Your Passive Approach to Golf is the Reason for Your High Scores

As a golfer who cares about maintaining a solid game, you actively stay on top of your technique. Why? Because you know how important it is to be able to deliver shots with consistent precision. But in contrast, are you taking a passive approach when it comes to your thinking?

No matter who I work with, and what level they play, the biggest inhibitor to success predominantly stems from a golfer’s lack of discipline with their thought routines.

You may feel like you have a consistent pre-shot routine. And perhaps what you do physically before every shot is the same. But are the thoughts you are creating in your mind also the same before and after every shot?

Too many golfers just go through the motions physically, and let their thoughts happen as they go. And if that rings true for you, your passive mental approach could be the main reason for your high scores.

The best way to know for sure is to put your thought process to the test. Take a moment now to answer the following questions with a simple YES or NO…

1. As you prepare for a shot, do you think about the shot you want to hit, but also the shot you hope you don’t hit?
2. Have you ever imagined missing a putt?
3. Do you struggle to produce the same good shots you hit during practice when you need them on the course?
4. Do you get frustrated after you hit the shot you were hoping to avoid?
5. Is it hard to avoid recalling a miss hit on a hole the next time you play it?
6. After a solid warm-up, do you wonder if you’ll be able to hit as well when you’re on the course?
7. When you miss a shot or post a high number on a hole do you worry about your score?
8. Do you have trouble with nerves, fear and embarrassment when you aren’t playing as well as you think you should?

If you answered “YES” in response to any of these questions, you are playing with passive thinking habits. Questions 1 and 7 reveal a need to improve your thought control during your pre-shot routine. Questions 4 and 8 indicate a lack of thought control within your post-shot routine. Questions 3 and 6 focus on the amount of trust that is being created by your thinking habits on the practice tee. And questions 2 and 5 illustrate a weakness in your control over your mental imagery during play. For more information on how you can tackle each of those four opportunity areas in one of my golf schools, CLICK HERE.

How to Become An Active Thinker

When you choose to be a passive thinker, you are at the mercy of whatever thoughts take shape in your mind moment by moment. They could center around past poor shots, fear of hitting into a hazard on your next shot, worrying about what others think, and more. This type of rogue negativity can wreak havoc on your score.

Your brain is a computer that runs your body. Therefore, it’s essential that you actively control the thoughts that drive your behavior in golf. Though there may be times when you feel like you can’t control the thoughts that pop into your head, I guarantee that you can.

You are the author of your thoughts and can discipline your mind to produce thoughts that lead you in the direction of success. The solution is to have active thought routines in place that keep your mind occupied with the right things, so that there isn’t time or space for your mind to go unchecked during play.

If you are ready to take more active control over your game, then commit to learning how to direct your thinking. You can lower your scoring average when you actively stay on top of how you mentally direct your body to deliver the technique you’ve worked so hard to develop. To find out more, CONTACT ME.