Masters Provides Plenty of Positive Golf Ideas

This year's Masters provided plenty of splendid examples of positive physical and mental skills at work. We saw a marvelous display of a smooth, effortless swing from Schwartzel, as well as from Fred Couples and Adam Scott. Each of these players has a strong mindset of allowing the flow of the natural swing motion and it shows in the smooth flow of their respective swings which appear as effortless yet powerful. Watching each of them in action is a great reminder of the value of the simple but profound golf wisdom that tells us to avoid thinking about hitting at the ball and instead think about allowing the natural swing motion to happen. It is likely that the mindsets of these great players with the beautiful effortless swings, and other players with such great swings, is not filled with distracting thoughts about exertion and effort but rather thoughts that are focused on smoothness and flow, and also a great awareness of the feel of the swing in all parts of the body. Watching these players and thinking about the lessons learned in observing them reminded me of a remark made by Michael McTeague, PGA Teaching Professional in the book The Keys to the Effortless Golf Swing: "My teaching experience indicates that the hit impulse - the automatic tendency to strike at the ball - is the foremost reason why so few golfers break 80 in their lifetimes."

There were a few other mental golf ideas that stood out for me when watching the Masters coverage, including:

1. The incredible value of the mental skill of persistence, displayed quite notably by Charl Schwartzel, and also by Adam Scott and Jason Day. We heard about Schwartzel's persistence in his practice and preparation for the Masters and then we observed his persistence in action as he played with a quiet calmness, confidence, and consistency. He "stayed the course," so to speak, and persisted in his mental and physical approach to the game in the midst of intense pressure. The same can be said for Scott and Day, who both displayed admirable persistence to the very end.

2. The importance of "playing your own game" and not allowing yourself to be distracted by common beliefs like "it's a game for 'the kids'." There was a lot of talk about the younger players prevailing, with implications that they would dominate and "older" players would be surpassed. It was interesting how some of the "older" players, like Couples, Choi, and Woods stayed strong and "in the mix." While they each likely have some thoughts about age, they do not appear to have allowed it to dominate their mindsets to the extent that they are convinced they can't play as well as the younger players. The challenges experienced by McIlroy on the last day are a prime example that being a young player who can hit it a mile does not guarantee you will win. It is a blend of mental and physical skills that are applied persistently and consistently through thick and thin to the very end, whatever your "calendar age," that really makes the difference.

3. You've heard it said that it really helps when you allow yourself to enjoy the game, and I thought this was perfectly illustrated by Adam Scott and Jason Day. Each of them expressed afterward on Sunday how much they had truly enjoyed playing that day, and it showed in their respective games. It's really true that the sense of enjoyment helps to establish a positive, productive mental atmosphere that fosters the growth of additional positive mental attitudes and contributes to more relaxation and flow.

All in all, this year's Masters was a great celebration of golf and an inspiring display of physical and mental skills. The great thing is, the ideas and lessons gleaned from watching the coverage are skills that any player at any level can put to use to enrich and improve their own game.

Here's to great golf!

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
TheHeartofGolf.com

What is Your Answer to This Fundamental Mental Golf Question?

Whether you are a golfer preparing to get back to the course after a winter break or you're a year-round player with a renewed desire for change and improvement as spring approaches, your answer to a certain fundamental mental golf question will give you a good clue about your confidence and overall mental golf mindset.

The question is this: Do I believe in myself? Your belief in yourself and your abilities really sets the stage for all the thoughts and feelings that make up your mindset, which ultimately affects your game. If you do not believe in your abilities and your potential, doubt and fear will often fill your mind as you play, prompting tension, tightness, distraction, and over-effort, all of which detract from a smooth, effortless swing. On the other hand, if you do believe in your abilities and your potential, you are more likely to be relaxed and focused and open to the flow of productive thoughts that encourage a smooth swing and accurate shots.

These days, we are seeing an example of not believing in oneself with Tiger. His belief in himself, which at one time was strong and sure, is now at a low point, and that is powerfully reflected in his game. It shows that great ability does not necessarily reflect in playing great golf when it is not combined with a solid mindset, including a strong self-belief. Any player, though, from the top level to the novice, can strengthen their belief in themself. First it takes recognition of this mental factor and then continual mental practice to focus on your own strengths and your own game and letting go of self-criticism and dwelling on mistakes and weaknesses.

As you are practicing and preparing for your next trip to the course, take some time to ask and reflect on this fundamental mental golf question. Do I believe in myself? Really think about it and be honest with yourself. The answer may be surprising and the follow-up mental steps you take can do a lot to change your game.

Here's to great golf!

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
TheHeartofGolf.com

The Lighter Side of Mental Golf

While it's helpful to continue doing some mental exercises in the off-season or between rounds during the main season in order to keep your mental golf mindset strong and productive, it's also helpful to allow yourself to lighten up now and then with a bit of golf humor. Humor helps you look at things from a different perspective and can steer you away from dwelling on your golf faults and fix-its. It gets the flow of positive, upbeat energy going that eases tension and negativity. Altogether, a good dose of golf humor is helpful in developing and maintaining a strong positive golf mindset.

A fun resource for golf humor that I have recently learned about is the book How to Line Up Your Fourth Putt and the recently released sequel When to Regrip Your Ball Retriever, both by Bobby Rusher. These two books are clever parodies of more serious golf instructional manuals. They are set up in a similar fashion, with one key idea or point per a chapter of one or two pages. Each point is presented in a clever, sometimes offbeat, way that will bring a chuckle to new and seasoned players alike. In the first book, there are ideas like "How to Achieve the Flawless Swing Without Injuring Yourself or a Loved One," "How to Relax When You're Hitting 'Five Off the Tee,'" and "What to do When the Divot Weighs 1.5 Pounds, has Travelled 25 Yards, and Your Ball Has Not Moved." In When to Regrip Your Ball Retriever, you'll find, among many others, "What to do If You Hit the Ground Before You Hit the Ball," "When to Point Out That Nonchalant Putts Count the Same as Chalant Putts," "How to Obtain Golf 'Handicap Permits'", and even "Hyphenated Insults to Use in Tense Situations." There are plenty of "wise" ideas on all aspects of the game in these two books which are sure to give plenty of chuckles and even a few practical tips to take to the course. They are each an easy, entertaining read that are like a breath of fresh air for your mental golf mindset. Interestingly, there are testimonials for these books from noteworthy people who play the game, including President George H.W. Bush and Donald Trump. Check out their testimonials and additional book details, as well as the author's (who also happens to be a musician) colorful CD, Music to Shank By, at www.4putt.com.

As we approach the spring season when many are thinking about what you need to work on in preparing to go back to the course, remember to keep your mental game balanced with some humor and joy to help prevent frustration, tension, and burnout.

Here's to great golf!

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
TheHeartofGolf.com

Mental Golf Practice for the Off-Season

It is often recommended, and wisely so, that golfers regularly practice drills in the off-season to maintain and enhance their physical game. The same wisdom applies to the mental golf game, although it generally gets less attention than it deserves. By regularly practicing some basic mental skills during the off-season, however, you can really build your mindset so it is primed, rather than "rusty," and ready to support a great game when you get back to the course. I know this has been true for me and those I have worked with. I didn't really believe in the effectiveness of these off-season mental exercises until I tried them myself.

The practices I am talking about here are not extensive, time-consuming, or deep thinking activities but rather practical, awareness-oriented mental exercises that can benefit your game as well as the rest of your life. One of these practices is what I like to think of as "de-cluttering." Some of the most valuable mental skills to use on the course are focus and concentration, and yet the common tendency for most golfers is to have lots of extra tips, suggestions, and swing thoughts filling and cluttering their mind and interfering with their focus and concentration. I know it's easy for this to happen when there are so many sources of good information available. In fact, in the off-season many golfers will often catch up on reading golf books, newsletters, and magazines and fill their minds even more. While the information in these resources is valuable and certainly worth the reading and reflection, there is something you can do to prevent the "too much information syndrome" that interferes with the mental focus and concentration that help your game. I like to think of it as a "de-cluttering" technique, and it has worked well for me. Your goal is to have just two or three key swing thoughts or tips that you keep repeating in your mind before and between shots. That's it - just two or three. More than that can be overwhelming and distracting.

To help you "pare down" or "clear out" and get to the point of working with just a few key ideas, you can write down all the ideas, suggestions, and tips that fill your mind as you play or think about the game, as well as the new ideas that you have gleaned from your reading and are trying to make yourself remember in addition to everything else. Write all of these down, then select the two or three that stand out as most important and helpful to you at this time. These are the ones you will take to the course with you. The other points on the list are for reviewing before and after rounds to further enhance your game. When you go to the course though, remember you want to keep it simple and minimize "clutter" and stick with the two or three key thoughts. This is a good exercise to do in the off-season to help streamline and strengthen your mindset in preparation for getting back to the course, and it's good to re-visit it periodically during the season as your game changes and your mind fills with new and different ideas. Making a conscious, mindful effort to "de-clutter" is a great step toward improving your focus and concentration.

Here's to great golf!

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

Another Mental Golf Question to Ask Yourself

It was great to see Dustin Johnson win the BMW Championship on Sunday. He has experienced a summer that some have called "catastrophic," scoring an 82 at Pebble Beach, blowing his chance at The Barclays three weeks ago, and then throwing away the PGA Championship last month after inadvertently grounding his club in a sand bunker, leading to a two-shot penalty on the last hole at Whistling Straits. Then after all this, he comes through at Cog Hill on Sunday and beats Paul Casey by a shot for the biggest win of his career. A strong mental golf mindset, with some changes and growth along the way, was certainly a key part of this victory. Johnson could have really crumbled and continued to beat himself up over those mistakes and losses, likely distracting his focus and confidence and finishing the season in a slump. Instead, he looked at these experiences in a more upbeat, productive way. He learned from them and moved on rather than dwelling in frustration and negativity. In an interview after the victory, Johnson said, "I've had some failures, but I don't know if I'd call them failures. I've had a few mishaps. Pebble taught me a lot. That's where I learned the most...I (have) learned to be patient and not rush things. I didn't rush any shot today. Just take things slow." Kudos to Johnson for getting himself back on track and finding something good and helpful in some challenging situations. In light of this healthy mental golf outlook, ask yourself this question: Am I handling my own errant shots or poor playing in a positive, productive way or a negative, limiting way? In essence, are you fueling more frustration and mistakes or cultivating something new and better? The answer can give you some great insight and direction for developing new mental practices that are more conducive to positive golf experiences and success rather than frustration and anxiety.

Here's to great golf!

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
TheHeartofGolf.com

Ask Yourself This Fundamental Mental Golf Question

A point that is frequently made in golf instruction is that the swing is all about flow and the movement of energy and you want to allow this flow to happen smoothly and naturally. Most of the time, this point is made in reference to the flow of physical movement. Much less frequently, however, is there a reference made to the flow of mental energy, yet this flow is of fundamental importance to the swing as well. The smooth flow of productive mental golf thoughts is essential to set the stage for a smooth swing. For many, many players, however, the smooth flow of thoughts is frequently inhibited by fear, frustration, judgement of performance, and other mental "stuff." This disruption of the flow of mental golf thoughts is a common source of physical swing problems that many players don't realize. Many potential positive golf experiences are blocked due to the interference of positive mental thinking.

I was reminded of this flow principle recently when watching my two year old daughter playing with a plastic golf club. She was swinging away at the golf ball (and many other things as well) and my initial reaction was, "She's swinging away without a care in the world." It dawned on me that this was a great reminder of the value of being free and clear in your mind when practicing and playing, without the interference of thoughts and emotions that get in the way of the flow of positive, productive, "golf enhancing" thoughts. As I watched, I thought of this fundamental golf question: "What are you thinking and feeling that is interfering with the free flow of positive golf thoughts and ultimately the smooth flow of an effortless swing?" In essence, what is keeping you from being free and clear in golf? The answer to this question gets to the heart of golf improvement. It's a question I ask those I work with and I periodically ask myself as well. I encourage every aspiring golfer to do the same. Think about it: What are you thinking and feeling that is holding back the flow in your game?

If there are some golf improvement goals you have been working on this summer where you haven't seen results, this question can offer you some helpful insight for changing your mindset and ultimately your game. Remember to "let it flow" in mind and body! As always, I welcome comments on your insight and experiences.

Here's to great golf!

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
TheHeartofGolf.com

A Novel Approach to Learning About Mental Golf

I recently read a book that I am enthusiastically recommending to my fellow Positive Golfers titled Straight Down the Middle, by Josh Karp. Having the complete title of Straight Down the Middle: Shivas Irons, Bagger Vance, and How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Golf Swing, the book is a first-hand account of a real-life golfer's quest to gain a greater understanding of positive mental principles and practices and then put them to use in order to transform his mindset, his game, and his life. The author, Karp, is a journalist and, at the beginning, an 18 handicap golfer who realizes there is great potential in the mental realm, and having a great desire to enrich his game and his life he is inspired to explore various mental philosophies and approaches. Karp becomes a mental golf guinea pig, in essence, and immerses himself in learning from various gurus and masters and applying their wisdom on (and off) the course. He shares his experiences in great detail so the reader gets a very clear picture of what is taking place. Along with the details, Karp is open and forthcoming about his thoughts and feelings throughout, so the reader can follow his deepening understanding and development (and sometimes drawbacks). Karp also has a keen sense of humor which makes the reading enjoyable as well as enlightening.

All in all, Straight Down the Middle is a memoir of a noteworthy quest to understand, evolve, and improve. Karp delivers great insight into lessons learned about golf, patience, letting go, and much more. He presents the scientific aspect of positive mental practices as well as the practical side. And he illustrates how to put it all into real-life practice out on the course, with his own mental and physical game as a proving ground. By the end of the book and the odyssey of discovery, Karp has indeed discovered the effortless swing and lowered his handicap. He has achieved a deeper understanding of the game and himself as well, all of which have enriched his golf experiences and his life. In his final comments he says, "Most importantly, my swing became a source of pleasure, which more often than not brought my scores closer to par."

Straight Down the Middle leaves the reader with plenty of ideas to think about and act upon in one's own quest for golf improvement. You will gain a greater awareness and understanding of the mental realm and likely be inspired to begin or expand your own efforts in that arena. As a Positive Golfer who believes in the value of the mental game and who continually strives to strengthen my own mental golf mindset, I gained some new understanding and useful tools myself, as well as some inspiration from Karp. I also enjoyed the book as an all-around good read. It was especially engaging because it was written by a "real-life golfer." On the book jacket, it refers to "a journey of a common man in search of an uncommon kingdom." I recommend Karp's book to anyone who wants to enjoy a more relaxed, fluid swing, a lower handicap, and more positive experiences in golf (and in life!). If you feel positive mental practices are too advanced or impractical, then this book is really for you! You'll see the mental game from a whole new perspective in Straight Down the Middle. Check it out this summer! You can find it at Amazon.com.

Here's to great golf!

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