How to Improve Mental Skills in Golf

To improve mental skills in your golf game requires placing your attention in the right way. Many players have a misguided notion of how to use their mind in their golf game. So before we can properly apply our minds into our game we must focus on the most important mental skills.

Let's explore some of the key mental skills involved in golf, what their purpose is, and how to improve in each area.

Focus - how to channel your attention in the most effective ways. Yet what is focus? It can be different for different players. For some a casual movement of their attention toward their target is all they require to feel linked to their outcome. This is a phenomenal product for improving focus and mental clarity.

Others prefer a more intense narrowing of awareness directly onto the object of their attention. There are varying degrees of focus and of purpose for each respective style. For example, you're standing over 137 yd approach shot to a well bunkered green...

Your attention in this context might be slightly "tighter" than on the drive from the tee that set this approach shot up. Yet this is the key point: your attention and how you manage it is THE fundamental mental skill in golf.

When all is said and done, every other mental skill you plan to improve depends on how you manage your focus/attention. So needless to say focusing on improving your focus is the first and last mental skill to master.

These mental skills are most important

Visualization - using your mind's eye in specific ways. Directing the power of your imagination will literally transform your results. Integrating visualization into your preshot routine is absolutely essential if you are serious about improving your mental skills and playing the best golf you are capable of.

The unconscious mind responds more directly to images than words. Did you really let that sentence land in you? Read it again. Most coaches and sport psychologists get hung up on the idea that self-talk is of paramount importance.

In fact there are many "peak performance" programs that properly applied self-talk forms the basis of. Internal dialogue, or self talk, is but aspect of your mental skills toolbox. You likely use it often. Yet I'll bet the self talk you have habituated is less than resourceful most of the time!

So begin by practicing the use of visualization along with your positive self talk. By "seeing" your shot and reinforcing things with focused positive dialogue you place yourself in the best possible state to make a solid swing.

Practice makes permanent

Self Assessment - monitoring your mental game development. Knowing where you're at relative to your goals in your mental game is critical if you truly want to improve. Nothing accelerates your mental skill development quicker than by tracking you progress.

For example there are 5 playing styles in golf. You have a particular playing style that allows you to perform your best. Betraying this style causes you to make poor decisions. Poor decisions lead to poor swings.

Of course not knowing what your style is prevents even being aware of the best way to use your talents. By using a self assessment your mental skill development stays on track.

Of course there are numerous areas of mental skill development which dramatically influence your scoring ability. Spend some time reviewing this website and the mental game coaching system and you will definitely improve your mental skills.

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