Five Mental Golf Things You Can Do Right Now to Improve Your Game

I often hear from people who have a golf outing or event coming up and they are feeling anxious because they haven't played in a while. They want a quick mental golf tip or two that they can start using right away to help their game. If you are in a similar situation, or are just interested in starting to beef up your mental game in general, I have put together a list of some mental golf fundamentals that you can start doing right now, wherever you are. A key idea behind all of these tips is one of changing mental habits that clutter your mind and distract your attention away from really focusing on your strategy and the shot at hand. These are things that I continually remind myself to do, especially if I am feeling "scattered" and off-track in my mindset and my game is reflecting that same thing. By starting these new mental practices right now and persisting with them, you will be headed in the right direction for building a stronger mindset and setting the stage for more Positive Golf experiences. Keep in mind, these things can (and should) be done both on and off the course, whenever you are playing or thinking about the game. These skills get more natural and effective with practice.

1. Let go of those bad shots. I know. I know. Easier said than done. But believe me, it makes a difference. Dwelling on missed putts and errant drives demands a lot of mental energy that distracts you from productive thoughts and better focus.

2. Don't dwell on fear. Here again, easier said than done. And here again, an enormous "consumer" of mental energy. Start by picking one thing you are really fearful about (i.e. missing short putts and looking bad in front of others) and consciously make an effort to "switch gears" to more productive thoughts (i.e. swing thoughts and your strategy) when this pops into your mind.

3. Let go of that blame. Like fear and holding on to bad shots, frequent blaming also consumes a lot of mental energy and distracts you. While blaming might help you justify things and help you feel better for a moment, it takes your thoughts away from the shot at hand and also from getting to the real cause of swing problems or other challenges. (Your clubs and the weather are not always at fault!) Make a concerted effort to tune in to your blaming tendencies and steer your thoughts in a more positive and productive direction.

4. Take the pressure off. It's a common practice to continually put pressure on yourself to hit farther, make more putts, and score better. Self-motivation is one thing, but persistent pressure can distract your focus and be counter-productive. Seriously, give yourself a break. When you notice those pressure-filled thoughts filling your mind, switch gears to swing thoughts and some self-encouragement.

5. Stop dwelling on "hitting." It's a very common tendency these days to think about hitting at the ball harder with more effort in order to achieve more distance. A lot of people spend a lot of mental energy dwelling on trying to figure out how to "hit harder," when the real solution is less effort and more allowing. Switch those hitting thoughts to more productive thoughts of feeling and allowing the smooth, natural swing. (For more insight and tips on this topic, check out my Goodbye Hit, Hello Swing e-book.)

Now, you're on your way to a mental golf mindset that is stronger and more aligned with the flow of productive thoughts and a smooth, effortless swing.

Here's to great golf!

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com

4 Questions to Improve Your Mental Game

When mental golf practices don't seem to be helping your game, the tendency is to stop using them and chalk it up to mental golf not being right for you or mental golf not working at all. Before you throw in the towel and decide to stop developing and applying these skills, however, ask yourself these four questions:

1. Do I really believe mental golf practices work and can help my game?

2. Am I utilizing these skills consistently throughout each round (not just when the "going gets tough")?

3. Am I overwhelming myself by trying to change too many mental practices at once?

4. Am I putting too much pressure on myself to master these practices and get "instant results"? (This was one of my main tendencies when I was beginning the development of my mental game.)

Your answer to these questions can give you some very good clues as to why the application of mental golf skills isn't working for you. An answer of "no" to the first two questions and "yes" to the second two indicates some things that are blocking the success of using positive mental practices in your game. If you have been trying to develop your mental golf mindset this summer (or at any time) and have not experienced any improvement in your game, take a moment to reflect on these questions and the answers. It can be time well spent that gets you past the threshold of quitting and onto a new and more effective path. Changing your approach in any of these four areas (and certainly in all of them) can help to make a difference in your evolution as a successful positive golfer!

Here's to great golf!

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

A Mantra for Your Mental Golf

At first, a mantra doesn't sound like something that could be helpful to your golf game, but the more I study and practice mental golf the more I realize the value of tools like this. In its basic form, a mantra is a sentence or phrase that is repeated verbally or mentally to help focus the mind on an idea. This concept can easily be applied to your golf game and can in fact be quite helpful to your mental golf mindset in a number of ways. For one, it's a good way to develop the skill of being focused rather than having "scattered" thinking that is prone to distraction. Using a mantra can help to get you in the habit of consistently staying on track in productive mental golf thinking rather than frequently "switching gears" back and forth from productive, helpful thinking to distracting, unproductive thinking. Overall, using a mantra gives you some good practice in using a mental tool, which is a great way to get started with or expand on the use of mental golf practices.

I want to point out that the idea of using a mantra in your mental golf practice is something different than having swing thoughts. The concept of the mantra in this particular application os to help change a mental habit, like fear, and establish a better way of thinking, whereas swing thoughts are generally related to the physical mechanics of your swing. Also, when it comes to using a mantra for your mental golf, I'm not talking about "mindless" or rote repetition of a phrase, but thoughtful or "mindful" repetition with awareness and sincerity.

A couple of examples of this concept in practice will help it make more sense. One example is a mantra that my wife has used to help her game. As a beginning golfer, a challenge she was facing was a lot of tension, which led to a lot of problems with her swing. This tension was rooted in her over-concern for what people were thinking regarding her swing and her abilities. It would almost paralyze her on certain holes and in certain situations. To address the problem and help her focus on more helpful thoughts, she used the phrase from a popular quote, "what other people think of me is none of my business" as a mantra, repeating it to herself frequently throughout a round. Here again, it wasn't mindless or forced repetition but thoughtful repetition done with sincerity and focus. It proved to be very helpful in re-orienting her thoughts and diffusing her concerns and ultimately reducing the tension that wreaked havoc with her swing. Another example of an area where I know this mantra tool has been used with success is in helping to change the habit of hanging on to thoughts of poor shots and other mistakes and developing the habit of letting go and staying in the present. A mantra that has worked for other golfers in this situation is, "It's all about this shot and this moment," repeated in the mind over and over with increasing belief and conviction.

A mantra is another tool that I recommend adding to your mental golf "bag of tricks." It's something you can get started with right away. You have to be sure to stick with it though. Just like any of the mental golf tools, being persistent and consistent pays off. Here are some other areas where using a mantra can help get you on the road to making some changes in your mind and your game:

- changing the habit of frequent anger about your game
- changing the habit of ongoing self-doubt about your abilities
- changing the habit of using over-effort and trying too hard
- changing the habit of putting pressure on yourself
- changing the habit of regularly using "what if" thinking and dwelling on worst-case scenarios while playing

One more tip: When choosing a mantra to use, pick something that is succinct, has good flow, and makes good sense to you about the issue at hand. It may even be a popular quote or a catch phrase. Avoid using "not" phrases, such as "I am not angry. I am not angry..." as this actually puts more focus on the problem at hand rather than away from it.

This idea of a mantra can be put to use right away to change and strengthen your mental golf mindset. Try it out, and give it a chance to "sink in" and work (practice it in multiple rounds, not just one time). I welcome comments about your experience.

Here's to great golf!

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

Positive Golf Kudos to a Great Golf Ambassador

One of the Positive Golf practices that I regularly recommend to new and experienced players alike is to have a Positive Golf mentor - someone who exhibits strong mental golf skills, smart practice and playing, and an enthusiasm and respect for the game. It may be a playing partner, someone you regularly observe at the course, or a Tour pro that you follow online and on television. In my case, I have been very fortunate to have relatives that have been shining examples of Positive Golf thinking and playing. They have inspired me in my approach to the game and also inspired the attitudes and techniques that I pass along through our books, blog, and website. One of these great mentors, my aunt, Phyllis Semple, passed away recently at age 87. Her impact on me and on literally hundreds of people in the local, regional, and national golf community has been so profound that I am moved to write this Positive Golf kudos to her. I hope it inspires those who read it to find their own Positive Golf mentors and strive to be fully aware and appreciative of their wisdom.

Phyllis Semple was known as "the first lady of golf" in Western Pennsylvania. Her passion was profound and her activities and accomplishments were many. Among her golf titles, she won the Western Pennsylvania Championship six times, the Pennsylvania State Senior Championship twice, a North and South Senior Championship, 16 club championships at Allegheny Country Club, the United States Senior Championship and was captain of the Women's U.S. Amateur team that competed in Portugal in 1976. Additionally, she served with the Women's Golf Association of Western Pennsylvania, was President of the Pennsylvania State Golf Association, was on the board of the Women's Eastern Golf Association and the Women's Western Golf Association. She also was a member of the USGA's Women's Committee for fifteen years and on the USGA's Museum Committee for ten years.

In the midst of these myriad golf activities and accomplishments, what Phyllis Semple was known for on a "day to day" basis was her positive mental attitude and approach. She consistently practiced it for herself and regularly passed it along to others. These are some of the things that really stand out:

1. Her Can-Do Attitude: Phyllis Semple was often heard to say on the practice range and the course, "I can do it." One of the especially great examples of this was two years ago when she made two holes-in-one in the same round (at age 85!) at the St. Andrews Club, a par-3 course in Delray Beach, FL. After the first one, she said to her daughter who was playing with her, "I can do it again." And sure enough, she did! Whenever Phyllis said, "I can do it," she really meant it and she believed it. She also passed this attitude along to others. Many golfers she has known can recount a story when Phyllis inspired them by saying, "I know you can do it," when they were feeling doubtful about an aspect of their game.

2. Her "No Excuses" Approach: Phyllis Semple did not use excuses about anything regarding her practicing and playing - not the weather, age, health, equipment - not anything. She battled lupus for 35 years and did not use that as an excuse in her practicing or playing. When something was off in her game, she took responsibility for it and set out to get to the source of the problem. And when the weather was hot or cool or drizzly and lots of folks stayed home, she would still be at the range or the course (yes, when she was in her eighties). It always made me smile on "inclement" days like that when I drove to the club to practice or play and I would see her car parked there with its "TEERUP" license plate. It was not unusual on those less-than-perfect weather days for she and I to be the only ones at the practice range. And practice we did - no standing around and making excuses about the weather!

3. Her "Always Keep Improving" Approach: Phyllis Semple was perenially dedicated to improving her game. Each year, she had a key element she was working on. Several years ago, when she was about eighty, she was "testing" different grips like "the claw" as she was working on improving her putting. One year it was her drives and another her short game. And she worked on this improvement all year, not just a "burst" at the beginning. Every day she practiced her latest "project" with focus, dedication, and determination. She kept me and others on our toes too. "What are you working on?" she would ask. "Stick with it," she would say later in the season.

Yes indeed, there is no doubt that the attitudes and the games of many golfers in Western Pennsylvania and beyond, myself included, have been enriched by Phyllis Semple. The ripple effects from her positivity will be felt for years to come. I give Positive Golf kudos in abundance to this great golf golf ambassador and great lady.

Here's to great mentors and great golf!

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