I have trouble getting in the moment and totally focus before a shot. I will focus and hit a real good shot and then act like I’ve got this hole under control, lose focus before the next shot and hit a lousy shot into trouble. It ruins what should have been a chance for birdie or par and turns it into a bogey or double. Anyone have any suggestions to help focus? I’m using a preshot routine but it doesn’t seem to help.
Unfortunately it is something that you will need to figure out for yourself and finding a routine that allows you to be focussed for each shot
It might have been the Breaking 100 thread where something similar was talked about, and people mentioned about having a bubble-like feeling that starts when you pull a club out of the bag, but after the shot when you put the club back in the bag you step out of that focus and relax, otherwise you can overwhelm yourself trying to focus on one shot when you haven't truly relaxed from the previous one and the pressure just keeps building until you can't cope and completely lose focus and rhythm
For me, walking down the fairway after playing the shot gives me the time to forget about what happened with the last shot as there is nothing you can do to change it, then when I get to the ball and decide what club I want to use and pull it from the bag, I then focus on what I want to do with the next shot
It might have been the Breaking 100 thread where something similar was talked about, and people mentioned about having a bubble-like feeling that starts when you pull a club out of the bag, but after the shot when you put the club back in the bag you step out of that focus and relax, otherwise you can overwhelm yourself trying to focus on one shot when you haven't truly relaxed from the previous one and the pressure just keeps building until you can't cope and completely lose focus and rhythm
For me, walking down the fairway after playing the shot gives me the time to forget about what happened with the last shot as there is nothing you can do to change it, then when I get to the ball and decide what club I want to use and pull it from the bag, I then focus on what I want to do with the next shot
DG_1234
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What exactly is your pre shot routine ?
CobraX51
F-ck Yeah Baby!
Even the best lose focus and hit a shank or blade one in a given round.
Their are certain times in a round where I become lackadaisical which causes me to hit a poor shot when I'm in a prime position to score and that sucks.
As long as your grip and setup is good, you're going to advance the ball and hit a decent golf shot to me.
Their are certain times in a round where I become lackadaisical which causes me to hit a poor shot when I'm in a prime position to score and that sucks.
As long as your grip and setup is good, you're going to advance the ball and hit a decent golf shot to me.
You cannot dwell on bad shots, you have to learn to just totally forget them as soon as the ball has landed. It happens, and when you can learn to do that you will play better golf. At the same time, you can concentrate so hard on the next shot that you forget all the basic things you must do, grip, take away, rotation, follow thru. You have to learn to play very relaxed and just on the edge. To relaxed and you can get lazy with the swing, thinking to much and you over compensate for things. It is a fine line that you will learn as you get along in the game.
Also don't put a # in your head that you are going to shoot, because you will get to wrapped up in that and that will become the focus instead of the shot at hand.
Maybe start your pre shot routine sooner? not just when you have the next club in your hand and are standing over the ball. But start the routine as your approaching it. Give yourself less time to dwell over the bad shot
Hamfist
I promise not to murder Canadan.
Supperman
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Good advice.
Not dwelling of the previous results is essential for maintaining focus. And, not dwelling on the outcome of your current shot is also important. Don’t get hung up on the outcome. Once you’ve made your club selection and chosen your line, go through your pre-shot routine and focus on that. It might seem weird, but not being goal-oriented can really help. Trying being process-oriented instead.
And it’s good to remember that focus is a learned ability. It’ll improve if you work on it.
Good luck.
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I've been having the same issue this season. For 85% of the round I can stay focused and basically have my mind be blank before my shot. The problem comes when something dumb and random pops up in my head and I think about that before and during the swing.
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Exactly!!
Mr Moke
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Focus is challenging, some very good responses above.
I’ve made considerable progress getting into and staying in focus by fixating on my target. I start at the beginning of my routine, when I take my eye off the target I try to maintain the mental image through the swing and keep it until the ball stops. When I’m relaxed and consumed with nothing but the target I often surprise myself with how often I hit it.
I’ve made considerable progress getting into and staying in focus by fixating on my target. I start at the beginning of my routine, when I take my eye off the target I try to maintain the mental image through the swing and keep it until the ball stops. When I’m relaxed and consumed with nothing but the target I often surprise myself with how often I hit it.
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Golf is such a strange and difficult game. In my routine, I hum a part of a song that I know by heart to keep my attention "neutral" or like you say, keep my mind a blank. There are rounds that I am stepping up to the ball and trying to do my routine and cannot hum the tune or remember the words. How is that freaking possible?! Invariably, that shot or round is going to be a struggle.
You could try meditation. Nothing is going to teach you how to me in the moment like meditation will. Beyond that, I would say its just something you are going to have to work on. Every shot counts the same and at no point in time do any of us have it all under control.
You could try mentally resetting for every shot and being 100% focused on being in the moment, no matter how good your last shot was or how well you are playing.
You could try mentally resetting for every shot and being 100% focused on being in the moment, no matter how good your last shot was or how well you are playing.
DG_1234
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Yes! When he was a child Tiger's mom took him to Buddhist temples, where he learned how to meditate.