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Getting Comfortable with your Mental Game |
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Working with golfers from the junior ranks up through the PGA and LPGA tours has taught me a lot about the game of golf. One of the things that I now know to be true about this game is that there are very few times when a golfer is completely comfortable with his game or with the circumstances in which he finds himself in a tournament situation.
There is constant attention paid to one’s swing not feeling right, the putter being a little bit off, or the conditions of the course being less than favorable. If a player hits it well in a practice round there is the concern that they peaked too early, and if they hit it poorly there is a concern that they will not hit it well the next day. When leading an event there is the discomfort of everyone chasing, and if behind in an event there’s the discomfort of having to chase.
The best players in the world know that there is no such thing as an extended period of time when one is comfortable with every element of one’s golf situation. The best players accept that they will be uncomfortable with something (sometimes several things!) and they get on with the business of playing the game with what they’ve got.
Rather than dwelling on those things about which they’re uncomfortable, the emphasis is placed on the task at hand and the attention is narrowed to focus on those things that are relevant in that moment. Eventually, for many players, they simply feel the fear and “do it” anyway, rather than waiting for that rare time when they get “comfortable”.
There are 18 holes in a round, a maximum of 14 clubs in the bag, you may not strike another player’s ball…these are all truths about the game. As a junior golfer, the sooner you learn to accept that being “uncomfortable” is another truth about the game and pay attention to other things, the more successful you will be at an earlier age!
Jeff served as Director of Mental Training for David Leadbetters Golf Academies, where he was instrumental in assisting in the development of the training programs and methodology that continues to produce golf champions around the world. Jeff works with several touring professionals and amateur players - assisting them in the creation of optimal training plans and developmental strategies. |
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