Commit

Commitment is one of the most important mental aspects of the game of golf.  A lot of people go through their routine, routinely.  Your routine is good for keeping calm under pressure and being consistent.  If you're not completely one hundred percent committed to your shot before you hit it, then you might as well not have done your whole routine.  When I say commitment, I mean believing in yourself.  Unless you have a caddy, you are the only person who is judging what to do on each shot.  If you don't truly believe your judgement is good, you won't trust yourself.  You simply have to believe that what you are doing is the right thing, no matter what.  Don't think you're the only one either, because pros still have commitment problems, too.  If you can learn to trust your judgement and commit to each and every shot in your round, you will notice you stop leaving those 5-foot birdie putts short or you won't chunk or flub any of those intricate chips.  You simply have to follow through with your mental plan for each shot.  When you are committing to each shot in your round, you should be following through with your line that YOU picked.  Trust yourself, you have most likely been playing golf for a long time and probably hit that shot a few times anyway.  It's not that hard.  Commitment leads to acceleration through the ball and more consistent shots or putts on your line.  Just believe in yourself.  After all, golf is just a game anyway.

Bonus picture of my almost hole in one:
(check the divot)

   @ Briery Country Club in Keysville, Virginia, USA
       

Relaxation

People tend to get way too stressed when playing golf, but there's one thing you should always remember... It's just golf.  This may be one of the hardest things to do while you're playing, but you should try to remember that it's just a game you are playing.  When you're relaxed during your round you will play a lot better.  I find that when I'm relaxed I have perfect tempo in my swing, or my putts all go the right distance, or I can let a chip release out to the hole.  My tempo can get a bit quick at times, but I find that when I'm playing a relaxed round my tempo cannot be more perfect.  It's all in the change of direction at the top of your swing.  Most people get uptight and try to control too many aspects of their swing.  Just swing freely and let it happen.  Watch Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, and Phil Mickelson when they hit full swing shots.  They swing completely freely, which allows them to make great contact consistently and hit the shots they want to hit.  I try to feel the same way with every one of my swings by keeping my head clear of swing thoughts and staying relaxed.  You will find that with a relaxed mind comes a relaxed body, and with a relaxed body comes consistent golf shots. 

If you're having trouble staying relaxed during your round, remember to always stay hydrated.  This helps decrease any anxiety you might have.  Also, try to always be holding something, whether it's a club, bag, ball, pin, drink, or anything else.  If you are always holding something, you always have something to do with your hands, which helps keep your mind off of your game.  If you are standing around waiting, take out a club and swing it or toss a ball around.  The point is simply to do something all the time.  Do not EVER give yourself time to stop and think about how you are playing, for this will be the downfall of your round (sorry for the dramatic sentence).  In all cases, try to have as much fun as possible with your playing partners.  At the end of the day, a fun and relaxed round of golf is usually a good scoring round of golf as well.

Trust

When playing golf, it is very important to trust yourself.  In order to hit great shots consistently, you must have faith in your own calculations and swing.  You take all the time through your routine to figure out how to hit your shot so you might as well at least trust your own calculations.  This trust may be the little extra you needed to finish your swing and get through the ball, or to simply be able to withstand pressure in a tournament.  Either way, you need to trust yourself.  Have faith in what you are doing.  One of my particulars in my routine forces me to trust myself.  After I pick my line from behind the ball, I step up to it and line my club and my body up to that point (which is usually only about 6 inches in front of the ball).  I try to not even look up at my target, but simply focus on that one point close to the ball.  I put all my trust into that line I picked and then proceed to hit the ball.  I found that if I don't look up at my target, I forget what I'm trying to do and I simply focus on hitting the ball solid and over that line.  When I do this, my trust is completely in my own line and I have no doubts because technically I don't know where I'm even hitting it.  So I suggest you find some trust in your routine, because it really helps and it will also make the confidence in your own personal golf game increase.

Making A Charge

As you probably saw yesterday, Webb Simpson made a charge to come back and win the US Open.  Although it wasn't really the best way to win (because of Furyk's couple of bad holes), he is still the US Open champion.  Simpson got off to a decent start, shooting a total of five over par on Thursday and Friday.  But it was his weekend play that brought him back for the win.  Simpson kept his head throughout the weekend and never gave up.  Even though he was still three over after Saturday, he kept playing his game and pulled out a pair of 68's on Saturday and Sunday.  This is the kind of weekend play that wins tournaments.  There are a lot of people who can play well on Thursday and Friday, but playing well in the weekend crunch time can be a different story.

Simpson stayed very calm throughout his round on Sunday.  It seemed he never really worried about what his score was, but simply thought about hitting his shot.  He was even incredibly calm as he was seeing the footage of McDowell missing his putt to tie Simpson and force a playoff.  He knew he had won the tournament and still showed hardly any emotion while his wife was going crazy.  It was because of his ability to stay calm and play his game under the huge pressures that he won this major.  He never gave up, and that led him to his great rounds over the weekend.  I would suggest that you try to stay in your game in the same way Webb Simpson did this weekend.  Never giving up is key to consistently playing well.  You're not going to hit every shot like you want to, but when you don't give up and keep playing your game you will play better and more consistently throughout your round or tournament.

On a side note, I would like to say that when you watch these golf tournaments, don't study their swings.  Instead, study the way they play the course and how each player differs in attitude.  Study the way they keep themselves calm under pressure, because that's what is winning their tournaments.  Having a perfect swing may be nice, but keeping calm under pressure and playing your own personal game is even better.

Keeping Your Head

When you're playing in a big tournament or in any situation with a lot of pressure, things can go very wrong very quickly.  My problem is on the green or the first tee shot.  I get really shaky hands and it's hard to control the ball and have my relaxed swing.  The best things that I have found to cure this are some kind of drink and a couple of distractions.  I have found that if I have a nice cold drink to swig on just before I hit or even in between shots, I will be more relaxed when I get to the ball.  I really cannot explain why this is or how it happens, but it works for me.  I think it has something to do with anxiety, because I have read that caffeine makes anxiety worse so I try to stay away from that.  But also in that same article it said to try to stay very hydrated to avoid anxiety problems.  Using this information, I try to stay away from sodas before and during my round and stick to some water or Gatorade.  I think it simply gives me a feeling of refreshment, which helps me calm down before I get ready to hit the ball.

I also mentioned that it is useful to have a few distractions in your round, to get your mind off of the pressure surrounding you.  I have found that if someone tells a joke (someone like your caddy or playing partner) and I get a little laugh out of it, it will distract me enough to where I'm not that nervous anymore.  I even used to play games on my phone while I was walking down the fairway in some of my college tournaments.  It really all depends on who is playing in your group.  As soon as I meet my group, I try to make a few jokes and lighten the mood a little bit.  Usually, this will get some sort of response from your group members and your round will be full of funny jokes or just chatting about whatever.  If that doesn't work, then I try to stick to my games while walking down the fairway, because it keeps me in a good mood while I'm playing.  I challenge you to try to find something that will keep you in a happy mood while you are playing your round, because that is the key to keeping your head and staying relaxed under pressure.

Practice

Today I want to talk about having fun at practice.  Every golfer knows that practice makes perfect, because it builds muscle memory and confidence in yourself.  But it's how you practice that really matters.  A lot of people think of practice as simply going to the range and beating a bunch of balls towards the different flags.  No.  When you practice, you need to have an idea of what you want to practice.  If you're having trouble with making good contact, go to the range and hit some shorter shots first.  The most important part of practice is having fun.  You absolutely have to make your practice fun.  This way, you will enjoy practicing to the point where it doesn't even seem like practice anymore.  The best way I know how to do this is with a friend.  Yesterday, my buddy and I played a few holes together.  The entire time we talked about our swings and mostly about the mental side of the game (he confessed he's taken interest in some of these posts).  We hit three or four balls on every shot to work on things we didn't do correctly or to simply further discuss something we were talking about.  My point is we had a good time and got in some quality practice at the same time.  During the school year, when I played for my college team, I would get a buddy on the range and play games.  We would make up point games where we had to draw or fade the ball into a pin without crossing it, or take hula hoops and make rings to chip into where each was worth a different amount of points.  We would make chipping and putting games around the practice green as well.  All of these games made our practices go by quickly because we were having fun, and what's not more fun than a little friendly competition.  Who knows, you might learn something from each other.

Sometimes, you may simply not have anyone around to help you practice.  What I try to do when I'm alone at practice is the same thing I do when I have a friend, make a game.  If you can play a game with yourself and make it fun, practice will be worthwhile.  If you make practice fun, it won't even seem like you're practicing.  This, in turn, will make you better and also make you more confident when it comes time to show people what you have been practicing.  It will let you keep your love for the game, because you will actually want to practice.  So, every time you go to the golf course, try to take a friend with you that you will have fun with.  Try to play games on the range and on the putting green.  Challenge yourself and your buddy, for you will be rewarded with the quality practice you get.  And last of all, don't ever get down on yourself.  After all, it's just practice!

Strategy

Sometimes, it is appropriate to think of golf when you aren't on the golf course.  Whenever I think about golf off the course, I try to think about strategy.  Most of the time I end up thinking about something I'm not happy with in my swing, which is not a bad thing to try.  I've figured out problems with my swing while I was laying in bed; it works.  What I'm trying to suggest is to think of how you play the game when you don't have the golf course to obscure your thinking.

Strategy can make or break your round.  If you play smart, you can be victorious over people who execute shots better than you do.  You have to try to use everything possible to play better, even your brain.  If you think about it, you cannot exceed in golf once you get past a certain point with your physical swing.  The rest is all mental.  If you watch the pros play, you will notice they do not hit a driver on every par 4 and par 5.  This is because they are trying to play to their own advantages by hitting their drives to the widest part of the fairway.  Working the ball from left to right or right to left also comes into play when planning a round.  If you have a hole where trouble is to the left, you may want to start the ball right and work it back left.  This way you stay away from trouble as long as possible, even if you don't execute the shot perfectly.  The pros put all of this into consideration, especially when hitting into a well protected green.  This strategy also comes in to effect around the greens.  If you have a lot of green to work with, pull out that 8-iron and hit the bump and run.  I don't know how many times I have seen people have a whole green to work with and still chip with their 56 degree wedge.  You don't need it!  It's the same thing as hitting a driver on a par 4 where your landing zone is the smallest part of the fairway.  It is unnecessary!

All I'm trying to say is this, play your smartest and you will play better.  If you stay away from trouble and use everything the course offers you to use, you will see the strokes falling off your scores.  You can still take risks (don't be too conservative, for it can hurt you).  If you have the confidence in hitting a risky shot and you're not in the lead by a few strokes, go ahead and hit it.  Most of the time you will be able to execute when you are confident in yourself.  So have fun, plan your next round appropriately, stick to your plans, and watch the strokes disappear!

Putting

If there is one thing golfer's really want to know how to do well, it's putting.  Most golfers would say that putting is probably the hardest part of golf, but it is also the most mentally challenging.  This is because of the great amount of concentration needed to be a great putter.  The best advice about putting that I can give to you right now is to trust yourself.  I feel that trust is the key to putting and most of your other shots around the course.  If you can completely trust yourself on every putt in a round, you will find that number of putts is decreasing. 

Routine also comes into play with putting just as much as with every other shot on the golf course.  If you don't have a putting routine that's set in stone, I strongly suggest you find one.  Keeping your routine lets your mind focus on the task at hand.  It also makes each putt simply feel like muscle memory, like you have done it a thousand times.  When I am putting well, I am completely trusting and believing in every putt I stand over.  Once I finish my routine and I'm getting ready to begin my putting stroke, I try to completely trust and believe in the line I have chosen in my routine.  Then, it's just a matter of visualization (like I talked about in the last post) and letting myself make that putting stroke.  You simply have to KNOW that you are going to make that putt on that line that you have chosen.  If you start believing in yourself on the green, you will soon notice strokes falling off of your score.

Routine and Visualization

Today, I want to talk about one of the most important aspects to the mental side of golf, visualization.  If you have ever heard anyone tell you that you need to "see the shot" before you hit it, they are exactly right.  Yesterday I had to work and then go to class, so I only had about 45 minutes to spare at the golf course.  By the time I got out to the course, it was almost completely empty.  This is probably one of my favorite times to play, because I can really focus on what I want to do.  I only hit balls on three holes, but in this case it was quality over quantity.  I spent massive amounts of time on each hole, hitting four or five balls from each tee.  I can only stress the value of routine so much, but you all should know that having a routine and executing it on every shot is extremely important.  Your routine is what keeps you focused and consistent.  But what I really suggest you add to your routine is a short visualization of your shot.  In my routine, I added it just before I swing when I'm done setting up to the ball.  It almost forces me into "the zone" because I have to concentrate so hard in order to visualize my shot.  I try to actually see myself hitting the shot I want to hit.  I try to not visualize the perfect shot, but more along the lines of a preferred location for my shot to end up.  I like to get to the point that, in my mind, I can see myself physically swinging the club and hitting the ball.  Then I try to see the ball going through the air and landing where I want in the fairway or on the green.  My logic behind this is simple.  Visualizing your shot before you hit it makes it feel like you have already hit the shot.  If you can convince yourself that you have already hit the shot, your confidence will skyrocket.  After that, the rest is simple.  I simply let myself swing the club (again) and hit the shot I feel like I've already hit.  I feel that visualization adds a feeling of simplicity to any shot on the course.

I can't stress routine anymore than most of you have probably already heard, but......routine, routine, routine.  Your personal routine sets you apart from everyone else.  It is the best way I know to get back in "the zone" after walking to your ball from your last shot.  I strongly recommend putting a visualization step into your routine as soon as possible.  It will help you in the long run as it has helped me.  The best thing about visualization is only you can see it.  This personality is what can set you apart from other golfers and let you come out on top in even the most pressured situations.

Playing with Problems

Yesterday was Wednesday, just another workday for me, but also a weight training day.  I lift weights every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and I strongly suggest you get on your own weight training program.  The mental side of golf is all about confidence.  I found out that one of the best ways to gain confidence is by hitting the gym on a schedule.  Not only will you look better, but you will feel better, and that is key to taking strokes off your game.  You would be surprised as to how many people think that golfers never really do anything physical.  But I'm sure you fellow golfers know how tiring it is to spend an entire day on the course.  By starting your own weight training schedule, you will hit it further and increase your confidence in your game.  You don't have to stick to something very strict, but a schedule is always nice.  Here's a program that's something like what I do in the gym.

Now back to the confidence.  After my workout yesterday, my entire body was physically tired.  I still decided to go out to the course and try to play a few holes.  When I started hitting a few balls to warm up, I realized I could hardly swing the club.  I was almost afraid to continue for fear of developing bad muscle memory, but I played on anyway because I really had nothing better to do.  I ended up playing fairly well, with a 9-hole score of 36 (even par).  Even though I had a hard time swinging the club, I still played well because I had confidence in what I was doing.  If I hit a bad shot, or if I didn't make very good contact, I didn't let it worry me at all.  Instead I just kept my composure, laughed it away, and kept focus on the next shot.  Through my experience, I have found that the best way for me to stay focused and play better golf is to focus on the next shot.  As soon as I hit the ball, I quit thinking about that shot and focus on the next one.  This has been the key to helping me stay on track and not get any bad emotions floating around.  This tactic lets you keep your mind focused on the task at hand, but it also lets you forget about anything that previously happened in your round.  I suggest you try this tactic.  It will be hard to get used to at first, but if you stick to it you will notice you're having more fun and playing better golf.

Introductions

I just so happen to be an avid golfer.  Golf is a huge part of my life.  I'm also a full time student, working a summer job for 37.5 hours a week, taking summer classes, and trying to figure out some kind of love life.  I'm not a professional golfer, sports psychologist, or teaching pro and I'm not trying to be.  I am simply a college kid who's been playing golf his whole life, and I believe I know a lot about the game that I want to share. 

As the title to this blog suggests, I will be writing mostly about the mental part of the game of golf.  I and many others believe that to be a successful golfer, one must have a strong mind.  Obtaining a strong mind is probably the hardest part of any golfer's career, whether they are professional or amateurs.  Some people may call this "getting in the zone."  I currently play on a Division III college golf team.  When I started playing at the college level, I realized something amazing about golf..... nerves.  Controlling your nerves when playing a competitive round of golf is the key to success.  I started out my college career not playing very well.  I really wanted to make the team and play in tournaments against other colleges.  What this did was make my mind focused on one thing, doing well.  Since then I have learned that in order to play well, you need to not care what your score is or is going to be.  This is some insight into my personal version of the "zone," but since this is just an introduction into what I will be talking about, I will go no further today.