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I strongly disagree, but everybody is different. Focusing on the ball in front of you and keeping the hero at bay, and the large numbers away makes a golf round. The entire idea of one shot at a time is a falsity anyway. Nobody is thinking on a par 5 when laying up of "Just this shot", they are always thinking about the number they want to be at for the next shot. Just like any tee shot or any other part of the game. One can try during the takeaway to feel that way, but its just not the case.
I strongly disagree, but everybody is different. Focusing on the ball in front of you and keeping the hero at bay, and the large numbers away makes a golf round. The entire idea of one shot at a time is a falsity anyway. Nobody is thinking on a par 5 when laying up of "Just this shot", they are always thinking about the number they want to be at for the next shot. Just like any tee shot or any other part of the game. One can try during the takeaway to feel that way, but its just not the case.
I like reading the inputs here, but I will say it's going off on a tangent a bit. This is not about one shot at a time, or how you map a hole. It's about clearing the mind to execute from in unconscious mind. Unconscious of swing thoughts, or environmental concerns such as wind or anything else that takes away from strait up executing a shot for score.
Have you ever thought about focusing on the golf score, rather than the swing or the shot?
This is my point. Clearing your mind works great, but only if you are at a certain level. If your version of a poor shot is putting it in a green side bunker or on the "wrong" side of the green...then getting out of your head and letting muscle memory take over can help.But not worrying about ones swing is fine....at least right up until it no longer works. I mean even while swinging poorly one can still not think or worry about the swing but eventually if the poor shots keep piling up we have no choice but then think. Thats just the way it works. Its always so easy for us to say not to think as we do well. But when not thinking still produces poor results you have to think whats going on to try to correct it. Theres nothing else you can do at that point. I mean you can continue not to think or not to begin analyzing our swing but we could then also just continue to play poorly and what fun is that so that's not what we want so we will then think what and why, and how. That's the nature of it all imo.
I like reading the inputs here, but I will say it's going off on a tangent a bit. This is not about one shot at a time, or how you map a hole. It's about clearing the mind to execute from in unconscious mind. Unconscious of swing thoughts, or environmental concerns such as wind or anything else that takes away from strait up executing a shot for score.
You can accept your reality, play for the shot shape you have that day and make your way around the course in a very different way than you expected when you started your round.But not worrying about ones swing is fine....at least right up until it no longer works. I mean even while swinging poorly one can still not think or worry about the swing but eventually if the poor shots keep piling up we have no choice but then think. Thats just the way it works. Its always so easy for us to say not to think as we do well. But when not thinking still produces poor results you have to think whats going on to try to correct it. Theres nothing else you can do at that point. I mean you can continue not to think or not to begin analyzing our swing but we could then also just continue to play poorly and what fun is that so that's not what we want so we will then think what and why, and how. That's the nature of it all imo.
It seems extremely paradoxical to me that it takes a full page email of instruction and drills to teach people to clear your mind and be in the moment. My gosh, how can you do all those drills then get on the course and not be thinking about one of the drills?Playing Skills
The question I want to answer today is how do you develop essential playing skills for consistent performance on the golf course? The secret to playing your best on the golf course lies in how you prepare for mentally for shot execution. Top athletes know good shot-making in a tournament or with your buddies starts with learning to turn the conscious mind off. I am going to outline a typical essential playing skills in a training program format.
Hit three shots seeing the ball flight in your mind's eye, three shots feeling the the grip prerssure being constant, three shots listening to the impact. Do the same chipping.
Hit three putts seeing the line of the putt, three putts listening to the sound of impact, and thee putts feeling softness in your shoulders.
Hit three pitch shots shot seeing the a bright orange landing spot in your mind as you are swinging. Hit three pitch shots listening ti the silence inside your head as you are swinging. Hit three shot feeling the tension level in your arms as you are swinging.
Hit putts seeing the ball fall into the cup, three putts feeling a low center of gravity, and three putts counting saying one backswing and two impact.
Hit three putts feeling constant grip pressure, three putts seeing the clubface at the finish position.
Hit shots with staring at the target 3 times, two times, and one time and record which routine produces the best shots.
How many shots can you hit being 100% engaged on the target over the ball?
Hit ten consecutive shots with 100% commitment. If any of the shots have less than 100% commitment, start over. Mix it up with different types of shtots, Do your full routine.
Hit shots on the range with a friend. Have the friend pick the target and tell you what kind of shot to hit. It could be: 5 iron low draw to a 100 yard marker. How committed did you stay to the decisions? Do this ten times then make your own decisions and commit to them for another ten shots.
Putt six putts from fifteen feet. Change your preparation level for each one. On the first putt, play like a kid and do nothing in preparation, just putt and react to the hole. For each subsequent putt add some preparation. On the sixth putt, check everything. No stones unturned! Where in that spectrum did you putt the best? Do the same for full shots. Hit twenty different putts within fifteen feet. For each putt imagine how ball rolls into the cup before stepping over the ball. Hit
Hit five shots where your body language is weak and your voice is vague when you say your decision to yourself on how you will execute the shot. Hit five body shots where your body language is strong and your voice is clear and congruent. What is best for you?
This is what performance based practice looks like. Prior to a tournament round I encourage you to prepare this way.
Your "Favorite Golf Doc"
Jim Estes PGA
Something has to give dude, 10.9 and climbing is not acceptable for me. I feel like there is more potential there than that.
Toughest place to compete is the inches between my ears!This is why i love the Dave Stockton teaching method. It really works for me. My mind is my worst enemy on the course
But not worrying about ones swing is fine....at least right up until it no longer works. I mean even while swinging poorly one can still not think or worry about the swing but eventually if the poor shots keep piling up we have no choice but then think. Thats just the way it works. Its always so easy for us to say not to think as we do well. But when not thinking still produces poor results you have to think whats going on to try to correct it. Theres nothing else you can do at that point. I mean you can continue not to think or not to begin analyzing our swing but we could then also just continue to play poorly and what fun is that so that's not what we want so we will then think what and why, and how. That's the nature of it all imo.
You can accept your reality, play for the shot shape you have that day and make your way around the course in a very different way than you expected when you started your round.
Shot shape? a different way? ......that may be fine when talking subtle differences but for outright blow-up golf there is no making your way around the course in a different way. The only other way is through the woods , over the hills, to gramma's house. Poor golf ball striking will cause and needs thought about if it doesn't fix itself fairly shortly.
But some will say that's work to be done on the range. Or in a practice setting.
Shot shape? a different way? ......that may be fine when talking subtle differences but for outright blow-up golf there is no making your way around the course in a different way. The only other way is through the woods , over the hills, to gramma's house. Poor golf ball striking will cause and needs thought about if it doesn't fix itself fairly shortly. I mean if all I had when striking poorly was a ball that leaked one way I'd be more than happy to adjust my play and not worry or think. But not when things are bad. Bad requires some thought.
Actually the point I'm trying achieve is the opposite. Forcing myself (if you will) to not think swing. Hence turning off the conscious mind.But the point we are talking about is being forced to think about the swing when on the course during a round. When things go bad you will start to think what, how, why, etc.. about your swing. That's just the way it is. The range is irrelevant.
A point I was trying to make is that we are never forced to think about swing on the course during a round. We can always choose to think about how we're going to advance the ball to a preferred spot and scoring (and maybe scoring is not how to make birdie, but how to not make worse than bogey), even during blow up rounds.But the point we are talking about is being forced to think about the swing when on the course during a round. When things go bad you will start to think what, how, why, etc.. about your swing. That's just the way it is. The range is irrelevant.
Actually the point I'm trying achieve is the opposite. Forcing myself (if you will) to not think swing. Hence turning off the conscious mind.