I woke up at 4:30am the other morning with severe muscle cramping in my calf muscles. I thought I had been drinking enough fluids and taking enough magnesium and potassium, but apparently not enough for my body to be hydrated during this unexpected stretch of hot temperatures in the 90’s. This morning I received a newsletter from Dr. Mercola (Mercola.com) describing dysfunctional bottled waters including my favorite which contains sucrose, sucralose and a number of chemicals that I can’t even pronounce.

Sugar and corn syrup that are used to sweeten sports drinks reduce the absorption of the electrolytes in the drink. The sugars can draw fluids into the intestines and away from the rest of the body reducing cell function and performance. I have now switched back to Glaceau Smart Water to take to the golf course. It contains vapor distilled water and natural electrolytes (www.glaceau.com).

Hydration for Golfers

Studies of professional golfers have shown that signs of a poor mental game such as having a bad attitude, loss of concentration, impatience and difficulty managing emotions have sometimes been caused by dehydration.

You may remember the hot, steamy conditions at the 1964 US Open at Congressional CC where Ken Venturi became dehydrated and disoriented and nearly collapsed. He didn’t know where he was or what he had shot. During the 36-hole final he had lost eight pounds. Next week the Open will once again be held at Congressional. The temperature there yesterday was 102 degrees.

With a severe heat wave now across the country, your mental and physical energy levels will be taxed on the golf course. In order to play well during these hot conditions, be especially aware of maintaining proper hydration. Water regulates your body temperature, lubricates your joints and your brain and is essential for your performance. Dehydration can cause your heart to work harder to circulate blood which could lead to muscle cramps, dizziness, heat exhaustion, mental and physical fatigue.

Water Intake and Your Brain

Our brains depend on proper hydration to function optimally. Brain cells require a delicate balance between water and various elements to operate. When you lose too much water, that balance is disrupted. Your brain cells lose efficiency.

Dehydration In Golfers

Caffeine found in coffee and soft drinks is a natural diuretic which will cause you to lose water through additional urination. On extremely hot days it would be wise the skip these liquids.

Golf is a social activity and a lot of recreational golfers bring coolers of beer to drink on the course during the hot summer months. While drinking a cool beer may taste refreshing, it actually dehydrates you and will affect your concentration. If you drink beer during your round, it would help to alternate with non-alcoholic beverages, preferably water.

Early Symptoms That You are Dehydrated

By the time you are thirsty, you are already experiencing the symptoms of dehydration. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired. On extremely hot, sunny days, and especially when you are on the golf course during the middle of the day, be aware of the following signs of dehydration.

–     An insatiable thirst

–     Muscle ache/weakness and fatigue

–     Nausea

–     Light headedness

–     Headache

–     Blurred vision

–     Heat intolerance

Stay Hydrated In Hot Weather

Your brain tissue is up to 85% water and your body is 70% water. Your muscles contain a lot of water. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, and protects your joints and organs.  If you don’t replenish this water content, your brain and body will be in a state of confusion. Exercise outdoors requires additional water, so be sure to hydrate before, during and after your round. To replenish this necessary fluid, here are some suggestions:

–     Drink a glass of water before going to bed as your body dries out during the night.

–     Drink two glasses of water upon arising before you feel thirsty.

–     Drink water or a sports drink with electrolytes throughout your round of golf.

–     Drink enough water so you rarely feel thirsty.

–     Begin hydrating the day before you are going to play.

Entrain Your Heart & Brain for Peak Performances

© Copyright PMI 2011. All Rights Reserved.

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.

Improve your golf game NOW by listening to PMI self-hypnosis CDs in the privacy of your own home. Order today at “http://www.pmi4.com/cart

Archived newsletters from 1999 can be accessed on the Positive Mental Imagery website at “http://www.positivementalimagery.com

If this monthly mental instruction newsletter has been helpful to you, please share it with your friends so they can have more fun playing the game of golf while lowering their scores.

Also, please share with us how this information has helped improve your game. If you have a question, or need help with your mental game, please leave a comment below.

I have been writing these monthly mental golf newsletters since 2000. Now with social networking, I would like to hear from you. If you have a question or comment about your own golf superstitions, please leave a reply below.

I recently went to hear a knowledgeable speaker talk about the PGA Tour events. He mentioned that in 2009 Tiger played in the Par 3 contest at the Masters. The winner of the Par 3 contest has never gone on to win the Masters in the same week. Tiger was 8 under par and hit balls in the water on 9 and 10 to make sure he wouldn’t win the Par 3 contest and jeopardize his chances of winning the Masters. Angel Cabrera won in a play-off against Kenny Perry that year. And in 2004 Tiger withdrew from a three-way playoff just in case the superstition was real. He finished tied for 22^nd.

This got me to thinking about how superstitious professional golfers are. I had always heard about tour pros repeating rituals when they were winning. They would drive the same car to the golf course, wear the same shoes, the same clothing, go to the same restaurant, eat the same food, and use the same number on their balls. Since their livelihood depends on their ability to play consistently, it is understandable that they don’t want to change anything when they are playing well. However, some of the pre-game rituals they use make me wonder if they have convinced themselves that it will affect the outcome. A ritual is an action an athlete takes with the belief that it has the power to influence their performance.

Why do golfers have superstitious thinking?

When a golfer has an exceptionally good round, s/he usually goes over the round to figure out how it happened. What did s/he do to “cause” it?  In addition to reviewing their swing mechanics, they might notice what they wore or ate, and anything that might be unusual. The success of the round is then attributed to one of these “causes” and the golfer will then try to recreate the same situation.

I remember hearing of a high school team who won their first spring match when everyone was wearing their team sweaters. They didn’t want to “jinx” their success so they wore their sweaters even when the temperatures climbed into the 90’s. Does this make sense?

Superstitious beliefs on the Pro Tours

The Reader’s Digest Universal Dictionary defines superstition as “an unfounded belief that some action or circumstance completely unrelated to a course of events can influence its outcome.” Here are some examples of superstitions that world-class professionals believe will make them perform better.

Nick Watney defended his 2009 Farmers Insurance Open January 30 at Torrey Pines. He shot 63 in his final round and finished T-6. His caddie Chad Reynolds said that he wouldn’t cut his hair as long as Watney finished in the top 10.  After 5 top finishes the string was broken, and we can assume that Chad got his hair cut.

Tiger Woods always wears a red shirt for the final round of a tournament.

John Cook marks his golf ball with the quarters that have state pictures where he played well in tournaments.

Doug Sanders considered white golf tees unlucky and refused to play
golf with them.

Tom Weiskoff said he never tees off without 3 tees and 3 cents in
his pocket. He will only tee off on a par-3 hole with a broken tee.

Paul Azinger always marks his golf ball with a penny, with the head
of Abraham Lincoln looking at the hole for good luck.

Christina Kim doesn’t step on the edge where the fairway meets the
green, as she believes this will bring bad luck to her golf game.

Jesper Parnevik always marks his ball with the tails-side up.

Jack Nicklaus always plays with three coins in his pocket.

Ernie Els believes that there is only one birdie in each ball, and that the number 2 is unlucky.

Retief Goosen starts the 1^st round of a tournament with a ball with number 4, number 3 in the 2^nd round, number 2 in the 3^rd round and a number one ball in the final round.

Vijay Singh uses balls in the reverse order.

Davis Love III marks his ball with a 1965 or 1966 penny.

Stewart Cink who stays clear of all superstitions because, he says, all they do is bring him bad luck.

Golf balls with a number higher than four are often associated with bad luck and are hardly made anymore.

Fear vs. Luck

Would it affect your luck if you did not act on your superstitious beliefs? Does it bring you luck? I believe there is a certain amount of luck in the game of golf. I also believe that luck happens when preparation meets opportunity.

To have consistent results in the game of golf, it is necessary to have a consistent pre-shot routine. The rituals listed above are routines that are not needed. Golfers practice superstition routines in the hopes of bringing success, or to keep away the fear of bad luck. Fear is always a belief conjured up by the individual that keeps the mind emotionally engaged. If the golfer forgets to do the ritual, the fear of creating bad luck takes over.

Golfers always want to have more control on the golf course. Practicing superstitious rituals gives away your power as it occupies the mind with thoughts that have no relevance to preparing for the shot/putt. Visualization and mental imagery are mental routines that recreate successful past shots and feelings as if they are happening in the present moment. Prepare your mind with these useful mental skills and forget about the rituals based on a useless belief.

“Fear is the main source of superstition and one of the main sources of cruelty.

To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.”

~ Bertrand Russell (1872-1970).

Entrain Your Heart & Brain for Peak Performances!

© Copyright PMI 2011. All Rights Reserved.

* * * * *

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.

Improve your golf game NOW by listening to PMI self-hypnosis CDs in the privacy of your own home. Order today at www.pmi4.com/cart

For many The Masters Tournament signals the start of springtime golf with the first major tournament of the PGA Tour season. The 75th Masters will be played this week, April 7-10th.

Only 90 pros get to play in the Masters. The top winning pros use a mental coach to get ready for this prestigious tournament. You may want to get mental help to get ready for your springtime golf game. The top winning golfers today have a mental rehearsal program. Are you prepared for springtime golf if you don’t have one? To work with a mental coach by phone or in person, contact Joan by email at joan@pmi4.com or by phone at 828-696-2547.

Here are 5 easy mental tips for you to use to get you on the right path for lowering your scores this spring.

Mental Golf Preparation:

#1. Have a consistent pre-shot routine. The most important part of your mental game is how you prepare your mind. Write down your pre-shot routine and practice it over and over in your mind the same way every time until you can execute it without thinking about it.

#2. Use deep breathing to relax your conscious mind. The second most important part of your mental game is relaxing your conscious mind so you can focus in the moment. Practice deep breathing through your diaphragm until you can focus easily in the present.

#3. Use imagery to practice your golf swing. Practice seeing and feeling your swing in your mind’s eye when you are day-dreaming or as you are drifting off to sleep. When you close your eyes at night, see yourself stroking perfect putts from four feet… seeing the perfect roll of the ball, feeling the perfect rhythm, and hearing the ball drop into the cup over and over.

#4. Change negative thoughts into solutions. Practice changing your perception of potential problem situations on the golf course into opportunities to solve them. See the valuable learning in every situation that you might encounter. Practice being patient and know that you can trust your abilities no matter what situation you find yourself in.

5. Let go of judgment and expectations. Let go of judgment of yourself or others. Do the best you know how in each situation and praise yourself for your effort. Let go of expectations and focus on the present shot. Reinforce your belief in yourself and your game with daily affirmations. (PMI newsletter August 2002). Practice letting go of things you can’t control and focus on what you want to create.

Every sport is the same. When you have not participated in awhile, it is necessary to refresh your mind and body by reviewing the basic set up. In order to be successful at golf, you need to have good fundamentals. These include the grip, posture, stance, ball position, and alignment.
Here are 5 additional easy physical tips for you to use to get you on the right path for lowering your scores this spring.

Physical Golf Preparation:

#1. Be consistent in your set-up for a consistent swing. Stand in front of a full length mirror and check the basics of your set-up; grip, posture, stance, ball position and alignment. If you have to think about any of these parts of your set-up, practice them until you are confident that they are automatically the same every time.

#2. Swing your club repeatedly without a ball. Review your basic fundamental swing mechanics and reacquaint your golf muscles before going to the range to hit full shots. Jack Nicklaus says, “Each year I start the season pretending I’ve never played before.”

#3. Be aware of any tension in your hands and arms. When you think too much about mechanics you grip the club tighter and your forearms tense up. This tension causes swing problems such as poor clubhead speed, an incorrect swing path and faulty clubface
#4. Groove a more controlled swing. Swing with rhythm not brute force. Practice swinging within yourself. Establish your swing tempo by swinging a club with your feet together. If you are swinging too hard and your pace isn’t smooth and rhythmic, you will lose your balance.

#5. Swing the same way with every club. Use the same fluid, effortless swing with every club. Trying to “crush” the ball with the driver will result in tension and a jerky, out of rhythm swing. Swinging freely and smoothly will generate clubhead speed causing the ball to fly further.

If you are using these 5 ways to prepare mentally and 5 ways to prepare physically, and find that you are still having trouble, call me for a complimentary 15-minute consultation at 828-696-2547.

Entrain Your Heart & Brain for Peak Performances!

© Copyright PMI 2011. All Rights Reserved.