Self-Belief is YOUR Strongest Club in the Bag!

This content will only be shown when viewing thEvery sports person has at sometimes doubted their ability before, during and after a sporting event. This lack of self-belief is perhaps the biggest hurdle that sports people face and the only way to overcome this issue is to train yourself regularly with uncomplicated mental exercises – just like weight lifter builds muscle over time. 

 

For golfers one of the most successful ways is to use the two-box system, which is described in the excellent book “Every Shot Must Have A Purpose” by Pia Nilson and Lynn Marriott. Also, the importance of building a routine provides a level of consistency, so just watch the top tour professionals and notice that they carry out the same pre-shot routine for every club in the bag, all 14 clubs! 

 

With the ball in its playing position (i.e. on the tee, fairway, rough, hazard or on the green) anywhere on the course and just visualise /imagine that it sits close to the left or right-hand side (dependent of whether you’re a right or left hander) and in the middle of a 36” / 1 metre square box – this is the SHOT BOX. Then another box of the same size behind the SHOT BOX, which we call the STRATEGY BOX. 

 

As you approach the ball you step into the STRATEGY BOX and make all the appropriate decisions about the shot you’re about to make i.e. see the target line, visualise / imagine flight, check the wind, estimate the bounce and run out, and club selection etc. Whatever you need to think and make decisions about ONLY takes place in the STRATEGY BOX. 

 

Now as you step over the dividing line between the two boxes take a deep breath and exhale slowly and STOP THINKING! If you find that you’ve still some thoughts in your head then press your tongue tight up against the pallet (top) of your mouth, as this helps considerably to quieten the mind. 

 

Now that you’re in the SHOT BOX grip the club, take your stance and posture, look down the line of the shot and JFDI (just flipping do it!) – execute the shot. 

 

That’s it – it’s extremely simple and extremely effective if you do it with every club in your bag. If you want, you can replicate your golf swing either in the STRATEGY or SHOT BOX to suit yourself and you can take one or two deep breaths – as long as you replicate it on every shot. This simple technique helps to build up your levels of confidence and the more you do it - it will become second nature to trust your swing and give you the confidence to play better and more consistent golf. 

 

The mind game is just as important as the bio-mechanical swing so go and have a lesson with a PGA Golf Professional and hopefully my mind performance techniques will get you thinking properly about your game. Tiger Woods is reported as having a sports psychologist at the age of 10 – it certainly worked for him! 

 

If you liked my blog, please forward it onto another golfer and contact me if you have any question about the sport master mind factor coaching. 

 

Go and have a look at my TWO-BOX routine video and remember ‘Keep It On The Fairway’e full post. Click on this text to edit it.