Golf Mental Challenge

The Golf Mental Challenge is all about managing your thinking, emotions and behaviour throughout your golf game.

No matter what level you play, this is the great challenge of golf. You will always be developing and working on every aspect of your game. Including your golf mental game, thinking, your body, your physiology, your emotions, your golf swing, course management and strategy.

Obviously when we talk about your mental game the reality is your mind, body and emotions are intertwined through your neurology. They each impact the other in what is sometimes referred to in neuro linguistic programming as a cybernetic loop.

Here are some tips to help you with your golf mental game:

Create a consistent game. Consistency comes by having consistent thinking, emotions and behaviour throughout your game. Have a consistent pre-shot routine. If you are interrupted, stop, take three deep breaths and start again from the beginning.

Slow down, take your time. Set your own pace throughout your game. This counts when making a shot, in your golf swing, and walking between shots. Rushing creates mistakes. Unforced errors and unnecessary extra strokes.

Maintain focus and concentration. Focus on what you want. Play to your target. Only play the shot at hand. Focus on your breathing and be totally present. Commit to a shot one hundred percent. If it does not look or feel right, start again.

Stay relaxed. Less is more. Conserve your energy. Including emotional energy. Trust your swing. Tell yourself - relax - that's right. Regularly shake your hands out and stretch to let go of any tension.

Develop your rhythm and timing. Go with your natural rhythm, follow your breathing. Tap into your natural golf swing. Breathe in on the back swing and breathe out through your downswing, through the ball to the target.

Be ready to play from the first tee. Have a pre game routine of imagining the game you want to play. Practice a couple of shots with your driver, long and short irons, then head to the practice green for some putting. Get the feeling right for the day. Give yourself plenty of time, do some stretches and be relaxed.

Give yourself a greater chance of placing a shot where you want it to go. See where you are going to hit the ball. Where you want it to land. See the shot in your mind. Tell yourself exactly what you want to happen, feel what it is like when it has happened.

Overcome a bad shot with ease. Manage your emotions. If a shot does not work, say to yourself emphatically - next! Let it go there and then, move on to the next shot.

Reinforce great shots. Reward yourself. Really anchor that feeling of satisfaction into your brain and neurology by saying something like - yes or that's right - to yourself.

Have confidence. Confidence comes from being clear about what you want and setting yourself up for success and lots of wins. One shot at a time. Play for accuracy over distance. Play smart. Stay or get back into play.

I hope these tips really help your golf game.

Golf is a sport of excellence. Have a golf mental game of excellence. Play to the spirit of the game, be driven to continually improve. The first step is to be aware of your strengths and self sabotage. Work on your golf mental game, your thinking on the course, emotional management, your golf swing and skills.