Tips on how to keep focus for 18 holes

[DallasDan]

Every time I look back on a round I can always identify mental breakdowns. These 'breakdowns' can be described as one of many occurrences: bad decision that leads to extra strokes but in hindsight it should have been an easy decision, getting out of my pre shot routine, allowing a mistake to influence my next shot(s), letting a bad habit (OTT) creep in, rushing the backswing even though that is the #1 thing I work on (results in BAD pull hooks), not taking a couple of practice swings on partial wedges resulting in disaster.

How do y'all keep these types of negative factors at bay during 18 holes of golf? 4.5 hours is a long time to keep focus so I'm trying to come up with ways to 'stay in the moment'. I find myself wanting to hurry up and see the result of my shot instead of maximizing my shot potential.

[Socrates]

You can't think about it for 4 hours solid. You need to stop thinking for about 75% of it. Stop thinking shortly after you have hit the shot and don't start thinking about the next shot until you get close enough to assess the lie. All that time in between, your brain should be doing other things. Thinking about the stupid things your golf buddy does, other sports or anything but golf. My wife always asks me what me and my friends talked about and I haven't a clue. She expects we talked about pressing life issues and she can't figure out that it's like a long Seinfeld episode - 4 hrs of nothing.

As soon as it's close to your turn, the rest of the world goes away and you concentrate on the shot, the swing and the result for a minute or two. Then you go back to the mindless blather of the day. Do all your hard work on the range so you can think less on the course.

[SNIPERBBB]

You should maybe have 30-45 minutes of focus in a round. You have to switch off between shots

[hoselpalooza]

i think 30-45 minutes is about right. maybe longer for the occasional rough round ;)
to add some context:
PGA tour live "speed rounds" usually last about 15 minutes; these segments show each shot of a player's round, though sometimes shots get skipped. my guess is doubling that number -- and perhaps adding a few extra minutes for tricky shots -- is a fair estimate of how long it takes each player to evaluate their lie, pick a number, go through their pre-shot routine, and hit their shot. and if you have a post-shot routine you could probably add another 15-30 seconds to process after each shot.
but as @SNIPERBBB mentioned, the important bit is switching off between shots. so once your post-shot routine is finished you really don't need to focus on golf until you get to your ball and evaluate your lie.

[bortass]

What all the guys above said. You can't focus for 4 hours straight and expect good things to happen unless you happen to be a mental freak of some sort. It'll just wear you out. Some people may not realize hoiw much energy you can expend just concentrating. I've been drained after playing 3 games of chess in a tournament. Sure the games are maybe 90 minutes long and you aren't moving around but the brain never stops focusing on the game. So if I did that and add in the physical aspects of golf, especially if I'm walking, and I expect to be toast by the end of the round and probably day.

 

Pre shot routing, hit ball, post shot routine, and then head to the ball while thinking about whatever else. I don't have any big money riding on my game, so I don't see the need to be completely focused on my next shot until I get to the ball. Sure, I'll do a quick high level assessment as I head to the ball but that's it.

 

That's one advantage that some guys that walk find. It gives them time to just slow down and relax as they walk to their ball. It's not the same as rushing with a cart from shot to shot like it's a game of speed.

[Sean2]

Focus on the shot at hand, and then let it go. Trying to focus for 4 hours or so is next to impossible. The only time you need to focus is when you are taking a shot.

[msg]

I tried to do this for the longest time. After each game, I feel so exhausted like I ran a freaking marathon but I know it's the mental exhaustion that I was feeling. Well, no wonder, because I keep on thinking about the game for four or more hours! When I read about how to maximize your focus, it all made sense. Out of the 4-5 hour rounds, we only should be really focused for 40 mins to 1 hour total. And those are the time when you are doing your psr and executing the shot. Every since I did that, I have lowered my handicap and enjoyed the game more. When I am not hitting shots, I talk to my buddies and we joke around. When we are walking and far from one another, I just enjoy the course and the walk or think about something else but golf and my current score.

But when I start my planning and psr, you cannot bother me as I zone the heck out of my mind. lol

Since doing this method, I often catch myself not knowing what my score is or where I stand that I sometimes need to remind myself, to give me some extra motivation to close out the round strong. That's how much I turn it off in between. Because in the past, I know what my score is from hole 1 to 18 and I keep on thinking the shot I hit, the shot I will hit and the shot that I am about to hit. Just too much for my brain to handle.

[SNIPERBBB]

That's why a lot of guys can't cut it as basketball officials. You have long periods of times where you have to be zoned in and you're begging for a timeout or end of quarter. The running is the easy part. I've been more mentally burned out and the end of games and all day tournaments than I've ever physically wore out. Except when playing outfield in softball tournaments...which is what you see in most every other high level athlete.

 

[goaliedad30]

I'll echo that as an ice hockey referee. It's not the physical aspect of skating; it's the mental focus. Take just a second off and that's when you miss something. Even during stoppages, we're managing line changes, watching players for chirping and other interactions, and getting ready for the face off.

As for golf, it's exactly as has been said -- build a routine that snaps you into focus for the upcoming shot, then turn it off. I've noticed some of the tour guys are now using "glove on/glove off" as that trigger ....

[Obee]

No need to focus for 4 or 5 hours. You just need to focus for the (hopefully) 72 or fewer shots(!) you hit that day! :-)

I'm quite ADD and my mind wanders all over the place. Golf is actually the perfect sport for a guy like me precisely BECAUSE my mind can wander while I play and I only need to be "present" for about 30 seconds per shot. :-)

[Jobu]

Play another 18. Nobody ever improved by not trying.

[Forged4ever]

Nobody, and I don’t give a sh*t, who ya are, nobody stays focused for 4 1/2-5 1/2+?

NOBODY!!!!
@Socrates nailed it, and @SNIPERBBB was spot on regarding turning it “off” between shots.

My focus began when I pulled my club from my bag and stepped behind my ball to run through my PSR, then I stepped into the box, gave a few wraggles and let ‘er rip(I averaged 28 seconds from pulling my club to impact).

Regardless of the outcome of my shot, I then went through my PostSR(8 second’s as I run through it twice), then I put the club into my bag. I never handed my clubs to my caddie cuz putting the club back into the bag was part of my routine as when that club hit the bottom of the bag, that was my mental cue to, as @SNIPERBBB stated, turn it “off.”

I didn’t flip the switch “on” again until I pulled my next club from my bag at my next shot.

You seem to know the issues that hold ya back, and the guys gave ya the answers to the test, so now all ya really do need is the FOCUS & DISCIPLINE to implement them into your game.

If you have a bullet proof PSR, visualizing the feel & image of your swing, shot & result to come, then you just have to bring that visualized swing to your next swing.

Not taking practice swings when you know that they help your game, because they give you a feel for the upcoming swing needed, the amount of force needed to apply to the shot based on the lie/grass that your ball is in, and probably most importantly if speeding up your swing is an issue as ya stated, they can be used to calm and slow ya down.

Visualize the swing that ya want, step in and take a practice swing or two and then step in and replicate the visualized swing and the practice swing.

Easy Peasy??

You know what your issues are, you have the answers to the test and now ya just need the FOCUS & DISCIPLINE to apply em?

Fairways & Greens My Friend⛳️
RP

[DallasDan]

Thanks everyone for your input. It is such a simple solution but I've never tried to "turn it off" during a round of golf. I will definitely give it a try this Saturday!!

[Soloman1]

You're not the Lone Ranger. I suspect most of the folks telling you to stop being so intense went though it themselves sometime in their golf history.

I stopped after realizing that shooting even par and thinking about each shot as if it were life and death was 72 lives and deaths. That's a lot of lives and deaths in four hours.

[chippa13]

If I'm doing any between shot thinking at all then it is very general.

[Ri_Redneck]

I've only read two books on playing golf, "Golf My Way" by Nicklaus and "On Golf" by Bobby Jones. Both talked about concentration during tournament play and suggested developing an "ebb & flow" approach. They start focusing on the shot as they're walking up to the ball. It builds as they assess the shot, go through their PSR and peaks during the swing. After impact as the ball lands, they completely relax their minds and take a break as they walk to their ball where it all begins again. I have tried for years to get this down and can only do it well when walking. I believe pitching and putting is a bit different though because you have to remember to pay close attention to what the ball does as it's rolling so you have that information on the follow-up in case you don't hole out.

BT

[Ironman_32]

When you practice your pre-shot routine, this is what it needs to be; focusing in 1 minutes time frames.

 

In terms of losing focus, you have to practice mentally blocking things out. For example, if you're standing over tee shot with trouble left thinking "dont pull hook it" you need to know to back off. Bad swings with happen, but it's easier sometimes to eliminate bad decisions. Remember, bogeys won't hurt you as bad, but doubles/triples/quads add up quick;sometimes you need to wedge out or lay up if you're trying to post a score

[DavePelz4]

I'm sure glad the surgeons we work with are able to concentrate for hours on their processes and procedures.

[srjohnson913]

Read this yesterday and thought it made a ton of sense so I tried it out while playing 9 yesterday. It was super super helpful and I think everyone here has made a lot of great points. Personally I'm a classic over-thinker and will dissect my shot or next shot for long periods of time between shots. To try and get my mind off of it (I was playing alone) I just distracted myself by guessing the model of the car driving by or figuring out where the next water cooler was because it was hot as hell. I should also point out that it was huge in helping me recover mentally after a big blow up hole.

[OrangeGravy]

As stated above, the Glove off-Glove on system is a great one to start with. It's easy to remember and it becomes second nature pretty quickly. Specially if you're like me and only wear it on full swings. I don't use it on feel shots around or near the green. Not to mention the added bonus of letting your hand dry out a bit this time of year.

[ChipNRun]

I must avoid rushing my shots at mid-round, especially short game.

If it's hole #7 and I haven't hit a 3/4 wedge yet, I need to check my backswing length and tempo. Otherwise, I'll get one 20 yards short or long.

If I take a practice swing and almost fall over, don't have good extension, I need to refocus and make sure I have clear shot in mind + balance.

And, it my cart partner discovers both his first drive and his provisional are lost balls, it is not my duty to rush my next shot so that we get "off the clock."