In golf many of us find that while practicing we can perform at our peak whether on the driving range or playing with friends, but as soon as it comes down to competitive play, the game we know can be played is nowhere to be seen. In the last few years Sports Psychologists have been included in many professional players entourage and helped improve many players games. Rory Mcllroy himself said he had been working with Dr Bob Rotella a well-respected Sports Psychologist back in May 2021 following his first win in 18 months.
Rotella talks in an article in the Irish Times about how he works on players getting a clear and focused mind.
“I want a very clear, committed mind. Effectively, wipe your mind of everything but where you want the ball to go. A lot of golf is just getting into the present moment and having nothing in your mind, but where you want the ball to go. If you get good at that and love it, you’re going to play pretty darn good golf”.
The article lists some great advice on how to improve the mental side of golf. Here at PlayMoreGolf we list our top 5 things to consider to help you improve your mental golf.
1 - Think one shot at a time
The key is to not look too far ahead and focus on the shot in hand. If you hit a bad shot, don’t beat yourself up, focus on the next as a new challenge. Remember your objective is to succeed in putting the ball in the hole in as fewer shots as possible, it may sound simple, but how many times do we overcomplicate shots or play the high risk option. Follow Dr Rotella’s advice and keep clear minded and stay in the present moment.
2 - Don’t dwell on poor shots
This can be easier said than done but is very much linked to number 1. If you are thinking about your previous shot, you are not fully focussed on your current shot. A psychologist strategy employed by Tiger Wood is the 10 yards rule. After a bad shot you can vent your frustration (most do this internally, a few may shout out loud) at how poorly you have done, but as soon as you have reach 10 yards from the ball you need to make the last shot history. It needs to be totally forgotten and clear from your mind so you can fully focus on the next stroke.
3 – know your limitations
When playing competitively do you think ‘I can make that shot!’ and get it completely wrong. Knowing your limitations is key to make a success of your game and putting you in the right mental spot for your game. Consider how you have been able to hit different shots when practicing. We all feel on the course we can do better, but the key is don’t overextend yourself and practice good course management. Know the course and ideally when playing your best what can you achieve if you break the hole down.
4 – Concentrate on the fundamentals
We have all been there when your game vanishes, and nothing seems to work. The key here is to concentrate on four key fundamentals. Grip, aim, stance and posture. Professionals work on these four aspects all the time at the practice ground, and when something is not working correctly one of these four fundamentals is the main trigger to get you back on track. Focus your mind on these things and your game will improve.
5 – Have the same pre-shot routine
Now this one is something that you may already have, or you do certain things before each shot, but you never do consistently. If you watch the best players in the world, they all have a pre-shot routine, each unique, no one better than the other but what it does is help focus the mind and the task at hand and help with muscle memory. It helps encompass all the points before. It allows you to focus on the fundamentals, forget about all the shots previously and puts you in the moment so you are focusing on that one shot you are about to do. The Left Rough has a great blog Pre-Shot Routine 101: The Most Important Golf Fundamental you Probably Forget which is well worth a read.
If you have any hints or tips on what works for you on the golf course we would love to hear from you. To get that practice in, why not explore all the PlayMoreGolf clubs that are available to join or to use your Flexi Points at. Get fit, get active and improve that mental side of golf!