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THE SUMMER OF 2016.
- Two more Clinics in June. Please check it out on the “Event” page.
- An Marie is available in Stockholm, Sweden as of June 20 and until July 25! Hope to see you all there OR I’m looking forward to reconnect in LA after 7/25/16.
- HAPPY SUMMER!
TIME FOR REFLECTION
Another year has almost gone by and it might be time to summarize our experiences, knowing where we are in the game and setting new goals.
Some questions you may want to ask yourself:
- How much time did I spend practicing my full swing?
- How much time did I spend on the 100 yard game?
- How much time did I spend on putting practice?
- How much time did I spend improving my mental part of the game?
- An analysis of an 18 hole game could look like:
Score 75-80 Score 100
23% 18% Tee shots – Full swings
20% 20% Fairway shots – Full Swings
17% 27% Approach shots – Pitches
40% 35% Chipping and Putting
It is commonly known that the shots we have from 100 yards and in represents between 50% and 75% of the game and we still continue to spend most practice time on the driving range. I have reflected on this before in an article called “How can I play better golf”
If you ask almost any golfer how important the mental part of the game is, he or she will probably tell you that he/she believes that 80% – 90% of the game is mental. So how come we don’t spend more time improving that part of the game, as we know so well that this is the clue to consistency and lower scores?
So what should we look for?
- What’s my motivation?
- What do I expect from my game? How do I manage my expectations?
- Do I have established routines?
- How do I stay focused during my game?
- Do I stay in the present moment?
- Can I master my emotions?
Motivation!
I suggest you make a list of reasons WHY you play golf. Evaluate your “Whys” on a scale from 1-10 and bring that piece of paper with you on the golf course. Look at it the next time you get upset or frustrated during a game.
Expectations!
Know where you are in your game and be realistic about your game. Manage your expectation and accept YOUR game without comparison to other golfers. Eliminate perfectionism. The game has the handicap system for a reason.
Routines!
Establish Pre-shot and Post-shot routines. The Pre-shot routine will help you stabilize motor pattern and add consistency to you game and the Post-shot routine will help you to regroup and get back to your rhythm.
Focus and stay in the Present!
Chat with your friends in between shots, eat snacks and drink every so often but when it’s your turn to swing you need to enhance your focus. You can use your senses, slow breathing, visualization, self-hypnosis, meditation – anything that can get you in the zone.
Emotions!
Master your emotions and try not to become too up or too down. After all – it’s just a game! Reinforce your good shots and throw the bad shots in the trash-can!
There are courses available on line (and off line) that explains how your brain works and on how to improve your brain activities. I can highly recommend Thinq Golf, which also comes as an app with games to help you pay attention and focus. Mental Edge Golf is another one worth checking into.