Most golfers will say the hardest part of their game is focus. The mental side of golf is easily overlooked. Do you have a friend that breaks 80 on every round? Why is that? Practice makes perfect. What they usually do not share is, what they are practicing at. They practice at mental toughness; golf has often been referred to as 10% Talent 90% mental. When overcoming that mental side of golf, do you try to change your equipment, the time at which you play, maybe even they guys you play with. Here are some tips that are going to help you be, the golfer, you always wanted to be.
The tempo of golf is often a concern for golfers. You are stuck behind a slow foursome, or maybe the guys behind you are rushing you, and you feel that pressure to golf faster. Well Tempo of the game should never affect the tempo of your swing. Swing tempo is important if you want consistent results in your game. How do I find my tempo you ask? A golfer can find their tempo by doing these simple things:
SLOW DOWN!! People often think that if they can swing faster and hit the ball harder they will get results, this is not the case at all. SLOW DOWN and focus on YOUR tempo not the tempo of the game. This is true is some instances, but, for the sake of this article we will not be discussing those concepts. No matter where you are playing or who you are playing with; the tempo you keep is is going to make you take the same back swing, have you contacting the ball the same, and allowing you to follow through the same every time. How do you practice tempo? While at the driving range your focus should only be on one club at a time. First hit 20 range balls with your driver, next hit 20 range balls with your 9 iron, Next your 3 wood and your 8 iron follow this method until you have hit every club in your bag. To perfect your back swing come to the same position every time. No matter what club you are using the ball wants to be hit in the same place at the same speed every time. When you swing a Driver you want to hit the ball far and often times straight, should you not have the same goal with every other club in your golf bag. If you focus on your tempo you will see that by swinging all of your clubs the same your accuracy will improve drastically. When you are working on your follow through it will be the same as your back swing, you will want it to be the same with every club. How you follow through directly affect your accuracy. When you focus on these three techniques you will find that your mental game will improve.
This is a three step process after you are done at the driving range it is time to head to the chipping green. Start by working with your wedges, then move on to you short irons. You need to use every club for at least 100 chips. When you start in the deep stuff focus on yout tempo and making sure you land every ball on the green. If you are hitting the ball with the same tempo every time, your chipping will be more accurate. Chipping is a tool to get to the green, not a tool to keep you from having to putt. Hitting a home run is great but keeping the ball in play has made many great careers. If you can keep your mind focused on the task at hand you are going to chip and hit the green every time. Now take your 8I and 9I over to the short grass and work on your bump and run. Tempo is still your main focus you are just using a club for a different shot, the tempo is still the same though. Block out what is going on around you and focus on your tempo!! Imagine you are still hitting that same wedge, Change the Club not the Tempo!!
Putting Putting Putting! Why is this a hard thing to understand? We have now gone from Driving range tempo to chipping tempo to putting tempo the TEMPO does not change only the environment. What you want to practice here is the same thing! You want to work on your tempo. You putt the same every time, you will not be changing your swing ever. The only thing about putting that changes is the distance. Start with 10 balls and putt then in from 1ft away from the hole. Move your self out 1ft for every 10 balls you sink in a row. Keep the same tempo.
The goal for these exercises is to teach your to go through the same steps every time. When you are working on you tempo you need to understand that you are separating your self from the game; you are working on you. If you focus on the tempo you will see results!! If you want the proven results of the pros you need to create a time line in your mind (90% mental) that you will follow no matter where you are, or whom you are playing with. By creating this method of training for your body, your mind will have no choice but to respond by focusing on what you are trying to do.