Friday, November 24, 2006

Teach Kids the Can-Do Attitude...

In the last post, I talked about why the word "CAN" is my favorite golf power word. It is a word that helps to put me in a positive mindset and get me on track to achieving something that I desire to do, from curing a slice to reducing tension in my swing. My parents taught me the Can-Do Attitude and encouraged me to think and say, "I can" at a young age as I was learning to play golf. This is such a valuable lesson that every parent can teach to children that will help them in their golf game and throughout life.

At TheHeartofGolf.com, we have a great program that can help you teach kids the Can-Do attitude. It's called The Can-Do Golf Program and includes a series of kids golf products that incorporate the Can-Do phrase. There is a Can-Do Book, a Can-Do Bag Tag, and a Can-Do Golf Ball. They can be purchased separately, or together as a Can-Do Golf Kit for a discount price. The Can-Do Golf Products make great Christmas or birthday gifts and can help put your kids on the road to self-confidence and success in golf today. For more information, check out the Can-Do Golf Program on our website at TheHeartofGolf.com.

Cheers!

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
Co-Founder, TheHeartofGolf.com
http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com

Friday, November 10, 2006

My Favorite Golf Power Word...

In studying and practicing mental golf techniques, I have learned that one of the most important things that makes a difference is the words that you think and say. It is really surprising the difference that this makes. Words can basically put you in the mood and pave the way for a pleasant or unpleasant, successful or unsuccessful, golf experience. My favorite golf power word is "CAN." This is one of the first power words that I started to use when practicing positive golf, and it remains one of my favorite. It is a power word because it literally has positive connotations and vibrations that help you focus and achieve something you want. Now I know why my parents used to encourage me to think and say, "I CAN do this" rather than "I CAN'T do this!" I encourage people to start by practicing the more frequent use of this word, like "I can make this putt," and "I can swing with a smooth motion." Once you start paying attention to how often you do (or don't) use this word, you will notice a difference. You might get off track sometimes, especially if you feel tense or frustrated. That happens to me too. But just try to get back to thinking and saying (and believing!) this power word CAN. It is a great start to more positive golf experiences! I like to hear how just this one step helps people with their game.

By the way, we offer a free Positive Golf Power Book when you sign up for our free Positive Golf newsletter. The ebook has 50 Positive Words, Affirmations, and Tips to Improve your Outlook, Your Game, and Your Life. Check it out at the Positive Golf Newsletter page on our website.

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
Co-Founder, TheHeartofGolf.com
http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com

Friday, November 03, 2006

Look At Your Limiting Thoughts...

I first started implementing mental golf techniques a few years ago. I had been playing the game for forty-plus years, winning some competitions along the way, but some major challenges still remained, like my slice. For years, I had searched in vain for a mechanical fix. Then, family illness took me away from the game for the better part of a decade.

When I returned to golf, my efforts for swing improvement continued, but meager results caused my frustration and tension levels to increase. My confidence plummeted. It seemed that the harder I tried, the worse things got. I actually considered quitting altogether. Then, I came to a turning point. It dawned on me that it was time to get back to some positive ideas and attitudes that my parents had taught me as a child, like "I can do it." I was inspired to try something different, like the mental golf techniques I had been reading about but resisting for years. I started with something basic, which was to identify and change some negative, obstructing thought patterns which I believed were hindering my improvement. One of these was, "I can't seem to change this slice motion, no matter how hard I try." (I wanted to change it, but I didn't really think I could since I had been slicing the ball for years.) Instead, I began to say to myself, "I am learning to draw the ball." I said it frequently and with conviction until I really believed it. Slowly but surely, positive changes did begin to occur. That first basic step in using mental golf techniques opened up a whole new way of approaching the improvement of my golf game.

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
Co-Founder, TheHeartofGolf.com
http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Welcome...

Welcome to the Positive Golf Blog.

We will post motivational ideas, inspirational stories, mental golf tips, and quick mechanical tips to help improve your outlook, your game, and your life. There will be ideas and tips to help adult golfers as well as kids.

This blog is an outgrowth of TheHeartofGolf.com website. Through these channels, we pass along a unique blend of positive ideas paired with practical mechanical tips that can be used by golfers of any experience level to achieve longer-lasting improvement (rather than short-term success), a more positive attitude, and greater enjoyment of the game. We have learned first-hand the tremendous impact of the "inner game" on the "outer game," and we strive to pass along mental game tips in a practical, real-life fashion.

We enjoy the day-to-day learning and application of positive-oriented thoughts, ideas, and techniques to improve our game (and our life!), and we enjoy exchanging ideas with other like-minded people. With this blog, we look forward to building a Positive Golf community of others who love golf, learning, and life. Watch for many stories, tips, thoughts, and ideas to come!

With best wishes,

Rick and Christy Semple
Positive Golfers
Co-Founders, TheHeartofGolf.com
http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com