| You're just about ready to make the first step up | | | | weak. You may want to take your favorite wood |
| onto the tee box and you're feeling great. Golf | | | | or long iron that you're more confident with on |
| shoes are looking good and comfortable. Freshly | | | | this important golf shot. |
| new pressed golf pants and shirt, and you're | | | | Walk away from this monster looking view and |
| feeling loose and limber, then all of a sudden this | | | | regain your composure by looking the other way. |
| big dark cloud appears out of nowhere. You look | | | | The most important thing to do when feeling |
| down the fairway and all you see is water and | | | | negative is to step back off the tee box and |
| trees and your asking yourself; how am I going | | | | gather your thoughts and hold onto the positive |
| to get this golf ball in the fairway? | | | | pictures, perhaps by taking some deep breaths |
| I think we have all been there before. The | | | | and swinging the opposite way. I find that by |
| all-important golf shot of the day. This all | | | | swinging in the opposite direction, my mind does |
| important golf shot typically sets the pace for the | | | | not pick up any negative thoughts, possibly |
| rest of the round mentally. Nobody wants to | | | | because I know that there is no hazard in front |
| start off with a bogey or double bogey. Par or | | | | of me, because I'm golfing the opposite direction. |
| better is so important on this first golf hole. The | | | | Make any sense? |
| thoughts of anything else keep racing through | | | | After you have released all the horrible pictures |
| your mind. The fairway becomes narrower. The | | | | you have visualized earlier, step back onto the |
| trees look like the branches are reaching out into | | | | tee box and take a deep breath and release it |
| the fairway. The small running creek looks more | | | | slowly standing behind the ball. Look down the |
| like a lake before you. The bogeyman is near! If | | | | middle of the fairway and look for a spot on the |
| you stand on the tee box any longer at this point, | | | | fairway that you want the ball to land. Visualize |
| and even in the sweltering heat you may visualize | | | | the ball landing on that particular spot that you |
| a snowman. Yikes!!! The worst possible start of a | | | | picked out. Step up to the golf ball and take one |
| long eighteen! | | | | more look and start the golf swing with a smooth |
| How do we overcome this big shadow of fear | | | | takeaway and accelerated swing through the ball |
| that seems to take over our golf swing from | | | | as if you're playing with a crowd watching along |
| time to time? Do you tee it up and hope for the | | | | the sidelines. |
| best? Maybe your golf buddy will stand up tall and | | | | Your mind will create the golf swing to make the |
| go first if he's any kind of friend? Just maybe the | | | | golf shot happen, only if you are relaxed and |
| easy way out through this jungle would be take a | | | | focusing on the golf swing you are creating |
| 7 iron and punch it down the fairway. At least | | | | mentally. It's a phenomenon that I cannot explain, |
| you don't have to take that big ugly swing that | | | | but it works. |
| may put you in the thick woods of no return. | | | | I guess it goes with the old saying. Whatever the |
| With three good punch shots you might just able | | | | mind can conceive and believe. It will achieve! |
| to get it close enough to save par? | | | | Positive thoughts bring positive results. Step away |
| Let's not kid ourselves. The golf swing has to | | | | from the golf ball when having negative thoughts. |
| happen. The golf club selection is an important one | | | | It could be too late, halfway through your golf |
| at this point, especially if your knees are feeling | | | | swing. |