If you are on the golf course, be on the golf course....
How To Create A More Consistent Golf Game, By Steve Head.
 As a High Performance Specialist and Sports Coach I am always looking for success strategies that can be applied no matter what your level of ability. If you are a beginner, intermediate or an advanced golfer, I can help you to improve your performance.
Having spent more than twenty years as a sports coach you get to notice the stuff that just works!
This article will help you create a more consistent performance on the golf course.
There are tens of thousands of golfers every week looking forward to their one opportunity to post a good score and probably more importantly, a good round of golf. Those magical four hours on your local golf course that you have waited for and worked for all week.
Does this sound familiar? You arrive at the club having sorted the kids, taken the dog for a walk and filled your head with all of the other things that you really should be doing instead of playing golf. You put your shoes on in the car park (who has time to go to the changing room?) grab your clubs and your trolley and rush to the first tee thinking “I hope I don’t have a nightmare round like I did last week!”
No time to stretch and warm up, at least not properly. You take out a ball and tee it up. You swing, you hit, and you hope………
As the ball surges towards the trees you get that sinking feeling. All you wanted was a good solid start and already you’re looking at a double bogey and you haven’t even left the first tee.
So what can you do to create a more enjoyable and consistent game?
Well, firstly let’s accept that the family and life in general will not go away. Over the past few months many golf magazines have focused on a key strategy that all consistent and high performing professional golfers use…the concept of “one shot at a time.” You’ll hear pro’s saying “I just focus on my game and not the scoreboard…Tiger says it a lot.
The question for us mere mortals is HOW?
If you are on the golf course, be on the golf course.
Step 1
The night before you play or on the morning of your game, write down a list of your chores for the day and ideally the time that you plan to do them. Then fold it up and put it somewhere safe. The idea here is to free up your mind for the task in hand. We often do this at work, why not for golf?
Step 2
When you go through your normal routine when setting up to a shot, take notice of what your inner voice is saying to you. How are you talking to you? Is your inner voice supportive or negative? If you have just played a bad shot I am willing to bet your inner voice is not working in your best interest.
Here’s a quick technique to get rid of that negative self talk.
Allow yourself a few seconds to focus on the last time you hit the club in your hand brilliantly. The great thing about golf is that we have all hit some great shots. These are the ones we tell all of our friends about over and over again because we were so delighted. Well, focus on that shot just for a second and remember how it felt.
Step 3
Be clear about where your target is. Bob Rotella, one of the tour’s greatest psychology coaches is really clear about the need to focus on one specific thing to aim for. The flag, a shade of grass on the fairway, a mark on the green. Be really clear where you are aiming and as you set up to take your shot commit completely and totally to the shot and the target you have chosen. Remember, more often than not the ball will head towards the last thing you focus on.
So many times I hear a weekend golfer say “Whatever I do here I don’t want to hit the ball in the water” This is usually a sure fire way to get your ball in the wet stuff!
Step 4
Make it your number one goal for the round to focus on one shot at a time. You will have heard this before but let me explain what I mean.
There are so many distractions when playing golf. You have your past experience (possibly a bad shot) you have the future (I need to make a birdie or my handicap will go up) etc.etc.
As literally hundreds of thoughts run through your mind you find the shot is played and you weren’t even there!
For twenty years I coached County and National squash players. Squash is a frantic game and in some ways you have a lot less time to let your mind wander. If you look at a squash ball there are two yellow dots on it. (On pro balls). I always asked my players to look for the dots. This takes great concentration and forces you to be right there in the moment.
So as you stand over your golf ball look at the detail on it. Look at the club face and the sweet spot. Also, and most importantly, notice your breathing. Take a couple of deeper breaths and as you breathe out you will notice how much more calm you feel.
Now with this state, make the swing and most importantly, accept that the result is what it is, good or bad. Even Tiger makes errors….
So, in summary:
- Clear your mind of daily tasks and distractions.
- Focus on your best shot ever and remember how it felt.
- Have a very specific target to aim for.
- Commit fully to the target and the shot.
- Focus your attention on the detail of the ball and your breathing.
- Make the swing.
- Accept the outcome and move on.
Practice these techniques and you will develop a more consistent game.
Enjoy your golf!
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As one of the UK's most sought after performance and coaching specialists, Steve Head has 16 years experience in the field of business management, people leadership, product marketing, selling and training. Add to this his 20+ years experience as a top sports coach and Steve's knowledge and skills cover a spectrum as broad as it is long.