Visualisation

[Copernicus]

Just read a story (see link below) about a guy who slashed 20 off his score by mentally playing his course in great detail. Albeit in the extreme circumstances of being a POW for seven years! I'm not going to those lengths but it got me wondering.... have any of you tried a deliberate mental strategy of visualising your game over a period of time? I don't mean just before your shot on the course, but playing imaginary rounds off course. Did it help your game or did it all stay a fantasy? Any tips?

http://www.thestorytellers.com/blog/article/visualising-success

 

[Region3]

In one of the Bob Rotella audiobooks he tells a story where a friend of Seve's made an audio tape for him with a detailed description of Seve winning the Masters in 1980.

The thing was, the tape was made before the tournament.

He listened to it over a thousand times, planting a mental picture in his mind of him winning the Masters, and whaddayaknow, he only goes and wins the thing.

Speaking afterwards, Seve said that he didn't get the feeling of euphoria that other players get walking down 18 knowing you were going to win, because he had listened to this tape so much that he knew he was going to win, and had had those feelings of excitement whilst listening to the tape.

Dr. Bob is a big advocate of training the mind as well as the body, as says that imagining a round of golf in as much detail as possible can do as much good as actually playing it.

 

[the_coach]

for competition play or will also plan any practice play
do play a bunch of tourneys through the year in different places

& have always & will always 'walk through' the round mentally the day(s)/night before wherever I am staying
just find some quiet time to sit and visualize each hole in relation to a game plan
(having also checked expected weather possibilities for the day)

so focus on targets, starting lines of ball flight to end target
what part of the green given the days pin positions all in the 'minds eye' so 'pictured images'
which holes are more 'green lights' so more accessible for target directly at pin
which are going to be played a tad more circumspectly with margins for the safer miss
and looking at 'likely' ball park shot & club selection given hole yardages checked against own carry distances through the bag
plus factoring in practice round info if applicable & previous experience of playing whichever course it might be

 

[Slab]

Not sure I'd call it visualisation but I often play golf holes in my head when i'm stuck in traffic but I wouldn't call it detailed play

Not sure what benefit there is if any (other than passing the time)

 

[SaintHacker]

This is something I'm quite interested in, and its something the pro's are clearly good at doing. Occasionally I can 'feel' a shot before I've hit it. Can't explain it and definitely can't do it every time but its like I know where the ball is going to go and what swing I have to put on it before I address it, and I'm sure this is what the good players talk about when they talk about visualisation. I'm going to focus on it (the mental side) a lot more this season as I feel if I can achieve this 'feeling' more often it will knock shots off my score.

 

[Capella]

I do this on the range sometimes ... playing through the holes on my home course in my head. Also, when the weather is really lousy or I am too sick or injured to play for a while, I play the holes just in my mind, but that is more out of desperation and to give me some kind of fix rather than to improve my game.

 

[Sweep]

I did it once 10 or 15 years ago. I was due to play one of my biggest comps for that year at a course I had never played before and I went for a practice round. The course just suited my eye and when I got home I could remember every hole, which is unusual for me. Over the next couple of weeks I just played the course over and over in my mind, planning almost every shot. On the day I more or less played the same round as I planned apart from one horror moment when I hooked a drive OB. That was on the hole I really feared so mentally that may have had something to do with it. Anyway, I had been aiming for a couple under. A few putts dropped and I ended up signing for 5 under and won by 1.
I guess it was my day. It's not something I have ever repeated but it proved to me that if you are mentally strong enough (definitely not usually my strong point) it can work. I guess what it actually does is make you play with the clearest plan in your mind and as long as you don't allow the first stray shot to put you off your plan, it can work wonders.

 

[drdel]

If you have the skills and talent at the pro-level then it undoubtedly helps - for the average golfer I suspect the impact on the scorecard will be zilch.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

nothing more demoralising than mentally taking a penalty drop or three putt.
Much better to wait until you're on the course.

Starting to think I haven't quite mastered positive thinking

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Before my last Winter K/O match I visualised myself playing the course - and how I'd play each hole.

I didn't envisage playing extra holes so had to make that up on the fly.

I always expect to win every match I play. Medal play is unfortunately very different - for some reason.

I won my last match of the 1st extra hole - I knew I wouldn't lose - hmmm....

Round of 16 on Saturday morning.

 

[chellie]

I can't even visualise how a carpet will look with a carpet sample let alone a golf shot

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It's something I am trying to be better at. I think it does help as part of a pre-shot routine but my imagery isn't good enough yet

 

[PIng]

When I have trouble sleeping I lie in bed and imagine I'm on the first tee and start playing the course shot by shot. I've never made it as far as the second green....

 

[Copernicus]

Interesting replies everyone. I thought I'd give it ago as today I'm playing with someone much better than me who is kindly trying to help me learn. Thought at least visualising the first few holes over and over would get me off to a reasonable start and stop me humiliating myself.

That might have worked except I assumed he was coming to my home club and it turns out now we are going elsewhere! Ah well.