Visualising or imaging the shot you want to play prior to playing it as part of a solid pre-shot routine is as fundamental to me as keeping an eye on the setup and swing fundamentals. If you want to play your best golf you simply have to incorporate internalising the shot you want.
Think of this internalising the shot as a pre programming method. In other words you are telling your mind EXACTLY what you want. This will also help you to consciously focus in on the shot as well as giving instructions to the unconscious, instinctive part of your mind.
Without this kind of focus you are going to be more prone to allowing negative thoughts and unproductive lapses in concentration into your thinking at critical times during your routine and perhaps even while making the swing itself. We all know the consequences of being distracted while making a swing, either by an outside influence or our own negative internal voice. "Don't hit it in the water!"
How do you play all your shots, and I mean all including chips and putts? Do you haphazardly think about where you want it to go (more or less) and then swing away, perhaps fighting some internal demon self talk if you've had a few bad swings?
Do you have a very structured routine that you follow to the letter through each shot, which is so habitual that it's like an old friend and allows you to focus on what you're doing and keep out the vast majority of interference? I say vast majority because no one is going to keep 100% interference out 100% of the time. The best at it also stop what they are doing, mid swing if necessary, and start all over again if they are distracted by a thought or outside interference.
Before we go any further let me say that I know some people claim they cannot visualise. Relax. All you need to do is strongly imagine what you want the ball to do any way that "feels" right for you. Describe the shot to yourself as you imagine the ball doing what you want it to and perhaps add some sounds of a great shot to help you if that sounds like a good idea. Form now on when I say "Visualise" you replace that with the technique I have just suggested.
OK, let me presume you have a reasonably good pre-shot routine but you are not using visualisation techniques in it. If you do not have a pre-hot routine I strongly advise you to get one as it sets the stage for you to make the highest percentage good swings possible. It must be consistent so that it becomes almost automated in its steps and the calming and focusing effect it has for you. (If you are not sure what your pre-shot routine should incorporate then talk to a professional and get some advice)
The visualization component of the pre-shot routine is done at the beginning. Virtually every top player uses their mind systematically in their pre-shot routine and the visualisation process is critical to their success. Jack Nicklaus described it as "going to the movies" before each shot.
Firstly start by standing behind your ball in line with the ball and your target. Your target might be a small spot in the centre of the fairway, a small patch of slightly different coloured grass on the green, the edge of the cup or a small blemish at the back of the hole. Be extremely precise with your outcome/target before going into the physical aspects of your routine.
Now you must literally see the flight of the ball (or the run of the ball on the green) as it goes to the precise target you picked.(Or drops in the hole for putts and chips) If you are hitting the big stick down a generous fairway you should be just as focussed on a precise target as if you were trying to hole a putt to win the masters. Focused means in control and zeroed in to the target not nervous. This zeroing in or narrowing of attention activates your unconscious mind and provides it with clear instructions of what you want the ball to do.
Standing behind the ball, trace an imaginary flight line from the ball, as if you had just hit it, through the sky and back to your precise target. Internalise it and describe the perfect shot to yourself. I even know people who ask their minds internally to lock in the shot and make it happen and from a psychologists point of view this has real merit.
If you can add at least one more sensory experience to the process. In other words don't just see it but try to get a "feel" for the shot. Feel what you are seeing or add in the sounds of the ball coming off the club face perfectly or landing with a nice, satisfying thud on your target. The sound of the ball going in the hole is always great when appropriate. Really effective visualization involves incorporating other senses, not simply seeing, so I actually prefer to call it imagine engineering. (Imagineering) If you are only using visualization as a method of internally programming your shot you are not using your mind power as effectively as you could.
Now that you have completed your strong Imagineering of the shot you want, you continue with the rest of your routine and let the swing go.
There are numerous studies that confirm without doubt the great effectiveness of strategically applied Imagineering. By focusing your mind on inner game (in the mind) you are enhancing the mind/body connection as it is only your unconscious mind that can move your entire body in efficient manners in order to give you the most consistency possible. Conscious control of movement, especially complex movement like a full swing, is very in-efficient and often times clumsy by comparison.
Stay patient and keep working on your Imagineering and get ready for some fantastic moments when you pull off a shot "exactly" as you planned it in your mind. When this happens really enjoy it and congratulate yourself and thank your mind for working with you. The better you get the more often this will happen as new doors to golfing excellence open up to you, you can investigate many phenomenal ways to get your mind to swing your body better than you ever will consciously, without hours of ball beating!
If this article has been of interest to you, you can find out more on the mental side of golf and how it can dramatically improve anyone's game when you apply some easy techniques by going to my website at http://www.golfmindshop.com and read about "Every Golfers Guide To The Development And Mastery Of The Inner Game." Wishing you FIR's, GIR's & Blue Skies. PS - Get your FREE copy of probably the most comprehensive ebook on Golf Grip you will ever read. Click on here to access yours now. http://www.golfmindshop.com/gripsignup.html Discover What's HOT & What's ROT. Reviews of Golf Training Programs are now available online so you can read up on a system before deciding if it's right for you. Mark Wright is a Master Coach and Sport Psychologist. He can be contacted via his website where you can get free advice on your golf swing or mental game just for the asking. |
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