MENTAL GAME PROBLEMS

[titleistnutter]

help needed desperately

right ok, my mental game is a disgrace!! every time i line up behind the ball i think that oooohhh im going to shank this and i find it really hard to have the shot i want to hit. i know that if my mental game was better then i could be a much MUCH better player but for the moment i am having lots of trouble. If anyone can help i would be very grateful, thanks.

[lefty92]

There isn't much we can do.

Just think positively.

Whether it's about naked women or your birdie on the 8th, whatever puts a good thought in your head, and not a bad one.

[mikpga]

The naked woman thought may be a bit distracting! I think you may want to think about a naked man, then the shank won't be so bad!

[lefty92]

The naked woman thought may be a bit distracting! I think you may want to think about a naked man, then the shank won't be so bad!

True that.

And the naked man (hopefully haha), wont give you a problem down south if you know what I mean.

 

But in all seriousness, just think positively (I know it's a lot easier said than done).

[bpalmer21]

I never thought about thinking about naked women.....god damn that might work.....

 

Ive never been on this section of the forum before, so I dont know if im breaking any rules...

 

but if you havent read Dr Bob Rotellas books, I highly reccommend them.

[lefty92]

I read one Bob Rotella book called "Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect", it was good.

[i_luv_golf_]

Buy Dr Bob Rotella's:

 

Golf is not a game of perfect

Golf is a game of confidence

The golf of your dreams

Putting out of your mind

 

Keep re-reading them and actually put the ideas into practice rather than just reading them

[titleistnutter]

ok , i will do. infact im buying the audio cd download now. which is the best? i have golf is not a game of perfect so out of the other three?

[TRAV1]

I also recommend Zen Golf.

 

As for mental game work, do what you do for your clubs and your swing... see a professional if it's really important to you. Free advice... well... you get what you pay for.

[titleistnutter]

best things in life are free tho

[lefty92]

I also recommend Zen Golf.

 

As for mental game work, do what you do for your clubs and your swing... see a professional if it's really important to you. Free advice... well... you get what you pay for.

I own Zen Golf, but never got into it.

I don't think I got through 20 pages.

[jdub123]

The naked woman thought may be a bit distracting! I think you may want to think about a naked man, then the shank won't be so bad!

True that.

And the naked man (hopefully haha), wont give you a problem down south if you know what I mean.

 

But in all seriousness, just think positively (I know it's a lot easier said than done).

 

 

:cheesy: :) :betty:

[handz98]

I would recommend Fred Shoemaker's book, Extraordinary Golf. It is a quick read and has really helped me quite a bit.

 

Cliff J.

[titleistnutter]

i played today, bogeyed the par 3 first, so not a great start. After 8 I was -1, and got slightly excited, my head started playing with me and after 3 SHANKS i signed for a +14, yes that 15 over for the last 10 holes. Everytime i stepped over the ball it was, gonna shank this ETC. do i have the worst mental game in the world?

[jdub123]

i played today, bogeyed the par 3 first, so not a great start. After 8 I was -1, and got slightly excited, my head started playing with me and after 3 SHANKS i signed for a +14, yes that 15 over for the last 10 holes. Everytime i stepped over the ball it was, gonna shank this ETC. do i have the worst mental game in the world?

 

 

Ya thats pretty bad... But you can change that with hard mental practice...

[titleistnutter]

which involves what? o would do finger flexes 3hours a night if i needed to, im THAT desperate!

[jdub123]

Read up on some mental game literature and youll find your way.

[excidium]

Instead of sitting over the ball thinking you're going to do something poorly (ie Shank, Chunk, Top, etc) think about the shot you WANT to hit. Invision in your mind the perfect ball setup, swing, contact, and ball flight for the shot you're about to make. You have to believe THAT is the shot you're going to hit. Your mind is very powerful, and if you put images and thoughts of shanks in your head then your body will follow through with those thoughts. You have to eliminate those thoughts and images before you make your swing. If one of those thoughts pops into your head, step away from the ball, make the correct mental picture in your mind, and then readdress and make a confident swing.

 

As for exercises, about the only thing I can think of is to play a round in your mind. Even if it's only a hole here and there, a particular shot that you remember (good shot only), or drive you hit, replay them in your mind. Play your favorite course in your head and envision a good, clean shot from the positions you find yourself in most commonly, but especially positions that you would find yourself in if the previous shot had been perfect (ie middle of the fairway after a good drive, perfect lay up spot on the long par 5s etc). Try doing this and ingraining the image of a good shot into your mind, and remember this when you make a shot for real.

[titleistnutter]

i can imagine the shot no problem, but there is a little voice at the back of my head telling me that its gonna be a horrible fat/shank/whatever. after thinking about the shot il step up to it and the voice is there. grrrrr

[jdub123]

I used to have the same problem with a voice in my head telling me that kinda stuff. Do what i did, tell that voice whos boss. Tell that voice that "no, i am going to hit a great shot, etc." worked for me.

[titleistnutter]

good idea, il try that. thanks alot

[xcore]

You can also try humming a song, I hum silly songs that my daughter likes it keep me relax and in a good state of mind.

[MrBig]

Dr Gio Valiante's (sp) Fearless Golf. An amazing book on the mental aspects of the game. Focus on your target, when the voice pops up ask yourself "what is my target?". You have to practice good mental habits just like working on swing mechanics. Good luck...