Focus And Concentration

Alex, try to do most of your thinking during your setup to the shot.  Make sure your width of stance and ball position are correct for the club you are playing, your weight is distributed properly, you have the right grip tension, you are bent over the right amount, etc.  Then forget all that, take a deep breath, let it out, then just swing. 

During the swing, try to only have one swing thought, if any.  Maybe just think about starting the bump when the club reaches the top.  Or just think about not letting your left wrist cup.  Whatever.  But just keep it to one thought.  Crowding your mind with too many swing thoughts leads to confusion and paralysis. 

If the shot is a good one or even a mediocre one, compliment yourself.  If it stunk, forget about it (the Surge's 5th law). 

I have always found that intruiging how many times the pros struggle over thier first -say 4-5 footer make or miss and then fairly quickly knock in the next putt even if it also is 4 feet.
It's like they put too much thought and pressure into the first one (for birdy)and then feel like the next is easy because it didn't mean as much (for par). Tiger said to another player in an interview that he approached a putt on Thursday with the same value as a putt to win on 18 on Sunday. The difference in his fist pump on Sunday verses Thursday makes us wonder but the concept of treating all putts with the same calm approach and value seems to be a good thing. I have found that the faster I play and less time I spend marking and lining up my ball the more putts I make. I stopped placing that extra dark line with the magic marker on my ball and more often choose to finish my last putt (even if it went 5 feet by) rather than mark it and wait my turn. This has resulted in a lot more going in. Less thinking and more instinctive.

ALEX:

A few of us on the blog have mentioned our need to focus and learn more about the mental aspect of this wonderful game. I plan to use a bit of this winter to this endeavor. There are many good books and web sites devoted to the subject and that is where I plan to begin. One excellent book mentioned by others is, Your 15th Club, here's a link to it on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Your-15t...

Here is another link to a good web site on the mental side which was passed around.
http://golfstateofmind.com/

Good luck and PMG

Wiz, Nice breakdown on your putting routine. My comment or reply was basically about my full swings on the hole. For example, On my regular course, the 3rd is a relatively short down hill dog-leg right with a lone pine guarding the corner just some 15 yards inside the ob line. On the outward side of the hole sits the original farmhouse,protected by a wooden fence.All of which is also ob. Depending on where the tee markers are on the box, I'll grab either my 5 or  4 iron and if they're set back and I'm into a nice wind my 3H.
My target will always be the same, the second window of the house from the right. Once I pick my alignment spot in front of the ball in my pre-shot routine, I set up to that spot and all I'm thinking about is that window, my target. I normally hit the fairway in the same general area leaving me with a sw or pw into the green.Over the ball I'm concentrating only on my target.
 Seen many a pushed putt by someone trying to guide a  short putt into the hole myself. I  putt about the same way you do,btw. Though I'm also leaning to a long shaft to ease my back, but it doesn't bother me much unless I spend to much time on the putting green awaiting my tee time.

Don,
You need to check the lighting when the camera is running. It gets sort of fuzzy at times.

I remember that one. I guess lack of confidence on the course always gets me to thinking about mechanics instead of just feeling the swing. I will make a note to take on the target mentality during my next round. Thanks!

Steve
I here what you are saying and I can appreciate that  My wonderful wife of 25 yrs is not athletically inclined and will not attempted to play .My 3 kids 1 of my daughters plays every once in a while with her BF and their friends. My son plays 2-3 times a year.

I am back to a point with my game were I was in the mid 1980's single digit hdcp playing in the mid to upper 70's. My thoughts now are at what point do we weekend warriors bottom out at improving. Its taken me a couple of years to get from 80 - 83 range with a handful of rounds in the upper 70's down to mid 70's to upper 70's were I am now. Its going to be tougher to get to the low 70's on a regular basis. I am going to spend the majority of the time on short game next year. I thinking of buying a net to hit balls at home like I did years back. 

 I also just enjoy playing and really do not get wrapped up to much with scores other than I feel that I should be shooting in the 70's on my home course.
The tourneys I am going to play the first month of the season if I am not in the mid 80's I going to go back and play with my buddies. Its to much strain on my confidence to be in the 70's one day and upper 80's to low 90's in tournaments.  

STEVE: FYI:

Not sure what you wanted to show on the Facebook link, but the link is displaying a content not available post.??

Hi James Lee,

I am 64 and play with a number of older gentlemen who took up the game late in life and did not learn the etiquette, like you shouldn't start your cart to while your partner is swinging, or drive it to your ball in his backswing. This is made worse by the fact that some of these fellows have some hearing loss, and they literally are not aware how much noise they are making, such as when they they drop a club into the bag, causing a pinball sound, just as you shoot. On the flip side, I play with some younger golfers of reasonable ability who carry their clubs. They have normal hearing so they have no excuse for letting the clubs clank with every step. Then there are the bozos who drive their cart at a high rate of speed to another tee as you hit, or who noisily look for balls as they play another hole that is next to yours. Why not print your email to Surge out and show it to the guys you play with, as in 'hey guys, look at this email. I can't believe a golf web site printed my email the other day.'
However, I don't think there is any basis for the comment: "Of course, it seems that's also like life today as more and more people in our country have less and less respect for the ones around them."  I was born in Des Moines and have spent many happy hours in the Kansas City area.
I travel a lot and work with people in their 20s through their 50s. I find these people to be at least as sensitive and caring as I was at their age. In fact, because of my advancing years, they actually accord me more respect than I probably deserve.

BobH, St. Petersburg, FL

Alex, great advice from SGW. Too you may work on focusing on your routine and not the results. After the shot ask yourself if you set up and followed your good routine well regardless of the result. Then after quickly acknowledging the results, move on to the next shot which will provide you a new fresh challenge. Easier said than done but this advice has helped me not continue to review a previous shot over and over and then curse myself but  rather move on. I am reminded that my next shot is new opportunity that deserves as much care as the last.

First off, if you haven't viewed it yet, go scroll down and read Lynn42's comment and view the link he gives us there. I've just saved it and moved it to the top of my favorites list. Do it now and then come back if you want to read this or any other comments..........
Did you?...................................................

Okay, now back to todays blog. Awesome subject Surge. It is so true that many if not all of us are often or at some time taken out of the moment by our own heads. I have come to understand that the statement to stay in the moment or take golf "one shot at a time" is needed because our focus can be distracted much easier in golf for many reasons. Most of those reasons are that we are thinking about the past or about the future and not the present. In golf, unlike tennis, football. basketball, hockey, crickett, baseball and many other fast pace games that require continual hand eye and body movement and coordination, we have 8-12 minutes between shots and it only takes less than 2 seconds to perform one swing at a stationary target and then we wait and have another 8-12 minutes or so to contemplate our last shot and our next shot while being distracted and loosing focus for all the time in between. Most sports are reactionary and spontaneous. In golf we are out there 4-5 hours and only actually play about 5% of that time. Golf requires the ability to go from those long moments of "in between" to total focus for maybe 1-2 minutes of preparation, set up and execution. That's why the mental game is so important and needs more attention. I've only recently been reading, listoning and practicing more on the mental side of the game. It's well known that it is this mental strength and focus that truely seperated Jack N. and Tiger W. from the rest of mortal golfers. So it's worth our study and attention.
As for what Steve alluded to, I have a simular experience. Twice lately. Both went down in much the same way. I was on my way to breaking 40 and had several pars in a row (5). My playing partners began to draw attention to this by asking me what was my best score ever. I thought about it and sure enough that was it. I bogied the last 4 holes for a 40. Finally about 1 month ago I broke through and shot my rare 39. Interestigly, that 39 could have been a 36 accept for a double and a bogie added in the last 3 holes of that round. Obviously I have some mental barriers I need to get past. Luke Donald had 6 birdies in a row on his back nine as he got 2 strokes ahead of the field at the season ending Disney that he had to win. No one asked why he only parred the last 3 holes. Had he looked at his score and realized "nobody birdies all 9"?
Who knows, but I believe it is our heads that limit us aside from a fundamentally sound swing.
What to do? I'm on a journey now to not only work on my swing mechanics but also my head.
For those interested, there is further help at www.Golfstateofmind.com
That along with the kind help from Don and other faithful Surgites here are welcome.
PMG with focus

I think for Steve its a loss of focus. I have had those holes were I will have a chip or putt and walk up with out lining it up make the stroke and miss the put or hit a bad shot in general by just going through the motions. To go low we have to stay focused and knock our approaches and chips close and make birdies and pars. Have to have the killer instinct our the Eye of the Tiger. Focus Stevieson.  

Seeing red is definitely not my game and I'd rather be in a state of mind like that in the beautiful video posted by Lynn42 below.   What gets me is that I'm giving these guys sometimes 25 - 30 shots on h'cap so I don't need their self administered h'cap system.   Generally I can shut them out and stay focussed and its only when I'm off my game does it get to me, its only a social club and it does actually help to toughen up my mental game for when I play comp where the niggle is much more subtle.

Awesome. I'll check those out ASAP. The mental part is always my biggest struggle. Just last weekend I went out and my mind was still hung up on what I had been doing wrong lately. After nine holes I was sitting at 52...ugghhhh. I somehow managed to gain some focus on the back nine and pulled 46. At least I got back to bogey golf. I then went and replayed the front nine a second time and shot a 43. A 9 stroke improvement from just finding my groove and managing to stay in it. I just can't find that groove on command yet. ;)

Don't get me wrong I am still going to try and improve. I'm just not going to renew my range membership they raised the price 100.00 to renew. My home course has a range and putting green and pitch and chip green with a bunker and its closer. They also have a 9 hole par 3 course I think the longest hole is 160 and is only 10.00 to play it until you drop.That may be a good option instead of beating range balls all the time.

The range that I had my membership is normally a 15 - 20 minute drive but we have so much road work going on its now a 45 min to a hour drive with traffic backed up.   

You were correct, I had to sign in to Facebook for access. Thanks.

I'm not too familiar with Facebook. I'm registered, but that's about it, just in case someone from my past is looking for me.

The biggest thing on short missed putts I see is really bad optical alignment. Most players aim for a push and  after enough putts right open the shoulder line to try to guide it on target and over do the shoulder spin out and pull it. Basically army putting, left, right, left, right, left, right, ad nauseum. P.S. that isn't something on TV that interrupts shows.

Alex, the other day in a daily in response to a discussion between Robert M & Neil, Surge spoke on the difference between Visualization & Feel versus Mechanics & Fundamentals. One of the key points in the whole session for me is when Surge mentions towards the end about putting( and then later on the overall game) "Where there is a target,there can be no mechanics, Where there is mechanics there can be no target." I am making a concentrated effort these days to focus soley on my target. Once I set that in my mind I try to keep it there and think of nothing else and let my swing just happen.Now when I do make an error, like Jim mentions, I invoke old #5 and think of something pleasant on the way to my ball and precede to "do it right" on the next shot.
It's a work in progress but I'm liking the low pressure and anxiety at the moment.
Like Surge says in that closing, "Mechanics is for the range, feel is for the course", I like the feel of keying on the target.

I made a revealing comment this afternoon after making my last putt of my practice session. It was a 30 footer up hill with a 5 foot right to left break. A guy jokingly asked me if I made those kind of shots on the course. I jokingly replied, "Not when I'm putting for birdie!" And the it hit me that is exactly what Surge said to avoid. The fellow gave me a jolly understanding nod.

When I putt there is no target That is to say I don't try to hit the ball into the hole. What the focus is to roll the ball in the same way as in the "Putting Secrets" video using a parallel left structure.

When I use one of my short putters (37-38") the hands are held high as possible. All of them are bent upright to the legal limit. This reduces the swing arc to the shallowest possible and promotes the on-on-on square and solid strike zone that is much longer than other styles. I want the shaft to point at the sternum when seen down the line.

The shallow club head arc translates to the grip end as well. Since the putter is upright I look almost directly down the shaft line. This allows me to visually see the parallel left line when I practice and take that feel to the course.

As for the stroke there are only the angles created at address. No flexing horizontally, rotating or lifting. The feel of the mechanics is to pull the grip back parallel to the aim line with the back hand and pull the grip through with the forward hand also parallel to the aim line. This creates a very shallow arc that appears to be straight and parallel to the aim line.

When practicing I monitor the pull-pull so it is parallel to the aim line and don't care if the ball goes in or not. I do care that the distance is 18" by the hole if it does miss. When on the course the lining up parallel left and distance the ball needs to go set the feel and the stroke is swung to the feel. Again it does not matter if the ball goes into the hole, only that it rolled down the aim line with the proper speed. I see way too many short putts missed because the person is trying to guide the ball into the hole.

 

Well put Jim.

Boog,

I agree with your mechcnics and feel approach.  When I'm on the course I play my best golf when I forget mechanics and as I put it, "just get out of my own way".  Headed for the door now to go chase that little white ball and I'll let you know later.

 PMGAS, thanks Dragon. ;0)

I challenge any one to use a Kodak Zi8 video camera and come up with any different results without waiting for the exact lighting conditions to occur. Professional grade cameras and lighting equipment are far too expensive and cumbersome to lug around. It is enough that there is the podium, mat, back pack, club board, bag, clubs and camera and tripod to deal with.

Steve this may help your putting woes. LOL

You get home from a long day at work. The kids are bothering you. The
wife is being her lovely self. All you want to do is practice your putt
but you don't have the time to hit the course for a few weeks. Well why
not work out the kinks in your putting game with our new Potty Putter?
It's a true innovation in getting the most out of each trip to the
restroom. Get one for the office and one for home. Finally, you can play
some golf without all those bothersome people. The Bathroom is perhaps
your last bastion of freedom so don't let anyone invade it.

http://www.amazon.com/Potty-Pu...

There are pelicans on the way from California, currently flying through Phoenix right now along with a lot of their topsoil.

Fellow Surgites,

I just received this and thought I'd share it before I head to the course.  Sets the mood for my round.  Enjoy.

http://www.lshs64.com/enjoythe...

I try to putt out where I can especially if I hit it way past the hole and the break is still fresh in my mind, I think I sink at least twice as many 5 - 6 footers second putts (generally for par) than first putts.

Watched this Lynn42 and loved it! Sent it immediately to my daughter in London. Good luck on your round. God Bless you mate in your endeavours on the green sward.

On the topic of concentration or lack thereof: Why do I play better at Matchplay than Strokeplay? Could it be, that my game thrives on the challenge? Perhaps we should add a Matchplay element to our games. Reflecting on past games in competition [as a rotational swinger], in the army. Even 4down with 4 to play on several occasions, still halved the match. Playing one hole at a time,under pressure, seems to bring out the mongrel in me. Hahahaha.
Perhaps imagining that [even during a stroke play round],you are playing matchplay on the side for a treat might stir our loins? Having a target with risk and reward is what makes this game so fascinating. If you have won or lost  by hole.....try and see how many you can win by. If on the losing end, see how many holes you can claw back before the finish to make the deficit less. In match play of course, you lose 6/5 then it is over, but playing in your mind can continue.
Learning from our mistakes, playing to our strengths and the demands of each individual hole needs our total concentration. Never forget, between shots, enjoy the company,scenery and the moment.
Good Luck, God Bless PMGAS
From a sunny but very windy Wgtn NZ

Yes, that is the primary use for most, I reckon, family and friends.

 I however have some very unique past associations that even though I know where they are located, it is there option or privilege to engage any future contact, if there is to be any at all. I am just trying to make it as easy for them to do so as possible.

Hi Surge, I've been watching your videos and have bought many of your products the last couple of years and I definitely always get something from your approach. I'm 69, handicapp right now is about a 5 to 6. I don't have too much problem with any specific area, except for putting which I mainly attribute to lack of practice. With my bad back (3 unrepairable broken discs, L3-4, L4-5 and L5-S1) I can't spend much time on the practice green as that's just a horrible position for my back. So I know I lose a lot of strokes there. In fact, I had a round the other day, I hit 15 greens, 16 fairways and had 38 putts, shooting 78. Anyway, the problem I'd like to hear you address is the players we play with. When I'm playing with players of close to equal handicapp, and they understand the ETHICS of golf I shoot my better rounds, but when I play with friends that just don't care about the finer points of the game I wind up losing focus and just plain not caring what I shoot and just go through the motions (I'm talking about those tht talk in someone's backswing, moving in your through line when you're putting or standing behind you and moving when you're hitting a shot or putting, and the list goes on and on). I find the better players have a lot of respect for the game and their opponents. I try my best to be thick skinned and not let these things bother me but they do and then I get mad at myself for letting them bother me. Have you got any pointers for helping someone, block all this stuff out. I'm know it's a big problem for DJ and the tour players but as I get older it seems to be more and more of a problem. Of course, it seems that's also like life today as more and more people in our country have less and less respect for the ones around them. I enjoy everything you do and glad you recovered from your surgery. Best wishes, Jimmy Lee, Kansas City, Missouri

Good round, Lynn, Mine got washed out today :(

Likewise I never putt a golf ball without lining it up. I just have found that in meticulously taking care to mark it, and line up the added stripe (or the one on most balls now) does not seem to help me. I become too ball concious, if that makes any sense. I still have a complete routine I just don't take as much time remarking the ball and all that. I am better off lining it up and putting out normally verses marking and waiting for others with longer putts. Kind of in harmony with what Craig said that he likes to putt while the line of how the ball rolled by is still fresh.

I have a funny aside on the concentration topic. One day at Papago here in Phoenix I was playing with two buddies I grew up with and we were all scoring close to par and busting each other's chops the entire way around. On the 16th the the fourth we were paired with and a single digit player with ambitions complained that the lively banter was a hindrance to good golf and that we would play better being more serious. One of my buddies teed up first and said he only concentrated on the shot for a minute or so before swinging and proceeded to nail one down the center. I teed up and said that I only concentrate on the shot when over the ball and nailed it down the center also. My other friend teed it up and stated he didn't concentrate at all and airmailed both drives.

This display shook up our fourth so much that he grabbed his clubs and left. The moral to the story is to only concentrate for a really short time and swing the feel. The second idea is to pay attention to what is going on within the group and how the environment is changing through the round. I wouldn't call this concentration as that is active and paying attention is passive. A lot less energy being used. By paying attention you gather the information you need for the shot at hand and then can set the feel and swing the feel.

As with the post below on putting the focus needs to be swinging the feel and to not be overly concerned about the results. That happens when you make the swings needed for the results. This lack of worry about the results is an important part of learning how to score and to shoot lower scores that may be out of one's comfort zone. I would be willing to bet that Sergio got to that place in winning his last two events.

Some of my most creative moments are found in "that" office. Now you know my secret too! Funny stuff Roger :)

Roger:

    There's ONE in every crowd!! LOL

    Amos

Unlike most here, I am not a great golfer  (bogey golf is a good day for me); but I think this mental part of the game is what really gets me. For 18 holes I may or may not do okay on the first hole, then I settle in for 3 or 4 of holes making bogey/par. Then I start falling apart, struggling to make double bogey for 9 or so holes. If I have not gotten to mad at myself, I can usually reign back in for the last two or 3 holes to making bogey/par again. Rarely do most of the shots "feel" good when this mid game mind lapse is occurring. How do you guys get out of your own head (stop over thinking the swing) when this happens? Right now I feel I have the potential to shoot in the mid 80's which I rarely do instead of the mid 90's if I could just leave my brain at the club house.

I can say that when I do "feel" the swing, I do hit it pretty good and it saves my back. At the age of 41, I have spondylolesthesis in my lowest vertebrate. This shifted vertebrate occured in my early thirties and rotational or poor swinging of the club will create pain that lasts for a day or two after a round is complete. So thanks for that. I just need to reign in my brain now ;)

To be honest I thought about quitting all together at the end of last season it seemed like every round I played last year I was in pain.
This year has been different no pain playing other than the pain of not playing well in tournaments. LOL
I have thought about not playing competitive anymore after this last season even though winning 2 tournaments with crappy scores.
I have decided to give it one more season after the way I have been playing the last five rounds.i am starting to give myself more and more birdie opportunities knocking approach close and having fun playing again Besides the people that belong to the tour are a great bunch of people.

The other option instead of playing tourneys is to play the skins game that I played but after following them last Sunday and spending 5 hours behind them that dog is not going to bark.
  

Thanks for sharing that link,my friend!

My Pleasure.  I noticed when I watched it that there just seems to be a lot of Surgism running through it.  It did put me in the right frame of mind for my round today.  I played with a young rotational guy who was struggling with his game ( long and wrong ).  He had taken a lesson early in the week and it had him totally messed up.

He asked if I could see what he was doing wrong and the the number one Surge mistake ( The Big A ) stood out like a sore thumb.  I had him drop the club at his toe line after he lined up and he could not believe how far right he was lined up.  I told him a Red Sox friend of mine gave me that tip and I was more than happy to share it. ;0)

He asked who and of course I mentioned Don's name.  He said, "Wait a minute, does he have a son D.J. that plays on tour'?  I just smiled and said, "That would be the man."  His shots were long and straight on the back 9.  When we finished he said " I learned something new today thanks to you."  I said, "you're welcome, but Don deserves the credit." ;0) 

Lynn:

 Thanks, enjoyed the link. Tis one worth saving and passing on to others.

PMG