MENTAL LESSON PLAN 1

by Joan King

As we near the end of the very tumultuous and stressful year of 2002, most of you have put your golf clubs away for the winter and become engaged in other activities. But now is the time to formulate and activate your plan for next summer's successes on the golf course. In six months when Spring arrives you will want to be prepared and not waste half of your time trying "to find" your game.

This is the time of year when we are easily distracted with all the activities of the holidays. Developing a game plan for improving yourself for golf will also help to move you through the holidays with more ease and enjoyment.

GOAL SETTING
By now you have heard the number one female golfer in the world, Annika Sorenstam talk about her goal to shoot a score of 54 in one competitive round. The Swedish Golf Federation junior golf program was founded on that belief. Annika was one of those junior golfers. She believes she can do it!

In 2001 Sorenstam won eight times and became the first women to shoot a 59 in competition. She said she worked even harder during the off-season to improve her game. "I'm shooting for a better year… I want to be a better player and that's what I am focusing on," she said. "I believe you can hit 18 fairways, 18 greens and make every putt, so there is room for improvement there already."

In 2002, Annika surpassed her eight LPGA of a year ago with her ninth win October 6th at the Samsung Championship. She already has won almost $2.375 million this year (the only female to earn $2 in one year) and has a shot at reaching $3 million. She is still working on her goals for 2002 saying, "I think I can improve in every area in my game. "So why should you limit yourself? Sky's the limit."

Now is the time to decide what you want from the game of golf. Now is the time to decide upon your goals. Your current thoughts are going to create your future. Write down now what your goal(s) is for next summer. Over the next five months, we will map out the pathways for you to take to get to your destination. For additional information on goal setting, read the Archived PMI Newsletter, Goal Setting, January 2000 www.pmi4.com

Every morning when I ride my bike along the ocean I watch a high-rise condominium building emerging from the barren sand. When it was first started, steel pilings were driven deep into the sand for solid support of the soon-to-be seven storrey building. Every floor was carefully engineered and built with great precision for a structurally sound building. Just as the building needs steel beams and concrete for strength, your body needs strong, flexible muscles to be able to cope with the summer weather conditions over a four-hour period.

CONDITIONING
Gary Player may have been the first pro who realized the value of physical training for golf. He stated, "Arnold, Jack, Lee, Watson and the rest were larger physically, but I made myself so fit that in my mind I was larger than they were. Size is a state of mind."

1. Awareness
Since riding your bike, walking, doing stretching exercises, crunches, etc. are all habitual exercises, that is a good time to practice your mindfulness. What that means is to watch what your mind is thinking. If your mind is bringing up negative thoughts/emotions or racing ahead to what you need to accomplish during the day, bring it back to focusing on what you are doing. Arnold Swartzenegger became the world's champion body builder by using his imagination to visualize in his mind the shape and size of every muscle. Focus your attention on the body part that you want to strengthen, or turn into muscle, or be more flexible. If a part of your body is tight, use imagery to tell your body what you desire. If your hips are tight, see them as a rubber band being stretched to the limit and then becoming flexible as you release the tension.

2. Stretching
Did you ever see a cat or dog stretching? They instinctively know how to stretch. They don't overstretch. They naturally tune up the muscles they will have to use. When you stretch regularly and exercise frequently, you will learn to enjoy the movement of your body. Stretching is a simple, painless way to get ready for any physical activity. It will help you to avoid injuries and perform at your best.

Stretching is good because:

• it reduces muscle tension and makes the body feel more relaxed
• it helps your coordination and allows for a freer golf swing
• it increases your range of motion.
• it prevents injuries like muscle strains
• it promotes circulation
• you can do more physical activity without getting sore the next day
• You get to know parts of your body.

The best times to stretch are:

• in bed upon awakening before the start of the day
• when you feel stiff
• anytime to release tension
• after sitting or standing for a long time
• before and after your round of golf.

3. Weight Training
The U.S. Government has provided guidelines that say we need to exercise aerobically one hour a day at least three times a week to condition our hearts. This is good for maintenance, but for athletes, this is not enough to develop and maintain strong flexible muscles and physical endurance.

• Weight training can be done at home with your own equipment or at an exercise club. Look around for a health club that specializes in strength and flexibility training for golf.
• For the maximum benefit, stretch every day and weight train three times a week. At the end of each session, swing your golf club 10-12 times.
• Weight training will give you more strength and endurance. It will keep you from mental fatigue at the end of a round or tournament. It you practice a lot you won't be stiff and sore the next day.
• Weight training for golfers gives you greater power and consistency. It is not to build big muscles. It will help you to hit the ball further and equalize your strength on both the right and left sides.
• Free weights can be used at home and are excellent for rotator cuff, shoulder, chest, forearm, and wrist muscles.

"We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden." ---Goethe

Entrain Your Heart & Brain for Peak Performance!© Copyright PMI 2002. All Rights Reserved.

***** "Thank you for giving me back my golf game. I have experienced more than 100 percent improvement. My goal was to once again enjoy playhing golf, not be distracted and last but not least, to break 70. I am happy to say, once again I love to play golf. I can concentrate with positive thoughts, execute golf shots with confidence, and I just shot a round of 68. I recommend Joan to everyone who wants to feel good about the quality of his or her golf game, and life." ---VK, Consultant ***** Don't delay! Improve your golf game today! Order PMI self-hypnosis tapes and CDs at http://www.pmi4.com

If this monthly enewsletter has been helpful to you, please forward it to your friends so they can have more fun playing the game of golf while lowering their scores. You can download the previous PMI newsletter issues by logging on at www.pmi4.com

If you have a question or need help with your mental game, email Joan at Positive Mental Imagery, info@pmi4.com Also, please share with us how this website information has helped you improve your performance.