Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game by Dr. Gio Valiante Page A

preparing to hit an important shot, their minds are often divided: One side of their mind is trying to focus on executing the golf shot, but the other side is busy worrying about what other people will think if they blow the shot. One can easily understand how such extraneous concerns can interfere with the mechanics of golf. Rather than being lost in the thought of hitting the precise shot they want, golfers whose attention is focused on raising their personal stock in the eyes of others often become indecisive and uncertain with the club in their hands. These motivations, these emotions are not necessarily at the forefront of our thinking, but they lurk in the shadows, and their presence can be a subtle but powerful influence. Of course, as all golfers know, the quickest way to unravel a golf swing is to introduce any type of uncertainty and indecision into one’s mind. It doesn’t matter if you’re a professional golfer who is preoccupied with the fear of his scores being posted in the paper the next day, or the rank beginner who’s afraid others will think less of him if he doesn’t hit a good shot. In either case, the focus of their attention is misplaced.
    The golfer who thinks this way exhibits what psychologists call an ego orientation.
    In contrast to those who play because they want the attention and admiration of others, some golfers have as their primary incentive a desire to learn, improve, and excel. A focus on learning and personal development is inconsistent with worries about how our results will be viewed by others. Professional golfers who play to excel are better able to disregard outside contingencies like rankings, scores, other peoples’ opinions, and even prize money. A recreational golfer whose reason for playing is to learn and grow, and even relax, cares very little about how others in his foursome will view his drive. In both of these cases, a golfer’s attention is on things related to hitting better golf shots: swing mechanics, strategy, course conditions, thickness of the rough, tempo, and location of hazards. Because their minds are undivided as they prepare to hit a golf shot (rather than being disrupted by the potential reactions to the golf shot), these golfers are better able to stay focused and remain composed during their round. And rest assured that they’re enjoying themselves a good deal more and worrying a lot less than their self-obsessed and self-conscious counterparts.

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    mastery drill no. 1: focus on the golf course

    Recall that among Jack Nicklaus’s great traits as the premier mastery golfer was his relentless focus on the golf course as his primary opponent. Nicklaus was so intent on studying the course that he became relatively oblivious to everything else around him.

    You can’t teach that tremendous concentration, but even the average golfer can set himself up for developing that kind of focus. It’s what I like to think of as a distraction with a purpose. For your next round of golf, instead of showing up, grabbing a scorecard, and heading to the first tee, make a concerted effort to study the course hole-by-hole. If you have time, attempt to plan out the round shot by shot, deciding which par 4s absolutely require a driver, where the safe misses are on par 3s and whether there’s a par 5 you can attack. Don’t purchase a yardage book as a souvenir, use it like you would a good caddie, consulting it on every tee box.

    The key with such a distraction is that it forces you to focus on the golf course. Often when I chat with a player before a tournament, I like to make sure he has spent some time studying the course and its architect and other information about the design. I often am armed with tidbits of knowledge so I can pass that along ahead of time. That way the player will be reminded of the golf course during the round rather than thinking of his score, his standing on the money list, or the status of other players. Whatever your ability level and