Talk Yourself into the Perfect Swing

Wow, doesn’t that sound easy. Training to complete the perfect swing is a great starting point for your game but positive “self-talk” can make all the difference in your success. I came up the title for this Swing Tip after reading a recent article by Michael Hebron, the 23rd PGA of America Master Professional. [Credit goes to my buddy B. J. Hathaway, the head instructor at Augusta Golf Instruction, for including the article in his monthly blog.]

I had to google Michael Hebron to learn that he is a well-respected PGA instructor who must know what he is talking about. Your success is based on your physical conditioning, your knowledge about the correct swing and some practice to hone your skills. Then you need to apply them to every club for the results that you want. You would think that hitting 10 perfect shots with each club in your bag at the practice range would be sufficient preparation for a great round of golf.  Unfortunately, this is a Head Game!

When you get on  the course you need to get your head in the game or you might as well hang up your clubs for the day.

This is not a Positive Mental Attitude. A simple positive thought is all you need.

Knowledge alone won’t fix your slice/hook/shank, etc. As it turns out if you don’t bring along positive self-talk your game is going down hill. According to Michael Hebron it may be the INTANGIBLES that have more impact on your game than your skill to swing the club. As it turns out words and thoughts are intangibles that “clearly are a performance influencing drug. They cause the release of the kind of chemicals into our nervous system that support or suppress workable outcomes of our golf swings.”

Be careful what you say to yourself as you prepare for each hit. Your personal perception of a golf situation might be: safe, unsafe, good, bad, hard or easy? Other word in our minds might be, “I can do it, I can’t do it, I like it, I don’t like it.”

Whether you know it or not, these are statements that emotionally release the kind chemicals into our brain and entire nervous system that influence how we perform on the golf course. A positive mental attitude is a great starting point. Use positive words and thoughts aimed at YOUR internal emotional self and not YOUR external physical self.

Words and thoughts can help or hurt performance:
-They can cause every kind of emotion;
-They build or destroy confidence;
-They construct thoughts and answers;
-They make sense or create confusion;
-They are proactive or reactive;
-They are ours or someone else’s;
-They are meaningful or not

Self-talk is the most powerful performance enhancing drug that you carry with you for every round of golf. Use it in small doses when you practice and play. Build confidence when you practice with your   GOLFSTR+ and use the same positive thoughts when your play each round of golf. Buy one today at   www.golfstr.com