MENTAL SPOTLIGHT
Golf Is Not 90
percent Mental
Despite what you’ve heard, the game of golf is not 90 percent
mental. This may sound surprising coming from a sports
psychologist. But the alleged (supposed, assumed) 90 percent
estimate has put too much pressure on the mental side of the
game and let the physical side off the hook.
The
fact is that many golfers haven’t taken the time to learn the
physical fundamentals of the game. When things go wrong,
psychology gets the rap (blow, knock,tap). Why? Because they
think golf is 90 percent mental!
Here’s a good example; “I could putt great if I could just get
nerves under control.” How many times have you heard that? If
this golfer had spent adequate time building and practicing a
solid stroke, he might not quite as much trouble with his
nerves.
Don’t get me wrong—I’m saying solid physical fundamentals make
the mental side obsolete. I am saying that you can’t work on
visualizing the perfect shot, but you’re still going to miss the
fairway if you have a faulty grip.
That’s why you should never view the mental side as the cure to
all your game’s ills. Do you really want to place all that blame
on your psychological make-up, your “self”? It seem a bit
unhealthy to believe that the only reason your game is weak is
that head is messed up.
If
forced to make a realistic equation. I would say that golf is 50
percent mental, 50 percent physical. There are constant
psychological challenges in trying to relax over the ball,
finding an appropriate swing thought, controlling your emotions,
visualizing effectively and building confidence in the face of
this stress. But there are comparable (similar, equal) physical
challenges: lining up correctly, shifting your weight properly,
negotiating difficult recovery shots, not to mention putting.
The
question is, how do you develop the mental side of your game
with the physical? The answer is one you’ve heard before:
Practice, practice, practice.
But
truly effective—the kind that develops both sides of your
game—doesn’t mean beating balls or knocking a few putts around
the putting green. Here are a few things to keep “in mind” when
you practice.
Go the whole nine yards. Whether you’re at the range or
on the putting green, make each shot count as you would on the
course. Pay attention to your preshot routine, visualizing each
shot and working on feeling relaxed over the ball. Most
important, do this on every shot you hit. That way, you’ll
developing and grooving a mental routine as you work on the
physical.
Find “the Key.” As you practice, search for the swing key
that you can latch onto and concentrate on throughout the
upcoming round. Make that a major goal of each practice session;
don’t keep stubbornly whacking away, expecting your swing to
eventually iron itself out. Be aware of what you’re thinking on
each swing until you find a thought that leads to successful
shots.
Finish strong. A major component of a sound mental game in
confidence, which, unfortunately, eludes many golfers of all
levels. Confidence doesn’t just happen—it comes with success. So
make sure you finish your practice session well. Suppose, for
example, that you’re working on straightening your occasionally
errant driver, but you’re only seeing mixed results. Don’t let
frustration be the legacy of this practice session. End your
session when you have hit your drives on the good side of those
mixed results. That way, you’ll retain a favorable image of
success between practice sessions, which may be step in the
direction of conquering your driver the next time out.
You
might feel it will take twice as much work to improve, because
not only do you have to concentrate on physical fundamentals,
but you must train your mind at the same time. Don’t be
discouraged. Training your mind and body at the same time
doesn’t mean more practice; just practice with a well-planned
purpose.
This article is from the book “The
Complete Golfer: Physical Skill and Mental Toughness” by Dr. Tom
Dorsel, the sport psychologist.