Dwelling On Past Shots Can Improve Your Game!

Most often, when a golfer dwells on a past shot they've hit sometime during the round, invariably it is a particularly bad shot (rather than a good one) which is focused upon.

Previous great shots are often completely forgotten when the annoyance of missing an easy shot continues to dwell in your mind.

This habit is highly self-destructive, as it simultaneously affects concentration and morale whilst programming the subconscious for more disaster in future. It is perfectly natural to get upset when you miss an easy shot, but the essential thing is to contain the damage by not allowing yourself to dwell on this shot for more than 10 seconds.

This is a very important damage-control principle of golf psychology, as otherwise the emotions from this shot will slowly unravel the remainder of your round. Never allow the effects of a bad shot to continue for more than 10 seconds - that is its time-limit, and not a second longer. After that you must move your thoughts back into the realm of positivity so that the remainder of your round remains (relatively) unaffected by this one bad shot.

One way to ensure your mind remains focused on the positive is, during the time whilst you are walking towards your next shot, to 'recall and mentally visualize' your current best shot from the existing round.

This is as simple as remembering your best shot of the round - until (of course) you better that shot, and then you use this new 'personal best' shot as your new mental image you think of in between strokes. This is all done mentally (and needless to say, with your eyes open!) whilst you are in transit towards your next shot.

By recalling your current best shot of the day, you are doing several positive things for your game; first of all, you are ensuring that you do not allow your mind to run out of control with negative thoughts, which invariably affects morale and hence concentration later during the back nine. Secondly, it keeps your mind focused upon the positive and helps to program your strokes for a good solid, consistent round.

So begin limiting the damaging 'fallout' from bad shots to only 10 seconds, and then immediately begin focusing upon the positive (between all shots) by using the art of visualization to recall the best shot of your round. You will be surprised at the results.

"The Mind controls the body, and the Mind is Unlimited"

The best of success, Craig Townsend

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