Your Mind Doesn't Understand "No"… Or Does It?

[GolfLug]

Ok, so hit/don't hit... all the brain hears is 'water'.

Maybe the advice is that hyperfocus is counterproductive. I can see that. 

[iacas]

5 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

On the whole clicker training thing, the click has to associated with a reward.

After awhile the click becomes the reward.

@Big C, I’m not saying he says don’t look at the hole layout. He just says, IIRC, to not think “don’t want to go left here…”.

And I know he says not to do the “don’t” stuff and that the body doesn’t understand “don’t.”

[billchao]

I disagree with it. I don't look at a hole layout and think, "don't go in the water" as much a simply make a mental note that there's water somewhere I should avoid, but I can think, "don't hook the ball" and hook the ball. And push it. And stripe it down the middle. It has absolutely nothing to do with the "don't" mental thought.

[boogielicious]

16 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

I think I 'effed up the quote anyway.

Should have been: "The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, but I have promises to keep, and one fairway to hit before I sleep." 

Robert Frost lived near here. Not much of a golfer.😜

When I used to bike race, we taught newbies both road and mountain bike skills. One of the foundations was to “look to where you want to go”. If you have an obstacle in the trail, don’t look at the obstacle, look at the part of the trail you want to go to. It comes as a revelation to the trainees that they gave navigate lots of rock or bunny hop a stick without looking at it. 
 

So it think the mind and body can know the difference in the OP statement. 

[CarlSpackler]

1 minute ago, boogielicious said:

When I used to bike race, we taught newbies both road and mountain bike skills. One of the foundations was to “look to where you want to go”. If you have an obstacle in the trail, don’t look at the obstacle, look at the part of the trail you want to go to. It comes as a revelation to the trainees that they gave navigate lots of rock or bunny hop a stick without looking at it. 

This is also lesson #1 in motorcycle riding.

[ChetlovesMer]

3 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

This is also lesson #1 in motorcycle riding.

Skydiving as well. You look where you want to go... i.e. Don't look at the tree or you may just land in it. 

[Darkfrog]

I believe my mind knows the difference. Whether or not I successfully execute my strategy is another story.

When I'm making a golf shot, first thing I do is pick a target, and then try to execute the shot to go at the target. I'm usually not thinking "don't hit it in the water", I am thinking hit it to the target. Of course the target is not in the water, so I guess I'm also trying to not hit it in the water, but where I don't want the ball to go isn't first and foremost in my mind.

[bwdial]

On 6/9/2020 at 10:09 AM, CarlSpackler said:

I'm glad the Dr. Freud didn't write a book on golf. There is OB left, so clearly you want to sleep with your mother. 😋

[Vinsk]

1 hour ago, bwdial said:

Lol! I expected this to come from @Double Mocha Man....good job!

[bwdial]

9 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

Lol! I expected this to come from @Double Mocha Man....good job!

Did I steal his thunder?

As for the question, I find that the more I practice, the more confident I get.  The more confident I get, the better I strike the ball.  The better I strike the ball, the better the chance that it goes where I want it to, and the less I think about the hazards.

[DrvFrShow]

Do not hit it into the water - ball goes into the water. Do not hit it into the woods - ball goes into the woods. Don't top the ball - tops ball. What about, "What ever you do, do not hit it into the fairway!"

[darthweasel]

I was thinking about this last night and had a thought that may contribute or may be complete nonsense. I think the amount it matters may have a strong correlation to the target selecting ability of the golfer in question.

 

For example, my playing partner in 2-man scrambles used to pull out a "water ball" any time water was in site. Teeing off with water 250 out and a max tee distance of 180? He pulls a water ball. Teeing off over water ten yards in front of the box and extending 30 yards? Water ball. And sure enough, he would find the water. He is terrified of sand. So the vast majority of time sand is involved, even if nowhere near his line of play...sand. And you always hear him saying "don't hit into the water" or "don't hit into the sand" or similar.

So lets throw a hypothetical hole out there. 150 yard par 3. Slightly elevated tee box. Water starts about 20 yards from the tee box and ends 30 yards short of the de green that is protected left and right by bunkers.

 

If you ask where he is aiming, John will point generally toward the flag and say "over there", mutter "not in the water" and rinse one.

 

Conversely, I will take an extra club as long is trouble but not lost, short is water or sand, pick my aiming point between the bunkers and swing at a very specific point. Am I always successful? Of course not. `But I know the miss was physical execution because I had a very specific target I was attempting. John, how can he say he missed his target? His target was literally "out there somewhere"

 

I am idly curious how many people who selected "yes" have specific targets and how many general? I could of course be way off base as what I have seen is anecdotal

[GolfLug]

On 6/13/2020 at 3:35 PM, DrvFrShow said:

What about, "What ever you do, do not hit it into the fairway!"

I have found reverse psychology does not work in reverse. Go figure. 😄

[Double Mocha Man]

1 minute ago, GolfLug said:

I have found reverse psychology does not work in reverse. Go figure. 😄

I have discovered that all that "positive" psychology stuff is a load of crap.  And my degree is in Psychology.

[klineka]

22 minutes ago, GolfLug said:

I have found reverse psychology does not work in reverse. Go figure. 😄

Is "reverse psychology in reverse" just psychology? 

[Vinsk]

My take on Rotella’s mental tactics in general: Flip a coin and be confident/ positive in what side you choose: 

Heads/Heads: See?

Heads/Tails: Just stay positive...it will happen. 

[Double Mocha Man]

21 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

My take on Rotella’s mental tactics in general: Flip a coin and be confident/ positive in what side you choose: 

Heads/Heads: See?

Heads/Tails: Just stay positive...it will happen. 

Mr. Dr. Vinsk... agreed.  Just pick a good target, put a good swing on the ball.  If it goes in the water buy new clubs.

It's all about reality... understanding your frailties, and working to improve on them.  Laughing at your humanness.  Having a glass of wine at sunset, rejoicing in life.

As my young son used to say in a Mr. Dr. Seussian way, "Go Life Go".

Edited June 16, 2020 by Double Mocha Man

[p1n9183]

Someone told me this like 20 years ago but not with the word "mind" but with the word "subconscient".
He told me that in the subconscient part of the brain the world no/not doesn't exist. This part of the brain only understand more basic / straigth forward language. So.. "do not hit it left" is the same as "hit it left" for our subconscient.
Your subconscient is going to try to hit it left while your conscient is going to try to avoid it. Sometimes the subconscient wins over the conscient part and well... bad things happens.  
 

Edited June 16, 2020 by p1n9183