Fear is like a magnet; it's a seductive trap that leads to the habit of focusing on potential disaster. Every golfer, at every skill level, has experienced the ineffable sensation of a perfect shot. It usually occurs when we least expect it. Somehow a golfer manages to forget potential mistakes for one and a half seconds and just hit the damn ball!
The key to controlling fear is strong emotion. How often have you hit two poor shots in a row and then, in a fit of mild anger, smacked the next shot right down the fairway? How did that happen? Your anger allowed you to focus exclusively on the intended target.
There are three steps to reducing (and perhaps eliminating) the effects of fear.
The first step is awareness. As soon as you feel the sensation of fear, then stop and do something to interrupt the feeling. You could tap your foot, tie your shoes, move your bag - anything to stop the feeling from developing into a mental picture of potential disaster.
The second step is to recall past successes in similar situations. If you haven't had much success with this particular shot, then break the pattern by using a different club or trying a different approach. Most of us tend to re-play the same holes, the same way, with similar results.
The third step is reinforce the feelings of your good shots.
Perfection is nice - but results are the real goal. Stop beating yourself up over less than perfect shots. Rate the shots on a scale from one to ten, based on the results. Anything above six would be excellent. Whenever you hit an excellent shot, do something to lock in the feeling. Twirl the club, hold your finish, or you might even want to congratulate yourself out loud (softly that is).
How often have you heard a golfer berate himself audibly after a poor shot? For some reason, you rarely hear golfers openly congratulate themselves after a good shot.
Fear can be an ally; if your career drive is two-hundred yards then you should be wary of trying to carry two-hundred and forty yards over water. Assuming you have the underlying skill set, then your ability to re-create your best swing is based on how well you can focus on your intended target.
When you acknowledge fear and learn how to control it, then you've taken the first step to unlocking your true potential.
In this article, we looked at the power of fear. Understanding the automatic tendency to replay past mistakes, keeps many golfers trapped in the avoidance syndrome. When you learn how to lock in the feelings of your best shots, then you begin to develop the habit of success.
For real-life case studies, please check out the Just Hit The Damn Ball! book series on amazon.com and amazon.ca.
The key to controlling fear is strong emotion. How often have you hit two poor shots in a row and then, in a fit of mild anger, smacked the next shot right down the fairway? How did that happen? Your anger allowed you to focus exclusively on the intended target.
There are three steps to reducing (and perhaps eliminating) the effects of fear.
The first step is awareness. As soon as you feel the sensation of fear, then stop and do something to interrupt the feeling. You could tap your foot, tie your shoes, move your bag - anything to stop the feeling from developing into a mental picture of potential disaster.
The second step is to recall past successes in similar situations. If you haven't had much success with this particular shot, then break the pattern by using a different club or trying a different approach. Most of us tend to re-play the same holes, the same way, with similar results.
The third step is reinforce the feelings of your good shots.
Perfection is nice - but results are the real goal. Stop beating yourself up over less than perfect shots. Rate the shots on a scale from one to ten, based on the results. Anything above six would be excellent. Whenever you hit an excellent shot, do something to lock in the feeling. Twirl the club, hold your finish, or you might even want to congratulate yourself out loud (softly that is).
How often have you heard a golfer berate himself audibly after a poor shot? For some reason, you rarely hear golfers openly congratulate themselves after a good shot.
Fear can be an ally; if your career drive is two-hundred yards then you should be wary of trying to carry two-hundred and forty yards over water. Assuming you have the underlying skill set, then your ability to re-create your best swing is based on how well you can focus on your intended target.
When you acknowledge fear and learn how to control it, then you've taken the first step to unlocking your true potential.
In this article, we looked at the power of fear. Understanding the automatic tendency to replay past mistakes, keeps many golfers trapped in the avoidance syndrome. When you learn how to lock in the feelings of your best shots, then you begin to develop the habit of success.
For real-life case studies, please check out the Just Hit The Damn Ball! book series on amazon.com and amazon.ca.
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