He’s Back!

The golf season will officially start this week when Tiger Woods comes back to the tour after surgery on his left knee. Everybody will be wondering how he will perform. He will be great. With no pain in the left knee he will be able to swing freely for the first time in 3 years. The physical part will be fine, it is the mental side that might get even better. When athletes are away from their game they begin to change perspective. They get to a point where they miss playing. Many like Tiger get completely away from the game and begin to focus on other ventures like his golf course design projects, a new baby boy, and finishing building his home. Tiger will be fresh mentally as many golfers will be fresh after a cold winter. I am looking forward to see once again how Tiger can impress us all.

Are you playing inspired golf?

I was fortunate to get to play at Ojai Valley Inn Resort last Sunday and had a very unique experience. I found myself playing very uninspired golf. You know those days when you could take it or leave it. I was surprised how I felt because I usually look forward to playing my once a month round. From a performance standpoint being uninspired created a decreased level of focus and an almost “too relaxed” attitude on the course. This did not work for me. I play my best when I am a little on edge. This improves my focus and keeps me in the present moment. I was sharing this experience with a student of mine who had just had a similar experience. He agreed that his lazy attitude created focus breakdowns and poor execution on easy shots.

So many players blame their swings for poor rounds when it could be your attitude and how inspired you are to play that day. When the attitude is not right find something about that round that will spark your interest. For me it turned into a challenge to finish strong. I found it difficult to just switch it on. This was a good lesson for me as an occasional player that I need to come to the course with the correct attitude because it can be difficult to change once in the round. Get inspired!

All golfers feel the same…

I was fortunate to have a book signing at Barnes and Noble in Palm Desert. I was thrilled to meet so many golfers who asked me questions about the mental game and they usually would start their question with “I am the only one I know that _____”. Now, the blank could be fear of hitting bad shots, playing poorly with a spouse, or being a good practice player and not transferring it to the course. I made it clear to all of these people that they are not alone. All golfers have fears on the course, think negative thoughts, and at times hate the game. The key is what are you going to do about it. In my book I write about the mental game fundamentals and how to train them. These golfers felt there were no answers. I shared my story and other clients who have struggled with the mental game and with the right shift play better and more importantly enjoy the game more. Be honest with yourself in your mental game and start doing something about it.

The week that changes lives

We are in the middle of Q-School which will determine who gets to play on the PGA, LPGA, Champions, and Nationwide tours. Having worked with several players that have and are going through this process I am reminded about the difference that truly makes a difference for success. This difference is the mental game. All of these players that have come to this final stage can play very good golf. They all have quality swings, short games, and most have had some golf success. The difference with this week is that is determines an entire year of a career. This magnitude of the situation is what hurts some players from focusing on the process of each shot. Unfortunately one shot can determine success and failure. Most players say that being distracted for even one shot could result in a double bogey that will make the golfer fall in the standings. Perspective is important. Yes it is important, however each moment in the tournament needs to mean the same. For the PGA Q-school it is a final stage of 6 rounds. That is a lot of shots. The skill of focus is knowing what to place your attention on and sustaining it. For Q-School the tough part is sustaining it.

Meeting with #1

Back in September I had the pleasure of interviewing Top Golf Instructor Butch Harmon. I asked him about the mental game and how important it was in the game. He felt golf was 50% mechanics and 50% mental. You need both solid fundamentals and golf smarts to score low. He emphasized that each golfer is different and needs to play to their own strengths and not try to copy someone else’s style. Butch went on to say that as a player improves the mental game becomes more important. To be able to stay focused and deal with pressure will separate the good player from a great player. Butch is unique in the profession as he has never tried to teach a “model”. He teaches the entire player based on what they bring to him and then makes small tweaks. His track record is very impressive as he has worked with Greg Norman, Tiger Woods, and currently teaches Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els. He also mentioned that the teaching professional needs to keep evolving and be open to other instructors ideas and methods. When you think you know it all is when you stop learning and cease to become better. Butch was adament in that he constantly is learning from all experts in fitness, psychology, and club fitting. I have always had respect for Butch and now after speaking with him I know why he is #1.