THE MENTAL GAME

MVP

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Ok please do reply to this post because it is of a high interest to me.

Do you think being aware of 'The Mental Game' is a hindrance in itself.

Its as simple as that
 

HomerJSimpson

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Can you allude. Are you talking about thinking too much on the course. If so its a definite yes from me. I've been going through a swing transition under the guidance of my pro and I'm afraid I'm taking onto the course with disasterous effects.

I'm more concerned with trying to make the correct swing, check posture, alignment etc that I forget there is a little white ball just sitting there waiting to be hit
 

MVP

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I'm more concerned with trying to make the correct swing, check posture, alignment etc that I forget there is a little white ball just sitting there waiting to be hit


Ok Homer that last paragraph. Convert that into saying; Im too busy thinking stay in the present or forget the bad shots remember my good shots. Or relax my breathing etc. than hit the ball.

Does that kind off stuff get in the way of your golfing talent, or is it the right thing to take it on the course.

we practice our swing mechanics on the range and just play the game on the course. Do we have to practice our mental game on the course or think about it off the course?

Im doing my best to make sense.
 

HomerJSimpson

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MVP

It does get in the problem at the moment. You are right about the range being the place to practice and the course the place to play. Sadly because I have no faith in my swing yet the questions keep coming back.

Back last Summer when I was merrily coming dow from 20 to 15 in the space of a few short weeks my "talent" knew no bounds at least inside my head.

It was a game of instinct. Purely a question of working out the variables (distance wind etc) and standing up and hitting it. The short game was not great but was done on feel and not mechancics. I was putting soly on line and length allowing myself to trust myself.

In competitions I do practice a different mindset. I'm more focussed on what I am trying to do. I try to course manage my way round (last year it was a case of hit and move on especially when I wa splaying well).

I was an assistant as a youngster so I think I have got good habits about pre shot routines etc. I don't have to practice mental aspects. I have a focus of what I'm trying to do, how I want to do it, a pre-shot rehersal and then over the ball and go
 

Marko77

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Does that kind off stuff get in the way of your golfing talent, or is it the right thing to take it on the course.

we practice our swing mechanics on the range and just play the game on the course. Do we have to practice our mental game on the course or think about it off the course?

Everyone has a mental game of sorts, its how we react to shots, good and bad. Some people will work out how to respond to each feeling and I think you can only do that when out on the course.

I imagine it would be hard to practice composing yourself when you've just given yourself an eagle opportunity to win a match or coming off 17th after making a triple bogey knowing you need par on 18 to make buffer. Theory off the course will tell how to deal with it. I bought a couple of books which have helped me in recent months.

1. The 30 second golf swing by T.J Tomasi
2. The Golfers Mind by Bob Rotella

Both quite insightful if your interested in that aspect of the game.

Grip and rip works just as well sometimes though ;)
 

Up_Point_1

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Do you think being aware of 'The Mental Game' is a hindrance in itself.

Personally yes I think it is. The golf swing is a complex series of movements that really takes some getting used to. Thinking about what goes here and what goes there on the golf course is just going to bugger up your brain even more. The place to sort it all out is on the range IMHO.

On the course it should be just a case of 'trust your swing'.

DHM.
 

Parmo

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Do you think being aware of 'The Mental Game' is a hindrance in itself.

Personally yes I think it is. The golf swing is a complex series of movements that really takes some getting used to. Thinking about what goes here and what goes there on the golf course is just going to bugger up your brain even more. The place to sort it all out is on the range IMHO.

On the course it should be just a case of 'trust your swing'.

DHM.

I agree, I only think about the ball when I swing, if you think about your swing it tenses you up and doubts creep in, if I am thinking of a slice and I am not focused on the ball I will slice it 9/10 if I think of nothing other than the white ball its straight and sure 9/10 times.
 
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