{"id":2767,"date":"2018-03-01T16:16:05","date_gmt":"2018-03-01T19:46:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/positivementalimagery.com\/blog\/?p=2767"},"modified":"2018-03-01T16:16:05","modified_gmt":"2018-03-01T19:46:05","slug":"how-can-i-have-more-control-in-my-golf-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/positivementalimagery.com\/blog\/how-can-i-have-more-control-in-my-golf-game\/","title":{"rendered":"How can I have more control in my golf game?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Breathe deeply for greater relaxation and focus<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Manage your emotions<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not your feelings that cause you problems.\u00a0 It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Your emotions are a natural expression of being human. Through your life\u2019s experiences you have learned to react with certain emotions to certain situations.\u00a0 Most everyone reacts to a hole-in-one with exuberant excitement and joyous body movements.\u00a0 While this is a good feeling emotion, it isn\u2019t necessarily helpful to be this excited because it makes the next swing more difficult.\u00a0 In the same way you release anger after a missed shot, you need to release the thoughts of excitement surrounding this perfect shot.\u00a0 Know that your thoughts control your emotions and you can control your emotions at any time by changing your perception.\u00a0 So instead of expecting your hole-in-one to produce a low score, calm down and stay focused on resuming your strategy.<\/p>\n

A lot of golfers express feelings of frustration, embarrassment, and humiliation on the golf course by getting angry.\u00a0 We get angry most of the time because things don\u2019t go our way.\u00a0 We feel afraid that we have lost control of the situation and feel unworthy.\u00a0 Holding on to anger will sabotage your performance.\u00a0 Know that there is always another way to look at a situation.\u00a0 Change your thoughts and you will change your emotions.<\/p>\n

Manage your self-talk<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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.\u00a0 Talk to yourself as if you were your best friend, nurturing, and affirming yourself as a winner.\u00a0 Make your internal voice pleasing, deep, slow, and loving.<\/p>\n

Manage your thoughts<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Playing at your peak performance levels means managing your thoughts and emotions to your best advantage.\u00a0 While most people think these are two separate entities, they are entwined.\u00a0 In order to have control over your swing and your golf game, you need to have control of your thoughts and feelings.<\/p>\n

How do you control your thoughts? You are the only thinker in your mind.\u00a0 It is up to you to choose what you want to think. The only thing you can control is yourself.\u00a0 Do not give any mental or emotional energy to what you cannot control.\u00a0 This includes the condition of the golf course, the weather conditions, your playing partners\u2019 behavior or their scores.\u00a0 Spend your energy on preparing for your shot, sticking to your game plan, your own awareness, and changing negative perceptions to positive thoughts.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Tips for having control of your golf game<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Never give up.<\/li>\n
  2. Make a plan and stick to it.<\/li>\n
  3. Let go of expectations.<\/li>\n
  4. Give yourself permission to make mistakes.<\/li>\n
  5. After a mistake, slow down and breathe deeply.<\/li>\n
  6. Know your skill level and play percentage shots.<\/li>\n
  7. Be flexible.\u00a0\u00a0 Golf is full of surprises.<\/li>\n
  8. Use positive self-talk throughout the round.<\/li>\n
  9. Use the same pre-shot routine on every shot.<\/li>\n
  10. Maintain your arousal level.<\/li>\n
  11. Give up self-judgment and analysis on the course.<\/li>\n
  12. Play from your heart.<\/li>\n
  13. Play for your own enjoyment.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Play \u201cin the zone\u201d with Joan<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    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\u00a0www.pmi4.com\/cart<\/a><\/p>\n

    If you aren\u2019t able to maintain trust and belief in yourself on the golf course, email Joan at\u00a0pmi4@bellsouth.net<\/a>\u00a0or 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.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/em><\/strong>\u201cTHE HEART OF GOLF, Access Your Supreme Intelligence for Peak Performances<\/em><\/strong>\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/span> 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

    This instructional book for transforming your life and your golf game\u00a0is available now on\u00a0www.AmazonKDP<\/a> and http:\/\/amzn.to\/2znB4tN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/strong>All royalties will be donated to Junior Golf!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Breathe deeply for greater relaxation and focus\u00a0 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 … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-minute-mental-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/positivementalimagery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/positivementalimagery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/positivementalimagery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/positivementalimagery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/positivementalimagery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2767"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/positivementalimagery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2767\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2769,"href":"https:\/\/positivementalimagery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2767\/revisions\/2769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/positivementalimagery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/positivementalimagery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/positivementalimagery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}