| We humans are creatures of habit and far happier | | | | This is where learning to understand what happens to |
| staying in our comfort zones than stretching out and | | | | you will help you change what you have always done. |
| trying something new. | | | | You need to learn how to give yourself time to get |
| Many of us understand the theory of ‘fear and | | | | yourself into a good place emotionally and physically |
| flight' and that a quick decision to run was very | | | | before taking your next shot. |
| necessary in cave man days; especially if there was | | | | By learning how to compose yourself in any anxious |
| the possibility of a Sabre Tooth Tiger eyeing you up | | | | situation, controlling your emotional responses, and |
| as ‘dish of the day'. To simplify what is going on | | | | allowing your intellect enough time to give you a |
| in your brain and also how your body reacts in any | | | | truer picture of what is going on, your self-talk has |
| emotionally charged situation we can look to the | | | | time to give you a positive outlook and support you |
| behaviour of the early cave man. At this point in | | | | in the belief that you are prepared and more than |
| evolution the ‘cave man' was not noted for his | | | | capable to make a great shot. |
| intellectual prowess, he had only the mental tools to | | | | Here are some tips to help: |
| make an ‘emotional decision' – a ‘gut | | | | 1. Take your time – learn to take a breath and |
| reaction' as we call it today. So he would feel or | | | | relax your shoulders – then in this more relaxed |
| ‘sense' danger and would react very quickly. | | | | state take a practice swing. When done properly and |
| Over time man's intellectual abilities have evolved, but | | | | repeated in your pre-shot routine every time will |
| accessing the intellectual part of our brain still takes | | | | create a trigger and help your confidence. Make sure |
| longer (even if it is only a milli-second). So when we | | | | you repeat the breathing and relaxing of the |
| sense danger we still react through our emotions; | | | | shoulders when you take your proper shot - this is |
| both emotionally and physically. Thousands of years | | | | essential for a good golf swing and will result in a |
| ago this could have meant the difference between | | | | more consistent and winning drive off your first tee. |
| life and death – nowadays on the golf course it | | | | 2. Learn to switch off that mind-chatter by giving |
| just seems like it! | | | | your sub-conscious just one word or thought to |
| It is strange that we still feel this anxious knot in our | | | | concentrate on such as focus or commit! Or why not |
| stomachs when faced with a situation that takes us | | | | count yourself through the shot as soon as you |
| out of our comfort zone, but we need to put some | | | | begin the back swing. This will help with tempo and |
| perspective on what is going on otherwise reacting | | | | cutting out any negative mind chatter. |
| so instinctively can result in poorly executed shots. | | | | 3. Visualise exactly where you want the ball to end |
| Take ‘first tee nerves' for example – most | | | | up. Our thoughts follow what we last visualised so |
| players want to take that first shot as quickly as | | | | always hit towards your goals and not away from |
| possible and just get out of there as the pressure of | | | | the hazards. |
| other people watching how we play can over-take | | | | 4. Follow through. |
| any rational thinking! | | | | Over centuries of evolution our emotions have |
| This emotional response is all well and good if you are | | | | controlled us in order that we can face predicaments |
| running out of a wood to save your life from an | | | | and tasks that we feel are way too important to |
| ensuing animal, but you honestly do not need to | | | | leave to intellect alone; for many of us this is never |
| react so quickly on a golf course. You can take your | | | | more evident than on the golf course. The one thing |
| time and this is where so many amateurs and | | | | though that would help us from giving into our |
| professionals can make mistakes. They want to get | | | | emotions, and to take the control back lies in just |
| it over and done with as quickly as possible. You | | | | one word ... Trust! You have hit many good drives in |
| know that feeling don't you? This does not, | | | | your time on the golf course so trust that you can |
| however, help in achieving the results that you want | | | | and will do it again and again including at the first tee. |
| in order to play great golf. | | | | |