| All golfers are constantly looking for that special | | | | secondary and he can worry about, and enjoy, |
| something that will give them a competitive edge. | | | | those after he has sunk the ball. Whether you call |
| Many athletes, including successful golfers, find | | | | it visualization, sports hypnosis, or the mental |
| that improving their mental focus using techniques | | | | game, it all refers to the same thing: focus. |
| such as visualization enhances their sports | | | | The best way to improve your mental focus is to |
| performance. Sharpening your mental focus will | | | | develop your own pre-shot routine. A pre-shot |
| not only help improve your golf swing and putting | | | | routine is just that, a set of actions a golfer |
| skills, it is the key to improving almost every | | | | carries out before hitting a shot. Every time he |
| aspect of your golf game. | | | | squares up to the tee or lines up a putt he goes |
| Golf is a game that requires exceptional skill but it | | | | through the same steps, in order, before his club |
| is also one of the most mentally challenging | | | | ever touches the ball. If he is enjoying a weekend |
| sports. It takes a steady hand, patience, a keen | | | | game with his friends, he follows this routine. If he |
| eye, and confidence to succeed. Mental focus is | | | | is practicing his swing at home, he follows this |
| perhaps the single most important ability a great | | | | same routine. Whatever your specific routine is, |
| golfer has and anything he can do to augment this | | | | its main purpose is to focus your mind on the |
| skill invariably shows up as more birdies, more | | | | shot at hand and remove all other distractions |
| consistency, and more success. To sharpen their | | | | from your mind. |
| mental focus, golfers need to concentrate on | | | | An effective pre-shot routine works by forcing |
| what they want to happen on during each | | | | the mind to focus on the routine steps and |
| individual shot. Many people find themselves | | | | eliminating its ability to wander to things that may |
| distracted by outside pressures, not just golfers. | | | | distract you. Your pre-shot routine should be |
| Visualization is an effective technique for helping | | | | something you may develop or adapt over time |
| golfers to overcome this problem. Keeping your | | | | but it should be of your own design. It can consist |
| attention focused on the shot at hand and | | | | of properly placing your hands on the club, aligning |
| completing it in the desired way is a great way to | | | | your body, and placing the club at the point of |
| improve your game. | | | | contact. Your pre-shot routine can begin when |
| For instance, a golfer might find himself in a | | | | you select your club from your bag, as you |
| position where he is a single putt away from | | | | approach the ball, or as you square up to the tee. |
| winning enough prize money to get himself out of | | | | Most importantly it should include visualization of |
| serious financial difficulty. Should he focus on how | | | | the shot itself. Visualize what you are going to do |
| much he needs the money and how much better | | | | and what your desire the outcome to be. |
| his life will be if he makes the putt, or should he | | | | It does not matter when your pre-shot routine |
| focus simply on putting the ball in the hole? If his | | | | starts, it just matters that you follow it. As you |
| mind is focused on the task at hand, solely on | | | | work on developing your own pre-shot routine, |
| putting the ball, he is much more likely to make | | | | your visualization skills, and sharpening your focus, |
| the putt. All other considerations should be | | | | you will find your game will improve. |