Mental Tips to help your Game

[Alex_narey]

Morning all,

I paid a visit to see Golf Monthly's Mental Guru, Gary Leboff, recently and was blown away with some of the advice he gave me. The results were immediate and positive to say the least. If you are struggling with this all-important side of the game, then the attached may well help you from tee to green by becoming a more-focused player.

While we are on the subject - does anyone else have any issus/remedies to such problems. After all no one is saying one cure will work for all.

We'd be keen to here your thoughts to see if you agree with Gary's work...

http://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/instruction/mindgame/395652/mental-training-for-golf.html

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I definately have confidence issues when putting. I suppose that when over a 10ft birdie putt you shouldn't be saying to yourself "don't three putt, don't three putt"!

One tip I was given to help with aiming at the green was to imagine a house behind the green with 4 windows. When playing your approach shot you should be aiming at one of the windows depending on the danger around the green or slopes on the green.
Aslo the one about aiming at the top leaf of a particular tree is a good one when you do it regularly (which unfortunately I don't).

 

[USER1999]

There is some weird stuff there. Breathe through the heart? I'd rather not. It is for pumping stuff, not breathing.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Yeah, I was a little confused by that one!

 

[Ken_A]

I have what I call first drive syndrome - if the first drive is good then I normally muster a good enough round, if the first drive is a stinker I tend to think 'ooh no its one of those days'

Can Gary offer any advice on this?

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Does Gary give any advice on how to deal with annoying playing partners without getting yourself kicked out of the club?

I played with a 16 handicapper recently who spent most of the round going on about how he was in reality as good as me except the odd hole ruined his card. Giving me swing advice which contradicted my pro and criticising most of the other members of the club.

How do you politely tell these people to eff off?

 

[USER1999]

Put your ipod on. He'll get the message.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I've never thought of taking my ipod to the course, could be just the ticket.

 

[HogansAlley]

'How do you politely tell these people to eff off? '

Do you really need to be polite? Just tell him to 'eff off'. It's kinder to him in the long run.

 

[viscount17]

I agree, some of this is weird - or just being a bit clever

Entrainment may refer to:

Air entrainment, the intentional creation of tiny air bubbles in concrete
Brainwave entrainment, the practice of entraining one's brainwaves to a desired frequency
Entrainment (biomusicology), the synchronization of organisms to an external rhythm
Entrainment (chronobiology), the alignment of a circadian system's period and phase to the period and phase of an external rhythm
Entrainment (engineering), the entrapment of one substance by another substance
Entrainment (hydrodynamics), the movement of one fluid by another
Entrainment (meteorology), a phenomenon of the atmosphere
Entrainment (physical geography), the process by which surface sediment is incorporated into a fluid flow
Entrainment (physics), the process whereby two interacting oscillating systems assume the same period

the one about the leaf - the chances are I'd sky one trying to reach it.

quite like the one about the overlong backswing causing decceleration - sounds like me

 

[golf_bug]

I just tried breathing through my heart....not recommended.

I must admit that I am very sceptical of this sort of thing. Of the tips shown the only one that makes sense to me is the "swing at 80%". I have tried to swing within myself recently and am seeing the benefits. However, I know others whose swing is adversely affected by swinging anything less than 100%.

Alex - how exactly have these tips helped you on the golf course? Can you give some examples to silence the doubters (i.e. me)?

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Golfbug, regarding the swing at 80% - I was once told, and have read it in a golf mag' that you should swing as hard as you can without losing your balance.
I find I'm normally better when really going for it.

 

[Alex_narey]

Golf Bug,
I haven't followed all the advice, but I have started to hit the ball at around 80 per cent (still hit miles - joke) and I have relaxed my breathing at address. Inhale, exhale, hit the ball and you are more relaxed. I have to admit the breathing through the heart did puzzle me and I didn't really get it. Gary was very good though and you can appreciate why these guys are hired by the big boys. Picking a line off the tee on the highest tree was really helpful. Wasn't sure about taking your practice putting stroke behind the ball. It just feels natural the way we do it as you are already in place and don't have to move your feet as much for final address.

All in all though very, very useful. I could imagine it really helping a low teen handicapper get down to high single figures.

Hope this helps

 

[viscount17]

when I was into competition shooting it was always 'breathe in through the nose and, slowly, out through the mouth'.

do it right and you can really feel 'earth centred'

 

[golf_bug]

Golf Bug,
I haven't followed all the advice, but I have started to hit the ball at around 80 per cent (still hit miles - joke) and I have relaxed my breathing at address. Inhale, exhale, hit the ball and you are more relaxed. I have to admit the breathing through the heart did puzzle me and I didn't really get it. Gary was very good though and you can appreciate why these guys are hired by the big boys. Picking a line off the tee on the highest tree was really helpful. Wasn't sure about taking your practice putting stroke behind the ball. It just feels natural the way we do it as you are already in place and don't have to move your feet as much for final address.

All in all though very, very useful. I could imagine it really helping a low teen handicapper get down to high single figures.

Hope this helps

Thanks Alex. I find the 'hitting within yourself' a brilliant piece of advice. As you say the ball still travels, but as a result of a ell sequenced series of movements rather than by applying brute force.

I had a putting lesson last night and the advice I was given was as simple as "start believing you are a good putter". As soon as I had this in mind, my putting improved dramatically and I am really looking forward to my next round. It is clear that a players mental state contributes significantly to the success or failure of a golf round.

 

[Parmo]

Its a good piece, I always stop breathing when I need a good drive. My putting has been poor recently as I am rushing putts just to get them out of the way, I am going to try this one.

 

[grumpyjock]

Always believed in the power of the mind over matter.
I dont mind,it dont matter