
Mental training helps players develop key mental skills to compliment the mechanics or physical aspects of their game. What most people do not know is that mental training isn’t just for players who have challenges with their game, but also for players who want to improve their overall performance. Coaches and players have used mental training for years to gain a competitive edge in golf. Confidence, trust, focus, and composure are the everyday lessons I teach my students. Understanding these components allows players to become mentally tough and improve their performance.
To develop mental toughness in golf there are several mental skills that you can learn. From my work and research in golf, I have discovered that golfers who are playing in the zone are composed, in control, confident, and focused. Most golfers have experienced the zone, if only for a short time. And every golfer can learn to develop a mindset that helps them enter the zone more frequently by learning how to be confident, focused, and in control of game.
Mentally tough golfers are at an advantage in competition because they have…
- An awareness of the zone and the feelings associated with playing in the zone.
- High self-confidence or a strong belief in their skills or ability to play well.
- The ability to fully immersed in the task or totally concentrate in the present.
- A narrow focus of attention or the ability to focus on one specific thought without distraction.
- The ability to swing effortlessly or let it happen when it counts.
- Emotional control or the ability to remain calm under pressure.
- Clear and decisive mind or not over thinking and doubting their decisions.
- The ability to refocus or collect themselves after mistakes or a bad shot.
- Fun, whether they are 10 over par or two under par.
by Mike Edger, from Sports Psychology
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