Lesson Update
Did golf beat you this week? I hear constantly that golf is the most frustrating game ever. If you are reading this and nodding with a smile on your face then I suggest you keep reading. Golf is indeed a frustrating game, but ultimately golf is simply a game. Unfortunately from a mental game perspective people totally misunderstand what golf is about and their reaction to this causes them immense frustration, trust me I know this, I see it every day! People are searching for perfection in golf, thinking about the score they should have or could have had and focusing on much that they have little or no control over.
If this sounds like you, I would like to help. From now on think of golf as your opponent, not par, not other people, but golf itself. There are only 4 ways that golf can beat you:
1) Submission – Golf frustrates you to the point that you give in that day. “I’m going up 0.1 so I don’t care anymore” maybe you just hit careless shots in anger or frustration etc. If you quit trying that day, golf wins.
2) Distraction – Golf can win by distracting your mind away from the present moment. It may try to get you to think what score you are currently on, how you might finish if your good play continues or simply to get you to dwell mistakes you have made that day or a previous day. If golf distracts you away from the present that day, golf wins
3) Doubt – Golf can win by making you doubt yourself. Convincing you that something is wrong with your golf swing that day and it must be fixed immediately, sending you into a tailspin of inconsistency, trying every latest fad you read about or saw on the golf channel. If golf makes you change what you are doing that day, golf wins.
4) Delusion – Sadly golf can win even when the last putt has been struck, it is cruel and unforgiving! Golf will try and get you to delude yourself into thinking your round should have been better. It will try and prevent you from accepting your round by saying things like “I shouldn’t have blobbed the last, I could have 40 points today if it wasn’t for that.” If golf makes you think your round “should” have been better that day, golf wins.
If you want to ensure golf NEVER beats you here’s where you start...
1) Go out on the course with the simple goal of trying to hit EVERY shot as well as you can regardless of score and outcome. YOU WIN by avoiding submission and distraction.
2) ACCEPT whatever golf swing turns up that day, ACCEPT it will never be perfect (that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep improving it) and recognise that changing it after every bad shot will NEVER lead to your best golf. Your golf swing cannot fall apart over night, you can take it apart though and leave bits of it strewn over the course! Point blank refuse to question your technique on the course and YOU WIN by avoiding doubt.
3) NEVER EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES sit in the bar and “Ice Sculpt” your round into what it “should have been.” It is a smoke screen that golf created to have you think your next round could be that perfect round that you “know” is in there. ACCEPT what you scored that day safe in the knowledge that it was the best you could do that day. YOU WIN by avoiding delusion.
You all NOW have the ability beat golf every time. Use it.
I look forward to hearing about your future successes on the course.....
