are of value to you and you would like to improve your mental golf game for lower scores, call Joan for a complimentary 15-minute consultation. She can be reached by phone at 828-696-2547, or through the Positive Mental Imagery website or blog. Other tips to improve your mental golf game are available on the website, where you can sign up for a free mental golf newsletter and purchase empowering self-hypnosis mental golf CDs

If your frustration turns into anger, this will only make your situation worse. Anger releases the hormone adrenalin causing your muscles to tighten. Tight muscles produce a jerky uncontrolled swing. Accept that there are going to be days when you feel that you aren’t in control of your mind and/or golf swing and use the following several ways to regain physical control. 

1. Don’t think too much about the golf swing. Take practice swings to feel and regain your tempo and timing.
2. Focus instead on the smooth pace of the swing. Stay balanced, steady and centered over the ball.
3. Breathe deeply to relax your muscles and to slow your brain waves for a sharper focus.
4. Don’t swing harder than you can control. Swing at 80% of your power.
5. Swing to your target. Pick a specific target and visualize the ball going there. 

This is the time to be patient and not give up. Every golfer knows that the game can turn around on the next shot. Stay relaxed by deep breathing to slow down your thinking and physical arousal level.

Use the following five strategies for planning your shot before you start your pre-shot routine, not while you are standing over the ball.  

1. Change all negative thoughts to decisive confident thoughts.
2. Convince yourself that the club in your hand is the perfect club for that shot.
3. Let go of previously missed shots by planning your next shot. 
4. Remember the good shots you hit in previous rounds.
5. Commit yourself 100% to each shot. Give every shot full preparation of what you intend to make happen. This is what it means to “hit one shot at a time,” and to “stay in the moment.”

If these golf tips are of value to you and 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 through the Positive Mental Imagery website or blog. Other tips to improve your mental golf game are available on the website, where you can sign up for a free mental golf newsletter and  purchase empowering self-hypnosis mental golf CDs.

Golfers at all levels have pressure at some time on the golf course. The answer for not succumbing to pressure is to have a solid mental golf game based on good self-esteem. Then you won’t struggle with situations like playing a hole on your course that used to cause fear and dread.

Here are five mental golf tips to practice for a consistent mental game. 

1.   Think flexibility. The more flexible you are in your thinking, the more control you will have. If you are rigid in your thinking you have limited options. Be ready for anything unexpected that might happen. It is said that golf is a game of recovery. Mistakes happen. Large numbers happen. Three putts happen. Accept what has happened and move on.

2.  Believe in your ability. If you don’t believe that you deserve to play well, you won’t. Belief in yourself and in your ability is what separates the winners from the losers. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking there is something wrong with your golf swing. Thinking will make it so! Believe in your ability no matter what the results are. Trust that you can improve.

 3.  Focus on the task at hand. You have a very active mind. Be decisive! Once you make up your mind don’t change it. Stay in the moment by using a consistent pre-shot routine. Visualize the positive result you want. Thinking negatively leads to a forced, steered swing. See the shot you want, feel the swing, trust it, hit it and enjoy it. 

4.  Talk to yourself positively. We all have negative thoughts that we replay in our heads. These are the voices of fear of poor shots we hit in the past, or anxious “what if” thoughts of what we think might happen. To keep your mind in the moment, put all self-talk in positive, present tense, active verbs. Instead of saying “I can make this putt” tell yourself, “I am making this putt.” To reinforce the affirmation, visualize the putt rolling along the line and dropping in the cup.

5.  Accept your own personality. Most people like to think of themselves as who they would like to be, not who they really are. You will play your best if you honor your own unique style. Ben Hogan felt most comfortable keeping to himself. Fuzzy Zoeller and Chi Chi Rodriquez felt most comfortable joking and talking to the gallery. Keep your focus on how you are most comfortable. Decide to be yourself. http://bit.ly/Aus4z8 

If this information was helpful to you, and you want to learn more about how to improve your mental game, call Joan for a complimentary 15-minute consultation. She can be reached by phone at 828-696-2547, or through the Positive Mental Imagery website or blog. Other tips to improve your mental golf game are available on the website, where you can sign up for a free mental golf newsletter and purchase empowering self-hypnosis mental golf CDs.

Whether you are a new golfer or have been playing for a long time, a good mental golf game requires letting go of expectations. The quickest way to ruin a round of golf is by trying to match or improve a low front 9 score on the back 9. Performing well at any task requires total concentration on what you are doing and not let your mind wander into future thoughts.

Having expectations is different from setting goals. It is necessary to set positive long term, intermediate and short term goals so you have a strategy for improvement. Having expectations on the other hand is actively anticipating a desired outcome. In “expecting” a certain outcome in golf, you have put your attention and energy on the end result instead of in the moment when you are focused on creating the shot/putt.

Managing expectations means managing your internal thoughts and emotions to keep them in balance with your abilities. You can expect too much from yourself, or even too little from yourself depending on your level of self-esteem. If you expect to play well on the opening holes and don’t score well, you will probably feel like a failure. 

How good you are at golf is determined by how you react to the ever changing situations during the round, not about what you expect will happen. The more flexible you are, the more control you have. 

Here are five suggestions for managing your expectations on the golf course: 

• Have realistic expectations. The USGA handicap system is a mathematical system that attempts to have an equitable way for golfers of varying abilities to play games with each other. Your handicap is based on your last lowest ten scores. In other words, it is your personal best, not necessarily your day-to day average scores. Expecting to shoot your best every time you play is unrealistic. 
• Let go of  impossible expectations that create pressure. If your expectations are too high you will be constantly disappointed. Unreachable expectations will cause tension in your mind and body.
• Concentrate on the process at all times. When you are playing well be aware of your thoughts moving you away from the process of preparing for the shot. Focus on relaxation and your pre-shot routine to stay in the present.
• Keep your emotions and expectations in check. . The more expectations you have, the more emotion you put into the result of your shots. When your mind wanders to thinking about your expectations, bring it back to the present time by taking several deep breaths.
• Let go of any thoughts of what you “should” score. Not making the “should” score leaves you with negative emotions such as guilt and frustration. This leads you to stop trusting your swing and a belief that you have a mechanical problem when it is your expectations that limit your progress. 

Joan King, Peak Performance Strategist, NGH Board Certified Sports Hypnotist, is the founder of Positive Mental Imagery, a sports consulting firm specializing in the mental aspects of sports. She is dedicated to helping athletes realize their potential through balance of their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual powers.

If this mental golf tip was helpful to you, and you want to learn more, call Joan for a complimentary 15-minute consultation about your mental game. She can be reached by phone at 828-696-2547, or through the Positive Mental Imagery website or blog. Other tips to improve your mental golf game are available on the website, where you can sign up for a free mental golf newsletter and  purchase empowering self-hypnosis mental golf CDs.

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 hit bad shots. Blaming yourself and feeling angry only increases the chances that you will make even more mistakes because you will be on an emotional roller coaster.

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 your missed shots in your mind, the more you deplete your mental and physical energies to play good shots.

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!

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.  Strategies  to improve your mental golf game are available on the PMI website, where you can sign up for a free mental golf newsletter and purchase self-hypnosis mental golf CDs.