| What I am about to say to you simply cannot be | | | | If you are new to this then here is a little routine |
| over- emphasised. I call your full attention to this | | | | you can start out with that will start you on the |
| and if you have read any of my other articles | | | | road before fully committing to golfing excellence |
| you will know that I am constantly underlining and | | | | by a full Mental Game of Golf program of |
| highlighting this point. | | | | improvement. |
| Would you like to play the kind of golf you know | | | | Assess the situation. Allow your eyes to scan |
| you are capable and do that on a more consistent | | | | around and feel like you are not thinking too |
| basis than you have ever done in the past? | | | | consciously but just allowing your own mind to |
| Do you want to come off the 18th green feeling | | | | use your eyes to take in information about the |
| like golf was easy, automatic and seriously | | | | scene, situation and target. |
| enjoyable? | | | | Target with precision. Never try to get the ball |
| Would you like to have the SKILL (secret | | | | somewhere in the fairway or just on the green |
| weapon?) to play great golf at a level that most | | | | someplace. You must take precise aim at a highly |
| amateurs will never attain? | | | | specific point as this is how your mind will work at |
| If so then you must learn to tap into your | | | | it's most efficient and seriously focussed state. |
| unconscious mind and trust it completely to | | | | Think of yourself as a marksman (or woman) at |
| perform the task of swinging the golf club for | | | | a shooting contest and you must hit bulls-eye to |
| you. This means that you have no thought of | | | | win. Nothing else matters because nothing else is |
| what you should be doing with your swing or | | | | good enough than hitting the bull when you need |
| about the consequences of any shot, good or | | | | to win, I know you agree. The precise targets |
| bad. No memory of any swing prior to the one | | | | should be the smallest thing you can pick without |
| you are now making. | | | | eye strain. |
| There is only the present moment and you should | | | | Visualise, visualise, visualise! You must make |
| not be consciously in charge of the swing | | | | strong internal representations of what the flight |
| mechanics of your body. In other words if you | | | | of the ball will look like from where it is now to |
| are trying to make your body work in a certain | | | | precisely where you want it to go. How does it |
| way with conscious thoughts of body moves, | | | | fly, land, bounce and run out? How does it roll if |
| THAT IS SERIOUSLY WRONG! | | | | it's a putt? See the shot, hear the sounds of a |
| To do this, to learn to stay in the present | | | | great shot and feel what it feels like to make that |
| moment and trust your unconscious, you must | | | | swing. If you think your visualisation needs |
| become incredibly target focussed with your | | | | practice then just describe the shot to yourself |
| conscious mind. This is where all your effort | | | | as you make swings which feel like they send the |
| should be, intense and powerful focus on a | | | | ball exactly as you want it to go to your precise |
| precise target. | | | | target. |
| Can you imagine a hunting dog as it stands prone, | | | | Make proper practice swings. When you are |
| intense focus on it's target, the eyes zeroed in? | | | | happy that you have a shot in mind that you can |
| How about a lion stalking it's prey. Do you think it | | | | achieve then make a few full practice swings |
| is worried about how it's body works or is the big | | | | allowing your mind to move your body in a way |
| cat completely focussed on it's target? | | | | that feels exactly like the swing your body will |
| This is how intense you should focus on your | | | | want to make to send the ball to your precise |
| intended target and as you do that better and | | | | target spot. The practice swing you make must |
| better, more and more, your unconscious will be | | | | mimic the exact swing you will be making. |
| able to take full control of your body, with no | | | | Trust and fire away. Get your setup done, take a |
| interference from you, and your shot making and | | | | last look at your bulls-eye, imagine the ball going |
| results will get better and better. The quicker you | | | | there (A drive, iron, pitch, chip or putt) then look |
| learn this aspect by The Mental Game of Golf, | | | | back at the ball and while still thinking of the |
| the quicker you will experience true happiness on | | | | target, swing away in complete trust. |
| the golf course. | | | | |