| As a golf psychologist, I'm regularly asked by | | | | whether you like it or not. As a result, you end up |
| clients about what they should be thinking about in | | | | consciously thinking about going in the bunker or |
| their golf mind when they're actually swinging the | | | | hitting a bad shot. Now if you remember that |
| club or stroking a putt. Many of them will have | | | | your unconscious mind is designed to deliver |
| some sort of pre-shot routine that prepares | | | | whatever you're consciously thinking, then guess |
| them to some degree for the shot they're about | | | | what happens. Yes, you got it, the ball probably |
| to make. A smaller number will also include some | | | | goes into the bunker or you hit a bad shot. |
| sort of visualisation of the shot they want to hit. | | | | A smaller number of golfers will be thinking |
| However, very few will be thinking about that | | | | consciously about a specific target when they hit |
| visualisation when they actually hit the ball. | | | | the ball and if they pick the right sort of target, |
| So what are they thinking about when they hit | | | | then they are the ones most likely to hit the shot |
| the shot? Well, a lot of them are consciously | | | | they planned to. Some very well known golf |
| thinking about some aspect of their swing | | | | psychologists, like Bob Rotella, will suggest that |
| mechanics and that doesn't work at all well, | | | | you pick out a directional target, such as a spot |
| because your conscious mind doesn't work fast | | | | on the ground a few feet, yards or metres along |
| enough to control your golf swing. | | | | your line or a specific point in the distance to aim |
| Have you noticed how when you hit a really good | | | | at - maybe a building or tree behind your target. |
| shot, you can't remember what you were | | | | Some will even say that you should focus on a |
| consciously thinking about in your golf mind. You | | | | specific leaf on the tree or brick in the building. |
| just trusted your unconscious mind and the shot | | | | Now I don't agree with that approach any more |
| just seemed to happen. If you were throwing a | | | | than I would agree that someone throwing a ball |
| ball to someone for them to catch, I doubt if | | | | should target a spot on the ground on the line to |
| you'd start thinking about how you move your | | | | the person they're throwing to. It would also |
| arm to throw the ball, you'd just throw it to them | | | | seem rather odd to target a tree, a house or |
| - unconsciously. You wouldn't consciously do | | | | something on the wall behind them, now wouldn't |
| anything different if the receiver were nearer or | | | | it. Once again, you'd target the hand of the |
| further away or if they held their hand high or | | | | person you're throwing to. |
| low. You'd just throw it towards their hand and | | | | So why not simply target the place you want the |
| that's the target you'd be consciously thinking | | | | ball to finish and let your unconscious mind work |
| about. | | | | out how to hit the ball there. Even better why not |
| Many more will be thinking about what they don't | | | | think about the route that the ball will take to get |
| want to happen, like don't go in the bunker or | | | | there including the way you expect the ball to fly, |
| don't hit a bad shot. That doesn't work at all well | | | | bounce and roll. If you're doing the visualisation |
| either, because your mind doesn't know how to | | | | part of your pre-shot routine correctly, then |
| not think of something. If I say to you, "don't | | | | you've already got the picture you should be |
| think of a green snowman", you will automatically | | | | thinking about when you hit the ball. |
| build an image in your head of a green snowman, | | | | |