GOLF TIP #9: WHAT ARE YOU ATTRACTING INTO YOUR GAME?

Have you ever met someone who always seemed to be down and going from one problem to the other? Have you ever had a golfing friend who never has a good thing to say about his/her own game? What do you think they are attracting into their game? Here is another question. Have you ever felt so discouraged during a round, that you just gave up and started looking forward to relaxing with your friends at the 19th hole? If so there is a lot to learn about yourself. And I promise you the learning can, and will, be interesting.

Does it seem possible to you that we create our own mindset and belief system? Does it also seem possible that we set into motion the ideas and images that propel our bodies into motion? Research says that this is so and there is mounting evidence that when we utilize newer mind technologies that we can play a creative role in our performance. Have you ever watched a skater or gymnast mentally rehearsing their routine in private? They are doing the routine to set clearly in their mind the routine they plan to execute. I would submit to you there is a power; a power of intention that can and will make a huge impact on your game.

A favorite book of mine states: "like attracts like" (see Illusions... by Richard Bach). He makes a good point: when we strongly imagine something in our mind it sets a target, a place to focus on, a magnetizing process that begins to pull into expression the focus of our attention. Jack Nicklaus has said that he never played a shot in a tournament, or any other shot really, without first clearly imagining the picture of the shot and the result of the shot before pulling the trigger on his swing. To do otherwise would be like sailing from the east coast for Europe without first determining the exact port you wish to reach. If the sailor doesn't have a clear specific goal, he will wind up in any port, not the exact one toward which he set sail.

So how can you hope to get the ball to hit the target if the exact target isn't imagined? This gets us back to the original point; we have to be very careful about what we say and imagine if we are to play our best golf. The mind is built upon the power of our intentions. Great players know that playing superb golf involves attracting clear positive images into their minds. They also know the mind does not respond on what not to do. It only works well when we use it positively. See the target, feel the body motion necessary to achieve the desired feel and swing, and imagine the ball traveling to its imagined destination. So when you discuss your game to others, be careful what your say. You only want to attract the best possible images into your game. Be careful what you say to yourself also. Someone is listening!

back to Golf Tips