The best state for performing to your golf game potential is when your body is relaxed and your mind is alert and focused. Deep breathing is the way to access this state.

“Natural Relaxed Breathing* 

THE WAY YOU breathe can directly affect your emotional state. Changing your breathing can change your thoughts and emotions. Paying attention to your breath is a vehicle for releasing stress and allowing the body to find its balance. Your breathing is a good indicator of your feelings and thinking patterns. Proper breathing can relieve stress-related symptoms, such as performance anxiety. It is important to keep your breathing even for consistent golf.

When you are anxious, your body gives you signals such as perspiration, tightness or pain in the stomach, rapid heartbeat, short breaths, raw throat, and clammy, shaky hands. When you are relaxed your breathing will be deep, regular, comfortable, smooth, and easy instead of shallow, rapid, and irregular.

When frustrated or angry, most people breathe in, tense their bodies, and hold their breath. When there is tension the body cannot move smoothly and efficiently. Tension can cause a variety of swing problems, including poor club head speed, an incorrect swing path, and faulty clubface alignment at impact. Instead of producing a smooth, effortless, easy swing, the anxious golfer uses brute force resulting in a fast, jerky, hard swing.

Causes of Tension

Being tense can be caused by being ball bound. This means that you are so fixated on the golf ball that you automatically tense up when you put your club behind the ball at address. The result is hitting at the ball instead of swinging through it. This causes tension in your wrists, arms and shoulders, which destroys your rhythm and reduces your sense of feel. A good way to access feeling the swing is to practice swinging a golf club with your eyes closed.

Practice Natural and Efficient Breathing

Breathing is the most important physiological function of your body. You can live forty days without food, ten days without water, but only four minutes without oxygen.

If you watch a baby breathe, or watch someone who is sleeping, you will see this relaxed, natural breathing. As you breathe in through your nose, notice that your stomach protrudes on the inhale and falls on the exhale.

We have been taught to relieve tension by sucking in our stomachs, taking in a big breathe and letting our chest and shoulders rise. This actually creates tension and tightness in your chest and shoulder muscles. In golf we need to have these muscles relaxed so we can make a full shoulder turn to set up the torque for maximum golf club acceleration.

Deep breathing is the key to relaxation. The more you relax, the better you feel. The more you relax, the better you play. The more you relax, the easier it is to focus. And the more you relax, the more powerful your mind is.

My personal preference to relax and focus before hitting any shot on the golf course is to take in three deep breaths through my nose during my preshot routine. I take in one deep conscious breath each for my mind, body and spirit.   

Be in the Moment

With a simple activity of controlled breathing you are helping your body to move to a higher vibratory state of being where tension and worry change. When you are not attached to a situation and let it go, you are in the moment of stillness that resides between the in breath and out breath, and you feel calm. With this awareness your whole physiology begins to change.

There is a natural rhythm when you go within. Being in the zone state is like being in the flow of a river. When you go against the river, it is challenging. When you are in your natural flow of rhythm within, life and your golf game proceed easily. This is how you shift and transform into your true self where there is only gratitude, joy, and happiness. You become more aware of your senses, which give you the guidance you need to execute your golf shot.”

Improve your breathing technique and relaxation skill by listening to the PMI self-hypnosis CD “Progressive Relaxation of the Mind & Body” in the privacy of your own home. All eight PMI self-hypnosis CDs begin with guided breathing techniques for focus and relaxation. Order today at http://www.pmi4.com/cart

*Excerpts are from Chapter 10: Deep Breathing; “THE HEART OF GOLF, Access Your Supreme Intelligence for Peak Performances.”

This guide book for transforming your life and golf game is available now on

www.AmazonKDP and http://amzn.to/2znB4tN

All royalties will be donated to Junior Golf!

If you aren’t able to maintain focus and relaxation on the golf course, email Joan at pmi4@bellsouth.net or call 828.696.2547 for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation about developing a new strategy. Learn what is missing in your golf game so you can achieve the success you desire.

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

© PositiveMentalImagery 2018– All Rights Reserved

Plan your work and work your plan, is a mental strategy you can develop to improve your golf performances. Since golf is a game, I choose to use the word play instead of work.

Even if you have played your home golf course for years, you can learn how to score lower and choose more accurate decisions when you plot out your best strategy for playing each hole. The challenge then is to see how well you can carry out your strategy and achieve the results obtainable in your plan.

Actions speak louder than words and the Nike Just Do it! are also well known phrases. Before the golf season is in full swing, why don’t you take action and analyze the way you play your home golf course?

PGA and LPGA Tour players have a hole by hole playbook to refer to even though they might have played a course many times. Play a practice round without keeping score, to plot the best possible route for your personal game. Your GPS would be helpful to determine distances. Put together your personal playbook by drawing a sketch of each hole and green, recording the pertinent information for each one.

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 plan it is easy to beat yourself. Professionals and competitive amateurs have a written strategy 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 size, shape, slope and speed of the green?

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

1. 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 part of the fairway is and hit to the largest landing area. This may require using a 3-wood instead of a driver. Know exactly how far it is to avoid the fairway bunkers.
   3. Use the same pre-shot routine on every shot. You will have more consistent results if your routine is consistent. Then your brain will know exactly what to do.
   4. Consider the risk vs. reward. When you plan your shot, allow for a margin of error.
   5. Long shots into the green. Hit to the center of the green.
   6. 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.
   7. 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. Short par 4’s usually have subtle trouble. Use less than a driver for position play.
   8. 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.
   9. Remain positive. Indecision is the enemy of golfers. There are many ways to be indecisive, not just in club selection. Make a mental blueprint of your path to the hole. Decide on a specific target area for each shot and aim at it. Believe in your ability to hit it there!
   10. Stick to your game plan.  If you are behind in your plan, don’t press and try harder. Be patient. Make up your mind that everything has happened to help you.

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

To train your brain to play your best golf, listen to Positive Mental Imagery self-hypnosis guided imagery CDs in the privacy of your own home, available at www.pmi4.com/cart 

If you aren’t able to maintain trust and belief in yourself on the golf course, email Joan at pmi4@bellsouth.net or call 828.696.2547 for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation about developing a new strategy. Learn what is missing in your golf game so you can achieve the success you desire.

“THE HEART OF GOLF, Access Your Supreme Intelligence for Peak Performances” explores and explains negative emotions such as fear and performance anxiety, the four Cs of mind blockage, the four progressive stages of learning the supreme intelligence of the heart, and the way to access the zone in competition. It is a player’s guide for developing your true inner self by returning to the joy and love of self instead of seeking praise and rewards from the outside world.

This guide book for transforming your life and golf game is available now on

www.AmazonKDP and http://amzn.to/2znB4tN

All royalties will be donated to Junior Golf!

Daylight Saving Time has sprung forward giving golfers an extra hour of daylight to play golf. It also means that now is the time to prepare mentally and physically for your return to the golf course.

When you have not played in awhile, it is necessary to refresh your mind and body by reviewing the basics of the golf swing. In order to be successful at golf, you need to have mastered good basic fundamentals. These include the grip, posture, stance, ball position, alignment, pre-shot and post-shot routines. Review your basic mechanics and reacquaint your golf muscles before going to the range to hit full shots. Jack Nicklaus said, “Each year I start the season pretending I’ve never played before.”

Why have a pre-shot routine?  (www.pmi4.com, Archived Newsletters, February 2005)

• The pre-shot routine prepares your mind to hit a shot.
• A consistent pre-shot routine will produce consistent results.
• The pre-shot routine moves you from the thinking phase to the automatic doing phase.
• It keeps you engrossed in the moment and your thoughts away from the pressure of the results.
• It is a signal to the unconscious mind to get ready to perform.
• It is a series of actions to get you totally absorbed in the routine process of getting the ball to the target. 

Why have a post-shot routine?

Your post-shot routine is just as important mentally and emotionally as your pre-shot routine. The post-shot routine helps you to build positive mental consistency. After the shot is hit, the routine prepares your mind to anchor a good shot or to let go of a missed one. Our minds are very active and the memories we remember the most are the ones connected to good feelings or negative feelings. Repetition of a positive post-shot routine will result in establishing the mechanics for more self confidence. A positive post-shot routine will help you to maintain your arousal level and prepare you mentally, emotionally and physically for your next shot.

• Establish the mechanics of confidence with your mental, physical, reactions to a shot or putt.
• File the memory of a good shot in your unconscious with an inner smile and warm feelings of success.
• Release the memory of a poor shot by staying non-judgmental and not emotionally reacting to it.
• Take practice swings until you feel the swing that you had intended. What you don’t want to do is go to your next shot with the memory of your missed shot in the forefront of your brain because it will be repeated. By finding your rhythm you will forget about the poor shot and focus on feeling your tempo for the next shot.

Mechanics of establishing a post-shot routine:

1. Release the frustration and anger with a swear word. It has been proven that this works.
2. Take a deep breath to calm your mind and release body tension.
3. Do not try and analyze what went wrong with your swing.
4. Step aside and swing the club you used until you feel the swing you desired.
5. Focus on accessing your timing and tempo.
6. Visualize the ball going to the target.
7. Anchor the good feelings and visualize your perfect shot.
8. Don’t move on down the fairway until you have completed your post-shot routine.

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

To train your brain to play your best golf, listen to Positive Mental Imagery self-hypnosis guided imagery CDs in the privacy of your own home, available at www.pmi4.com/cart

For more information about how to play with a better mental game for lower scores and more enjoyment on the golf course, email Joan at pmi4@bellsouth.net or call 828.696.2547 for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation. Learn what is missing in your golf game so you can achieve the success you desire.

“THE HEART OF GOLF, Access Your Supreme Intelligence for Peak Performances” explores and explains negative emotions such as fear and performance anxiety, the four Cs of mind blockage, the four progressive stages of learning the supreme intelligence of the heart, and the way to access the zone in competition. It is a player’s guide for developing your true inner self by returning to the joy and love of self instead of seeking praise and rewards from the outside world.

This guide book for transforming your life and golf game is available now on

www.AmazonKDP and http://amzn.to/2znB4tN

All royalties will be donated to Junior Golf!

“OUTCOME VS. PROCESS THINKING*

Focusing on the process means staying in the moment, concentrating on one shot at a time, and thinking only about the things you can control. The process-oriented golfer knows he cannot control anything outside of himself. Process-oriented golf means thinking about what you want to do (the process of doing it) versus worrying about where your shot will go or what will happen (the outcome of your score).

Focusing on results means that golfers think about the consequences of miss-hits and the trouble on the golf course. Their concentration then wanders to “what if” thinking which causes tension and anxiety and creates the miss-hit the golfer is trying to avoid.

Examples of results thinking are; trying to shoot a certain score, trying to better your lowest score, trying to hit a certain number of fairways or greens, trying to have a certain number of putts, or trying to avoid penalty strokes. It is the ability of the golfer to stay in the moment on every shot and putt that allows him to play at his peak performance level.

You are the only thinker in your mind. It is important in golf to decide to think in the present moment instead of thinking about the trouble or what might happen.  The best way to shift from outcome to process thinking is by developing a consistent and easily repeatable pre-shot routine.

Tips for focusing in the process:

• Be aware when you are feeling anxious. It is a sign that your mind is wandering into outcomes.
• Refocus on your pre-shot routine. Pause, take a deep breath or two and begin your routine again.
• Make a decisive club selection and target.
• Visualize and feel the shot.
• Maintain your arousal level.
• Take a deep breath to relax before and after each shot.
• Relax your mind between shots.

Golf is a game that is played for the unlimited challenges that it provides. To play at your personal best means to play for the fun and love of the game. Choose to play for the challenge of each shot (process-oriented) and not let the pressure to perform for score (results-oriented) determine your round. Your results can be enjoyed afterwards at the 19th hole.”

Excerpts are from Chapter 15: Concentration; “THE HEART OF GOLF, Access Your Supreme Intelligence for Peak Performances” 

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

If you aren’t able to maintain trust and belief in yourself on the golf course, email Joan at pmi4@bellsouth.net or call 828.696.2547 for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation about developing a new strategy. Learn what is missing in your golf game so you can achieve the success you desire.

“THE HEART OF GOLF, Access Your Supreme Intelligence for Peak Performances” explores and explains negative emotions such as fear and performance anxiety, the four Cs of mind blockage, the four progressive stages of learning the supreme intelligence of the heart, and the way to access the zone in competition. It is a player’s guide for developing your true inner self by returning to the joy and love of self instead of seeking praise and rewards from the outside world.

This guide book for transforming your life and golf game is available now on

www.AmazonKDP and http://amzn.to/2znB4tN

All royalties will be donated to Junior Golf!

The decisions we make in our lives reflect the choices we make. This is especially true on the golf course. Although we have hit each club in the bag hundreds of times, every situation on the course requires a new decision.

Indecision is the enemy of golfers 

Golfers know that being indecisive usually causes missed shots and putts. When your mind says one thing and your heart (feeling) says another that is indecision and doubt. In the full swing, indecision causes you to swing harder and faster, thus losing your rhythm. When putting, indecision brings on the dreaded decel; deceleration of the putter stroke causes the ball to veer off line.

Indecision will sabotage your shot

Suppose that you have decided that it is a 5-iron that you need to hit to the green. If you had hit over the green into trouble the last time you hit that club, you probably will experience some fear and will think about hitting a 6-iron. Or you think the distance is between clubs and you don’t have confidence in either club. Fear is always an emotion experienced in the past. The power of a fear thought limits your willingness to trust yourself.

Choose to use a decisive thought for good results

You must believe that the club in your hand is the right one for the shot you are about to hit. If you are unsure, act as if it is the right one. This will shut out the self-talk doubt and fear thoughts and give a powerful, decisive message to your subconscious mind about what you want to happen.

A golf swing happens now in the present. Don’t bring past fears or future anxieties of what might happen into your pre-shot routine. Be decisive. If you believe it is the right club you have a much better chance of creating a good swing. Brad Faxon said: “It’s more important to be decisive than correct.” If you are decisive……….you are correct.

Choose to use positive words for good results

One of the options to use when you are inbetween clubs is to shorten your grip on the club which shortens the length of the swing. Golfers say that they choke down on the club in this situation. Your unconscious mind will interpret this as strangling/squeezing the life out,  which will cause you to grip the club tighter. Your subconscious mind is very susceptible to suggestion. Be careful of the words you use in your golf vocabulary as they will directly impact your results.

Choose to use positive affirmations for good results

As you look down the fairway visualizing a perfect shot with the perfect club, fire in your affirmation. Remember that an affirmation is always stated in the present, such as, “I am swinging with ease and confidence,” or “I am hitting the ball at my target,” or “I am positive this is the best club for this shot.”

Harvey Penick was quoted saying, “Once you address the golf ball, hitting it has to be the most important thing in your life at that moment. Shut out all thoughts other than picking out a target and taking dead aim at it.”

Choose to create your success anew

Success is never the same two rounds in a row. One day you might have a hole-in-one, and the next day you might be successful scoring lower than you did with the hole-in-one.

Success will give you confidence, but success is fleeting. You have to start over again in the next round. Instead of trying to duplicate your success, be decisive, have patience, enjoy the moment, and watch miracles happen.

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

To train your brain to play your best golf, listen to Positive Mental Imagery self-hypnosis guided imagery CDs in the privacy of your own home, available at www.pmi4.com/cart

If you aren’t able to maintain trust and belief in yourself on the golf course, email Joan at pmi4@bellsouth.net or call 828.696.2547 for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation about developing a new strategy. Learn what is missing in your golf game so you can achieve the success you desire.

“THE HEART OF GOLF, Access Your Supreme Intelligence for Peak Performances” explores and explains negative emotions such as fear and performance anxiety, the four Cs of mind blockage, the four progressive stages of learning the supreme intelligence of the heart, and the way to access the zone in competition. It is a player’s guide for developing your true inner self by returning to the joy and love of self instead of seeking praise and rewards from the outside world.

This guide book for transforming your life and golf game is available now on

www.AmazonKDP and http://amzn.to/2znB4tN

All royalties will be donated to Junior Golf!

Have you ever played a round of golf without making a mistake?

Tour Pros who are the best golfers in the world, average hitting fairways only 60% of the time.  Amateur scratch golfers average 10.26 greens hit per round. However, their short games for getting the ball up and down make up for the misses. The average Tour Pro does not sink more than 20% of the balls from 9 feet with his first putt, and 12% from 12 feet. The best putters on Tour only make 2 out of 5 putts from 10-15 feet.

We are used to watching the final rounds of the Pro Tour and seeing these pro athletes perform at their highest potential levels. The above statistics are the average for all the pros over a four-day tournament. The percentages for amateur golfers is considerably less, but we often think we can perform like these pros who have the best equipment, technology, talent and put in the most hours seeking perfection.

Expectations

Whether you are a new golfer or have been playing for a long time, a strong mental golf game requires letting go of your 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 to 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 seven suggestions for managing your expectations on the golf course:

1. 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.
2. 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 putting pressure on yourself to perform.
3. 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. Develop a mindset to focus on relaxation and on the steps of your pre-shot routine to stay in the present.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Don’t count the strokes, make the strokes count!
7. Stay confident by believing in your abilities.  All golfers, including the Tour Pros make embarrassing mistakes due to their expectations of hitting the perfect shot. Let go of shots and putts that don’t meet your expectations and concentrate on accessing the abilities that you know you have.

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

To train your brain to play your best golf, listen to Positive Mental Imagery self-hypnosis guided imagery CDs in the privacy of your own home, available at www.pmi4.com/cart

If you aren’t able to maintain trust and belief in yourself on the golf course, email Joan at pmi4@bellsouth.net or call 828.696.2547 for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation about developing a new strategy. Learn what is missing in your golf game so you can achieve the success you desire.

“THE HEART OF GOLF, Access Your Supreme Intelligence for Peak Performances” explores and explains negative emotions such as fear and performance anxiety, the four Cs of mind blockage, the four progressive stages of learning the supreme intelligence of the heart, and the way to access the zone in competition. It is a player’s guide for developing your true inner self by returning to the joy and love of self instead of seeking praise and rewards from the outside world.

This guide book for transforming your life and golf game is available now on

www.AmazonKDP and http://amzn.to/2znB4tN

All royalties will be donated to Junior Golf!

Breathe deeply for greater relaxation and focus 

Breathing is the number one key to having more control of your body. In the Olympics we saw Lindsey Vonn taking short rapid breaths which caused an adrenalin rush to increase her energy for her downhill ski run. We watched biathlon athletes combine cross-country skiing and rifle sharp-shooting. After skiing several miles, they trained themselves to slow down their breathing rates in order to be able to shoot calmly for accuracy at targets 50 meters away.

Control of the body while playing golf is not done by force. Control is accomplished by becoming relaxed and imagining and visualizing what you intend. This is a function of your subconscious mind which is accessed through deep breathing.

Manage your emotions

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. When you lose control of your emotions, that anxiety and tension is transferred into the golf swing.

Your emotions are a natural expression of being human. Through your life’s experiences you have learned to react with certain emotions to certain situations.  Most everyone reacts to a hole-in-one with exuberant excitement and joyous body movements.  While this is a good feeling emotion, it isn’t necessarily helpful to be this excited because it makes the next swing more difficult.  In the same way you release anger after a missed shot, you need to release the thoughts of excitement surrounding this perfect shot.  Know that your thoughts control your emotions and you can control your emotions at any time by changing your perception.  So instead of expecting your hole-in-one to produce a low score, calm down and stay focused on resuming your strategy.

A lot of golfers express feelings of frustration, embarrassment, and humiliation on the golf course by getting angry.  We get angry most of the time because things don’t go our way.  We feel afraid that we have lost control of the situation and feel unworthy.  Holding on to anger will sabotage your performance.  Know that there is always another way to look at a situation.  Change your thoughts and you will change your emotions.

Manage your self-talk 

If you listen to what golfers say to themselves, it becomes apparent that their self-talk usually is not helpful or affirming. Criticizing and judging yourself causes a mental or emotional downslide as your reactions can become easily magnified and erode your self-confidence. When you continue to replay mistakes and create doubt in yourself, you work yourself into greater emotional turmoil.  Talk to yourself as if you were your best friend, nurturing, and affirming yourself as a winner.  Make your internal voice pleasing, deep, slow, and loving.

Manage your thoughts

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 golf game, you need to have control of your thoughts and 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, your own awareness, and changing negative perceptions to positive thoughts.

It is my belief that it is easier to gain control by thinking through your beliefs, attitudes and possible situations before you encounter them (again) on the golf course. Then you can train your brain and body to be in control and react positively when playing.

Tips for having control of your golf 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. Know your skill level and play percentage shots.
7. Be flexible.   Golf is full of surprises.
8. Use positive self-talk throughout the round.
9. Use the same pre-shot routine on every shot.
10. Maintain your arousal level.
11. Give up self-judgment and analysis on the course.
12. Play from your heart.
13. Play for your own enjoyment.

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

To train your brain to play your best golf, listen to Positive Mental Imagery self-hypnosis guided imagery CDs in the privacy of your own home, available at www.pmi4.com/cart

If you aren’t able to maintain trust and belief in yourself on the golf course, email Joan at pmi4@bellsouth.net or call 828.696.2547 for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation about developing a new strategy. Learn what is missing in your golf game so you can achieve the success you desire.

“THE HEART OF GOLF, Access Your Supreme Intelligence for Peak Performances” explores and explains negative emotions such as fear and performance anxiety, the four Cs of mind blockage, the four progressive stages of learning the supreme intelligence of the heart, and the way to access the zone in competition. It is a player’s guide for developing your true inner self by returning to the joy and love of self instead of seeking praise and rewards from the outside world.

This instructional book for transforming your life and your golf game is available now on www.AmazonKDP and http://amzn.to/2znB4tN

 All royalties will be donated to Junior Golf!

The Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea will be coming to a close on Sunday. We watched as the athletes pushed themselves to their physical limits to see if they could perform at their highest level of excellence and win an Olympic medal. American snowboarder Jamie Anderson, winner of two medals, expressed her Olympic experience as, “Do your best and bless the rest.” However, the enormity of the self-imposed pressure of the games caused some athletes to falter from nervousness.

There will be many opportunities to feel nervous on the golf course. Each golf shot and round of golf is a new experience. It is normal to feel anxious in a situation you haven’t encountered before. Playing golf with a low handicap golfer, playing in a tournament, hitting over water, playing with your boss for the first time, playing in front of a gallery, or trying to break 80, 90, 100 can cause nervousness and miss-management of your emotions.

Everyone playing golf has anxiety at some time. Golfers feel nervous because they worry about the situation they are in. If golfers lack confidence due to lack of practice or experience, they become nervous about what they can do. On the other hand, a little bit of nervousness can be helpful in playing to your potential. It can move you to a higher level of arousal that will motivate you to be focused and more aware than when you are just hitting balls on the range.

“It’s not bad to have butterflies in your stomach, but they should be flying in formation.” –Tommy Bolt, PGA Tour

Fight or Flight Syndrome

The “fight” or “flight” response is the body’s physiological reaction to stress created by thinking fearful thoughts. The body pumps extra adrenalin into the blood stream as its response to the anxiety-provoking situation. This surge of adrenalin energy results in a tightening of muscles, loss of rhythm, loss of balance, and a hurried and jerky golf swing. As everything speeds up, there is not enough time to prepare for the shot.

Ways to manage nervousness

Here are six ways to calm your nerves so they won’t distress your stroke/swing:

1. You are the only one who feels your nervousness. Golfers need to learn that others are much more concerned with their own games than with yours. Focus on your shot and not on what others might think of you.
2. Be aware of the physical sensations. Nervousness is the opposite of being loose and relaxed. Know what upsets you. Know what makes you feel fear, worry, anger, frustration, embarrassment.
3. Be aware of the thought causing the nervousness. If the thought is a fear of embarrassment, know that this is a normal reaction to a missed shot. Instead, smile to change your body chemistry, and learn from your mistake.
4. Relieve the physical tension. Take a couple of practice swings as hard and fast as you can to relieve the physical tension. Follow that with a couple of swings to access and feel your tempo and timing.
5. Take several deep breaths to slow down your mind. The way to relax your body in sports is by controlled breathing. Paying attention to your breath is a vehicle for releasing stress and allowing the body to find its own balance. Proper breathing can relieve stress-related symptoms such as performance anxiety. It is important to keep your breathing even for consistent golf.
6. Change your “what if” thinking to a “so what” thought. The most important thing you can do to relieve nervousness and anxiety is to stay in the moment with your pre-shot routine. Let go thinking of anything you cannot control. Let go of thoughts about the outcome. Trust your process of creating your next shot.

Play “in the zone” with Joan
Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

To train your brain to play your best golf, listen to Positive Mental Imagery self-hypnosis guided imagery CDs in the privacy of your own home, available at www.pmi4.com/cart

If you aren’t able to maintain trust and belief in yourself on the golf course, email Joan at pmi4@bellsouth.net or call 828.696.2547 for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation about developing a new strategy. Learn what is missing in your golf game so you can achieve the success you desire.

“THE HEART OF GOLF, Access Your Supreme Intelligence for Peak Performances” explores and explains negative emotions such as fear and performance anxiety, the four Cs of mind blockage, the four progressive stages of learning the supreme intelligence of the heart, and the way to access the zone in competition. It is a player’s guide for developing your true inner self by returning to the joy and love of self instead of seeking praise and rewards from the outside world.

This book for transforming your life and golf is available now at
http://www.AmazonKDP and http://amzn.to/2znB4tN
All royalties will be donated to Junior Golf!

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

“In the rounds of golf where you are in the zone and everything seems to flow in perfect order, your heart rhythms, blood pressure, and brain waves are entrained, or in sync. When you have a passionate love for what you are doing and are playing at your peak performance level, you have bypassed the fears of the ego.

The power to do this is in the heart. By activating feelings of the heart, you gain powerful insights that we call intuition, or inner wisdom. You intuitively know what to do.

Your mission is to discover and embrace the real you, not the person you think you have to be to be loved or accepted. Your hopes and dreams are waiting for you. Claim what your heart already knows, and turn your dreams into reality. Love is the intuitive knowledge of our hearts. Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learned about limiting our belief in ourselves. When we release the limiting and self-sabotaging thoughts, we free our minds and can return to love.

You will have your share of heartache on the golf course, but it doesn’t have to be a negative. See it as another vitally important experience that is useful to learn from. Then bring your awareness back to your heart to remember why you love to play this intriguing and seductive game.

Every thought and emotion you have produces chemicals and affects your central nervous system. When you are frustrated on the golf course and your body produces adrenaline, there is an easy way to bring your state back to peace and calm by thinking of someone or something you love.

Thoughts and senses of love produce endorphins. What do endorphins do? They calm and relax you. All you need to do to access this state is to move your thinking from your head to your heart. Holding the feeling of love for thirty seconds will balance your hormonal system.

Think about someone or something you love. For example, think about your pet. Imagine your pet giving you its unconditional love by jumping up and down, being excited to see you, licking you and wanting to play with you. With this easy imagery, your heart is filled with love, and the anger you experienced moments ago has dissipated.

Emotions like anger, frustration, and anxiety cause your heart rhythms to become irregular, which causes an energy drain in the brain that results in doubt and insecurity, making it difficult to make decisions. On the other hand, feelings of love, caring, and appreciation increase the access to clear, effective thinking and problem solving. These emotions produce more coherent heart rhythms, thus reducing disorder in the nervous system.

You have probably experienced the separation of mind and body and heart and have called it indecision or doubt. It is when you know in your heart you want to choose a certain club, and your rational mind talks you out of it.

You will be creating at your highest level when the electrical patterns of your heart and mind are entrained. This is done by creating positive attitudes and beliefs in your mind and by feeling emotions of love and fun and in your heart.

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.

Being in the flow or zone happens when a golfer is totally engrossed in the process of playing. Happiness is in the heart, not in the circumstances. The fun happens when the golfer’s mind and heart are entrained in the challenging activity that matches the person’s skills. You forget about yourself and are one with the feeling of euphoria that comes from being in love with playing the game. The mystery is solved, and you want the feeling and game to go on forever!”

*Excerpts are from Chapter 19; The Heart Connection; “THE HEART OF GOLF, Access Your Supreme Intelligence for Peak Performances”

This transformational golf book is available now on

www.AmazonKDP and http://amzn.to/2znB4tN  

All royalties will be donated to Junior Golf! 

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances

To train your brain to play your best golf, listen to Positive Mental Imagery self-hypnosis guided imagery CDs in the privacy of your own home, available at www.pmi4.com/cart

If you aren’t able to maintain trust and belief in yourself on the golf course, email Joan at pmi4@bellsouth.net or call 828.696.2547 for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation about developing a new strategy. Learn what is missing in your golf game so you can achieve the success you desire.