Mental Focus

[nick1998bunker]

Thanks for all the opinions guys! Didn't see this thread kept going till now. [quote name="nickolasjt" url="/t/70076/mental-focus#post_899631"]Part of our practice hours every week is devoted to mental training. Lately our sports psychologist has been talking about where your focus is.  He has used the saying plenty of times "Where the mind goes energy flows."  It makes alot of sense to me, and I have used it alot on a shot where there is alot on the line.  Instead of focusing on that water, or "damn am I going to hook this, what if I do I bring in a big number"  Instead simplify things.... ie, What would you tell a 6 year old in this position?  Hit it there, this way, at the flag, on the green, on that shelf, etc.  This morning, we were talking about the analogy "getting to green light and staying there."  What I mean by that is, say you hit a bad shot, or maybe even 2 or three in a row, you go into what was explained as yellow light or red light.  You start degrading yourself, "you suck, why do you play, you are awful," rather than trusting what you have put into the game and really focusing on the positives, remaining loose.  It is alot easier said than done, especially when your fear of ball-flight comes in.... ie am I going to hook this or slap cut it in the weeds?  In the past we have talked about playing fearless and really trusting yourself.  Is there a 240 carry over water going for a par 5?  Have you hit the shot before?  Trust yourself and rip it.  Play fearless and stay aggressive, especially in 36 hole tournaments.  Although if you aren't hitting it great and are in the yellow light stage, maybe laying up to 50 yards would be a better play, not only for your scorecard, but for your teammates.  If you're in green light RIP IT and do it!  Don't be afraid to make eagle.  What could go wrong?  You would go -2 on a hole?  Are you not suppose to do that?  YES yes you are suppose to.  Play fearless!!! Tell yourself you're awesome.  When someone asks how is your day?  It's going GREAT.  How are you playing? PURING IT.  If you say something long enough you start to believe yourself, whether that is positive or negative talk, thats up to you.  #2cents [/quote] And sorry I didn't see your post. But say I'm slicing at the range an there is ob over there. How am I supposed to make sure I don't go there without thinking about it?

[nickolasjt]

Thanks for all the opinions guys! Didn't see this thread kept going till now.

And sorry I didn't see your post. But say I'm slicing at the range an there is ob over there. How am I supposed to make sure I don't go there without thinking about it?

That comes with confidence.  Can you hit the shot you intend?  Yes?  Have you hit the shot before?  Yes?

That doesn't mean aim to the right side and magically you might hook one, it means don't let the slice hold you back from your game.  Take the left side of the course out of play.  Play with what you have that day.  Aim left side of the fairway, if it stays there straight, fine... If it slices back, take it and move onto the next shot.  You'll miss some greens if you are struggling, the trick is to not get FRUSTRATED with it.  Say to yourself, yeah I can get up and down, I do it all the time on the putting/chipping green, so this is nothing.  Sounds simple, but it's a tough thing to master.