Things You'll Need:
- Determination to improve your golf game
- Time to practice
- Mental fortitude
- Patience
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Step 1
First, as in all aspects of life confidence is key. If you try to play without being confident in your game, it will be a miserable endeavor. How do you get confidence? By practicing, pure and simple. Conventional wisdom suggests first getting comfortable with the irons and the short game and then moving on to the woods. (Notice I said comfortable, not perfect. Not even the pros are perfect.) You must be confident that you can hit the ball the correct distance and direction most of the time. Then the fact that you can hit the shot must be consciously told to yourself.
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Step 2
Secondly, you must be able to focus on one or two simple, physical actions of the swing. Instead of thinking about how many people are watching or about the water all along the right side of the fairway, consistently choose one or two key points about your swing action and execute. With practice, it is amazing how much this helps.
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Step 3
Thirdly, never let your last thought before you hit the ball be negative. If your last thought before swinging is, "Don't hit it in the water", your mind' s subconscious picture is hitting it in the water. The result is predictable. Instead, be confident and think about where you want your ball to land, not where you hope it will land. Use positive imagery to create even more confidence in your ability to make the shot.
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Step 4
Last, set realistic expectations. Even the pros hit a bad shot at least once during every round. They will lose it left or right or totally misread a putt. Expect that to happen so when it does, it doesn't blow your mind and you can still recover and enjoy your round. We play this game for fun and if it fails to be fun then something is wrong. Relax and expect to play well but also expect that bad shot to sneak in, take your medicine, and move on. Remember, practice makes perfect and that is also very true when working on the mental aspect of golf.
