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August 6, 2024
Putting it all together - The Mental Side
The search for golf's elusive secret has been researched, dissected, analyzed and debated. You have put all the components together and are ready to apply them to "playing the game of golf". You have attained a level of competency over the physical aspects of your golf swing that will allow you to hit the golf ball up to your physical capabilities. In theory, you have mastered the mechanical component of golf and now possess the tools necessary to strike the ball effectively and consistently to your body's abilities. The physical side is now competed and you are now ready to use it to "play golf".
Playing the game on the golf course can be likened to being a conductor of a large orchestra. As a conductor you are entrusted with the leadership and control over hundreds of components to produce an organized, synchronized musical arrangement. The job is to align all the different parts together, so they will act as one in unison. An orchestra musician has been selected for their talent and ability to perform the proper musical skills required for their instrument. As a golfer, your physical skills have been trained to produce the required golf shots needed to play proficiently on the golf course. The conductor now needs to link all the different instruments together to produce the correct tempo, rhythm, and notes to achieve the desired result. The golfer also has to align the physical to the many components that make up the mental side of "playing the game". Those are, but not limited to, pre-shot routine, strategy, concentration, confidence, attitude, emotional control, and imagination.
A person, at every moment has countless states of awareness that he or she monitors, whether consciously or unconsciously. There is one main focus, but innumerable soft focuses. These can be things that you are cognizant of, or things that are happening automatically that we do not notice until something goes awry. Although your main focus can be centered on something else, your soft focus is aware of the wind, temperature, brightness, tension, noise, surroundings, and countless other elements that occupy your environment. Internally our body is constantly checking your heart rate, blood pressure, kidney function, and other body parts to keep them operating efficiently. If there is a change in any one of these soft focuses, the main attention will switch.
As a golfer, your objective is to visualize the desired shot and execute it with dedication to your thought-out plan without interference to outside distractions. In order to accomplish this task, all of your mental components need to be synchronized and supporting each other. One being out of sync can ruin the entire golf shot. Golf is not a perfect sport were executing the exact planned out shot will produce the desired result. External factors that we have little control over can affect the outcome of a golf shot. Wind gusts, bad bounces, spike marks, disruptive noises are only a few of outside factors that can turn a very good shot into a very bad result. The golfer can only control what he or she can control. If that is accomplished, then the mission was accomplished. Strategy, concentration, confidence, attitude, emotional control, imagination, and pre-shot routine are what you can control. A weakness in one can spoil the others, but if you are aware, then it can be understood and remedied. Pride yourself in your dedication to orchestrate your thoughts to physical feel and visualize your golf shot and commit.
In an ideal state, all parts of this equation are in perfect working order. But that is not reality. One of the violinists has a migraine, the flutist has a cold, the percussionist is distracted because of a divorce, etc. The conductor has to get them to perform to their best ability at this present time. The golfer does not always have his "A" game. Trouble at home, a muscle strain, a swing fault, or any number of distractions can interfere with the desired playing mode. An unprepared individual will not be able to overcome a less than perfect physical or mental state. Each day, you bring a different set of skills to the golf course. Your job is to recognize what you have today and adjust. Your goal is to maximize your potential in the present time.
You are the orchestra conductor. It is your job to create a "flow" that synchronizes all components to work like one. It can be a balancing act that can change from shot to shot, but the overall theme and attitude remain the same. Understand that the game is not always in our control. But attitude towards the mental parts is the one thing that we can control. A good attitude is the keystone to mastering the psychological side of playing the game. Strategy, emotional control, concentration, confidence, pre-shot routine, and imagination are the ingredients that stem from your commitment to a positive attitude. Creating this "flow" is a commitment to your goals. When you get into this "zone", the world is right. The goal is to aspire for excellence, but committing our best efforts is more important.
Bernard Darwin stated this about golf. "It is this constant and undying hope for improvement that makes golf so exquisitely worth the playing." What is your goal for playing golf? Enjoyment, lower scores, ball-striking improvement, comradeship, exercise, competition, or something else? We have no limits to our potential. Commitment is essential. George Halas, the Hall of Fame NFL football coach said, "No one who ever gave their best regretted it." Great words to live by!
Supporting articles in Library
06-24-2024 Emotional Control
05-02-2024 Strategy II
03-02-2024 Great Golfers have Great Imagination
02-02-2024 Concentration
01-13-2024 Importance of a Pre-Shot Routine
01-04-2024 Strategy I
12-08-2023 Confidence
09-10-2023 Attitude if Fundamental
08-10-2023 Golf is 100% Physical and 100% Mental
04-23-2021 Flow
