| There are two distinct aspects to the game of | | | | think of all sorts of mechanical things, like should I |
| golf - the mechanics of the swing, and the mental | | | | look at my feet or at the end of the beam, and |
| approach to playing the game. Obviously, the | | | | should I extend my arms for better balance or |
| better your mechanics, fundamentals, and | | | | keep them at my side? |
| technique, the better your swing. But mechanics | | | | A similar thing happens to the golfer. He is |
| can take you only so far. You have to marry the | | | | comfortable and confident with his swing on the |
| swing to the correct mental approach in order to | | | | driving range. But out on the course he loses |
| maximize your overall playing ability. | | | | confidence and begins to doubt his abilities. His |
| In his terrific book, Golf Is Not A Game Of | | | | thoughts turn to swing mechanics, like am I taking |
| Perfect, sports psychologist Dr. Bob Rotella | | | | the club back straight, is my posture ok, and is |
| teaches us about the mental side of golf. He | | | | my backswing on plane. The place for such |
| presents a graphic illustration that has stayed with | | | | thoughts is the practice area, not the course. |
| me for over 10 years since I first read his book. | | | | When you are playing, you must trust your swing |
| In this illustration, he asks us to consider a | | | | and play with confidence, knowing that the |
| four-by-four-inch beam laying on the floor. Dr. | | | | practice you have already put in will see you |
| Rotella suggests that most people can instinctively | | | | through. As Dr. Rotella says, "you cannot hit a golf |
| walk with confidence from one end to the other | | | | ball consistently well if you think about the |
| by simply focusing their vision and attention on | | | | mechanics of your swing as you play." |
| the far end of the beam. | | | | So quit thinking about swing mechanics when you |
| But what happens when the beam is mounted | | | | step to the first tee, and watch your scores |
| forty feet in the air with no safety net? The | | | | come tumbling down. Be that beam walker that |
| physical task remains the same, but a fear of | | | | instinctively walks with confidence from one end |
| failure invades the mental approach. This fear | | | | to the other, focusing only on the target, not on |
| destroys confidence and diminishes the ability to | | | | the possibility of failure. |
| perform. The struggling beam walker begins to | | | | |