Regardless of how good you're hitting the ball, the mental side of the game can be even more important. That's because when you play a round of golf, you're introducing more aspects besides just beating balls on the range. You have to analyze each shot, which can be a daunting task during a four hour round.
Because most of you are amateur players, it means you've got a lot going on off the golf course such as work, family, and other things that pull your attention away from the task at hand. That's okay and it's certainly to be expected, so how can you push all of that out of your mind while you're playing golf?
Ted Galanides is one Surgite who has identified his lack of focus as the primary reason he's unable to consistently shoot low scores. He's chalking it up to laziness, but I don't think that's the problem.
Don,
I believe that the biggest problem we have is "loss of concentration." In watching the video about Harrell and his alignment issues I clearly saw myself. As I start the round I am concentrating on getting perfect alignment, toes, knees, hips and shoulders and making certain the club face is square to the target. I usually par the first few holes and then the game starts to slowly fall apart, the first thing I forget is the outward pressure on the knees, then it's squaring the shoulders, by the time I put it all back together I'm well into the back nine. I turned a very good round into another bogey round because I became lazy and lost concentration. I could probably play a round with you and insist that you nag me at every shot and I would shoot a par or sub par round. As we get older I guess we just forget. I am 76, love to play and I am on the course three days a week at 8:00.
Ted G.
Instead of calling it laziness, I think that most golfers probably just have a lot on their minds. We all have things keeping our minds busy and when you add those things up it can get in the way of us maintaining a high level of concentration. It even happens to tour pros. For me personally, before a tournament, I won't listen to the radio going to the golf course because the last song might get stuck in my head. Instead, I like to keep a quiet mind.
Once you get past the analytical mode of determining all the outside factors such as wind, distance, and lie for each shot, you have to get into the setup and swing mode. After you hit the ball, you can go back to being relaxed in your mind and it's on to the next shot. It's pretty hard to keep your mind in the game the entire round. Obviously, Tiger Woods has been one of the best ever at keeping his mind in the game. He's able to get into a trance that most of us will never be able to duplicate. This rare state of mind is largely responsible for Tiger being close to passing Sam Snead on the all-time PGA TOUR wins list at the ripe old age of 37!
Staying calm, cool, and collected is probably the best way to improve your mental side of the game. Talk to some of the better players and see what they do and you can get a better idea as to what you're doing that isn't working. Regardless, keep your head in the game and you'll eventually see some good results.
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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Comments
Sudden noise
Surge, your comment about a sudden noise in the backswing reminded me of something that happened when I was following DJ's group at the Timberlake last year in Vegas. Across the street from the fourth hole tee box there was a big construction site, and just as Colt Knost reached the top of his backswing, a truck there released its air brakes. He did an amazing job stopping that swing, but you could see that he couldn't get his brain back in the shot for the next swing. Hooked his tee ball off the fairway.
Off topic
On a completely separate subject, I don't want to swing a golf club like Bubba Watson, but this... http://deadspin.com/bubba-watson-has-a-hovercraft-golf-cart-465618284
This is just too cool.
Hovercraft
I put that video on my Facebook page earlier today with the caption:
"I want one!!!"
BTW I have NEVER been able to stop a swing once my back swing has started (much less the FUS). I guess I'm just pre-programed to finish the swing once it starts. It amazes me how Tiger can hear a camera after he has started down and stop the swing.
The times it costs me is when my club grabs the grass at the start of the takeaway. There should be no problem stopping the swing at that point and starting all over again...But I can't stop it to save my life. My driver caught a broken tee behind my ball a few weeks ago and almost brought my back swing to a halt but I STILL couldn't stop and tried to hit the ball anyway.
Sudden Noise [or movement]
An interesting topic today on concentration.
Noted recently while watching golf just how many 'In the hole!' comments there were at certain events.Cameras and mobile phones distracting players too. Another thing which surprised me, was the positions on the green [or just off it] that players and caddies in the same group stood. Chatting, moving etc. Some of them within the player about to make a stroke's vision!
On the subject of sudden noise distractions, everybody reacts differently. I am amazed some professional player with several hundred thousand dollars at stake on a put, when distracted, hasn't either imprinted 'SW' or 'Scotty Cameron' etc, between the eyes of the one distracting them. Perhaps one day a pro will sue the derierre off some plank who does distract them causing them to lose money!
Pulling out of a shot is very difficult to do. Swing session today excellent.
Keep on not being distracted Surgites and keep the SW and putter in your bags ; - )
Noise
We have two holes on our course with tees right next to state highway 1.
It is very seldom that cars or trucks do not blast their horns when they see someone ready to tee off. It pays to wait for a gap in traffic to make a tee shot in peace
That Last Song ...
Unlike Surge, I generally don't play well UNLESS I have a song playing over and over in my head. (Bobby Darin has been the recent choice/culprit) It seems to relax me and keep my mind off the 101 little things that end up causing tension and an weird swing. I just need 1 or 2 swing thoughts and go, I guess the song is filler so I don't get distracted by too many golf thoughts. My big key is training beforehand so I don't have to think so much on the course.
That being said, I do need to focus on WHERE to hit the shot and HOW to play the course at hand. When I get too swing focused I tense up and start heading back in the wrong, pre-Surge direction usually.
Thanks again Surge - down the middle!
Jon
Lots of topics
There are a lot of things to think about in this video. I almost watched it again with a note pad to make a check list to see what applied to me and what didn't.
The music (or anything of that nature) doesn't apply to me. Once I am on the course my mind is blank when it comes to the outside world. Sometimes my wife asks me what Mike and I talked about during the round and she simply can't relate when I say "nothing", but it's the truth. We might talk about a golf shot but that's about it.
I play my best golf when I have absolutely no swing thoughts. All I am thinking about is where I want the ball to go and what shape and trajectory it's going to take to get there. Nothing else in the world even exists.
I play my worst golf in the choose up team games, and it's getting worse all the time. I just can't handle seeing my teammates turn 5 foot birdie putts into double bogeys or people that are 0 for the century getting up and down from right beside the green. Shouldn't affect my game...But it does.
Relaxing & Distractions
I started playing Cricket in my mid thirties and was assigned to the Point/Gully/Slip positions in my first game and took 3 catches, I kept that position until I retired to take up golf. I found that it was essential to be able to "switch on" and "switch off" between balls, which allows you to be totally
focused over a 6 hour period in the midday sun, a lot of people aren't able to do this. This aspect helps me in golf also as I'm able to focus on the golf
ball irrespective of what is happening around me. People often come up and apologize for talking during my swing and I just say "didn't hear a thing".
Being aware of what is around you?
Maybe it was the decades in uniform and on active service. I am aware of what is going on around me at all times. Nothing to do with being thin skinned or easily spooked etc. On active service concentrating on the task at hand totally was not an option. Do so and you would be lucky to be going home at the end of your tour.
I can concentrate when a shot demands it, as long as I don't overdo it. Then it turns to paralysis by analysis, or my mind goes blank! Then any swing on the planet could be the result.
I go out to play the best I can and enjoy myself doing it. As Nicklaus said, 'Smell the roses' between shots. Getting away from the previous shot as soon as it is gone[ has helped me a lot]. He said that, you can't concentrate for the whole round! On the music theme. I only used it when I wanted to slow down prior to teeing off! Have not had to do that for a while. NeilofOz is fortunate in one way, but do you hear "FORE!" or do you ignore that to? ; - ) DH in NZ where the heavens have just opened [thankfully] and the wind has picked up considerably. Don't need the wind, but the rain, we do need badly.
Fore!!!
DH, Keep my head down, that way you only get hit on the scone, Lol.
Concentration and Focus
I received this in my email today and thought others might enjoy giving it a try, since we were talking about concentration and focus. I have no idea as to the truthfulness of the claims, just thought it was a neat puzzle. Good luck
****MOVING PUZZLE****
If you can put this puzzle together. You can probably say goodbye to Alzheimer's!
This is really clever and a bit challenging. As we older people are concerned with Alzheimer's disease, this puzzle may help dispel some fear.
It's easy to put together if you are not affected by Alzheimer's disease, but impossible to do for someone with the disease.
Give it a try. If this puzzle is particularly difficult for you, then your physician can offer you additional testing to check you for Alzheimer's.
Just remember, if you can put this puzzle together you do not have to fear Alzheimer's!
A really neat puzzle!!
CLICK BELOW:
http://www.brl.ntt.co.jp/people/hara/fly.swf
I did it, I think
Hey Coach
I did the moving puzzle. So, I guess I should be ok.
Now, I can't remember what it looked like. That might be a problem.
Guess I should go back and try it again.
Dick
puzzle
for some reason the puzzle won't come up?
Puzzle not working
Sorry it does not come up for you. It works for me with the posted link and seems to have worked for others as well. You might try typing it directly into the address bar of your internet browser or use a search engine such as google or bing. Here is a google link. Try the first entry posted.
https://www.google.com/webhp?source=search_app#hl=en&gs_rn=8&gs_ri=psy-ab&tok=8JxYymhyKLg8Tjq2_b8ktQ&cp=44&gs_id=7&xhr=t...
Spring
Great video for this time of year. Many of us in this area are just starting up our season. Temps seem to be breaking for the good now. Thank goodness! Hitting that ball in 35-40 degrees is like hitting a rock. I noticed my lack of focus yesterday, as I was walking down the fairway and looking at the trees budding. The ducks, geese, and herons playing in the ponds. The sun staying out all round warming me up. Practically no wind. The grass greening up. Just good distractions. Needless to say, my focus on my game was a little weak. But that's OK. I had noticed that morning that when I got out of bed, both my feet hit the floor. I knew right then it was going to be a good day for golf. I'll focus more tomorrow.