CHAPTER 1
THE MENTAL GAME GETTING PREPARED
Tension
When it comes to biomechanics, (the golf swing) tension is a killer — especially in the game of golf. It's almost impossible to make a good golf swing with tense or flexed muscles. Tension in the body was learned — you were not born tense; it took you years to learn. But just as you learned to be tense, you can learn to relax!
We need to first acknowledge that you probably didn't get tense during the swing, but rather during the setup, where most golfers have difficulty relaxing. This is good news, because it's easier to learn to relax during the setup than during the swing. In most cases, tension in the setup starts with the grip, and carries over into the swing. (You may need to review the section on grip pressure.) That being so, here is a mental exercise or drill that can be done very easily and will teach you how to relax.
Three times a day, put yourself into a relaxed state, anywhere you like, as long as you're not operating equipment or putting you or someone else in danger. Next, close your eyes and totally relax. While in this relaxed state, imagine yourself swinging a golf club five times. Only five times, for if you go past the five you will tend to start building tension. That's the opposite of what we're trying to achieve. Aim to do this three times a day for about three weeks; by that time you should notice that you are starting to relax during your setup, and that your swing will start to be more consistent and, most importantly, smooth.
Focus - Concentration
Being able to focus or concentrate is one of the most important aspects of the game of golf. But what is focus? It is merely the state of mind in which you blank out all that does not pertain to the task you are trying to accomplish, whether it be your job, driving a car, a sports endeavor — anything.
Unfortunately, most golfers do not have this ability, or cannot focus or concentrate long enough to last through the setup and the swing. Some think it is not necessary; other just don't know how. It makes no difference which it is — not having it will simply keep you from playing your best game. Obviously, the top players in the world have learned how to achieve that state of mind. You can too. Here's a way to teach yourself to focus by doing a mind drill.
Start with the relaxation drill. Three times a day put yourself into a relaxed state, anywhere you like as long as you're not operating equipment or putting you or someone else in danger.
Find a spot or some small object that is stationary, fix your eyes on that object, and concentrate on it for just five seconds. Create a state of mind where nothing around you matters except that small object. Do this often enough so that it becomes easy to achieve and maintain that relaxed, focused state. It usually takes on average about two weeks to maintain a relaxed focus for that first five seconds. Then increase to 10, 15, 20 and 25 seconds, each time moving to the longer period only when you can easily maintain focus for the current period.
25 seconds may not sound like much, but the average setup and address in golf only takes about 20 seconds for most people after they have learned the setup and pre-shot routine. The best golfers in the world can focus for up to one minute, which seems an eternity to most of us. If the top golfers seem to be out of touch with anything that's happening around them during their setup and swing, it's because they are! Some ask how the professional golfers can concentrate on their game for up to five hours at a time. The answer — they don't; they concentrate on their setup and swing one minute at a time.
NOTE: All throughout this book I will be referring to the Six Timing Positions of the single plane Golf Swing. This info is in chapter 4, section B. You may need to look at it from time to time.
Focus on execution, not results
One of the biggest flaws a golfer can make is to focus on results instead of concentrating on execution. If a golfer focuses on results and not on execution the results may or may not be accomplished. This is like what has been said as, putting the horse behind the cart. Until the golfer has practiced enough to make execution automatic, the focus should always come after execution. When this happens, the results the golfer is looking for will become more frequent.
To play the Game of Golf
To play the Game of Golf all one must know is, how to move a ball from one place to the other using the least amount of strokes.
This can be accomplished by knowing how to move the golf club from the pre-impact to the full extension as seen below! All the time making sure the club face remains square to the swing plane and using the maximum club head speed the golfer can control. This is all that matters! If this is simple for you, do not read any further, go out and play this Great Game and LOVE IT. If not, please move through this book slowly making sure you understand what you have read before going to the next. The worst thing I think one can do when trying to learn anything is, getting too anxious to know and moving too fast, "Slow down Please".
You cannot manipulate the golf swing
Since we were born we have tried to manipulate everything that we do, now you must realized you cannot manipulate the golf swing, you have to just let it happen. To get a proper golf swing you must think of two words. 1st word is "D R I L L", 2nd word is "S W I N G". They are not spelled the same, they are not pronounced the same and they don't have the same meaning. The DRILLS are not the SWING but only a small part of it, No one has ever learned the DRILLS by making a SWING but you can only learn the SWING by doing the DRILLS. To learn the SWING you must practice each drill slowly, until it becomes second nature then go to the next drill. This is the time to think about it; to make the SWING you must not think of the DRILLS, only the swing. If the swing is not there then go back to the DRILLS. To play the game of golf you cannot think about the golf swing, you must think "TARGET". If you have practiced the drills enough the right way you will have the confidence that the golf swing will be there so that you can focus on the TARGET.
Learn the DRILLS slowly to get to the SWING.
Practice the SWING to get the ball to the TARGET.
Think TARGET to play...
