| When I was a little boy I was frightened of the dark. | | | | we maintain and believe in. What is the cost of this |
| Many nights I'd hide under my blankets because the | | | | type of thinking? The cost is a high percentage of |
| darkness would play tricks on my eyes. I'd imagine | | | | shots that will come up short of the flag stick. |
| there was something or someone moving in my | | | | What can you do about it you might be thinking? |
| room, I'd imagine strange noises, and even though | | | | When hitting your approach shots into the green, |
| there was nothing there, I would start to panic all the | | | | start to pay attention to the ground behind your |
| same. | | | | intended target. Look for trees, hills, humps and |
| You see my young mind didn't know the difference | | | | bushes that will help you to project your focus |
| between what is real and what is imagined, and nor | | | | beyond the flag. This will really help your golf |
| does yours. So I could get into the cold sweats | | | | confidence because you will make more positive golf |
| simply because I believed that something was in the | | | | strokes. It's like moving the flag further away from |
| room that had some sinister intention. At least that's | | | | you. |
| what I believed. | | | | Instead of swings that are cut short in the follow |
| Movies are a great example of this. We can ride the | | | | through, you will swing confidently to a full finish. |
| emotional roller coaster at the movie theatre, one | | | | Your distance control will improve because your |
| moment we are elated, and the next in despair. If it's | | | | contact will be more in the centre of the club face |
| a horror movie, then we're on the edge of our seats | | | | and your balance will be at its best. Learn to |
| wondering when the next scary part will happen. | | | | understand your distance to force ratio. If you have |
| We can so easily learn to believe that something is | | | | an approach shot of 60 metres, (65 yards) how |
| real even when it's not; at least until we challenge its | | | | much force would you need to apply to the golf ball |
| validity... | | | | to hit your shot the correct distance? |
| For instance, have you ever wondered why the | | | | I suggest that you'll find it's more than 60 metres (65 |
| majority of golfer's (amateur and some pro's) hit | | | | yards). It will be more like 90 metres (98 yards) of |
| their golf ball short of the flag most of the time? | | | | force. You'll have to test the theory out of course, |
| Well, taking into consideration the fact that they | | | | however, I can attest to the fact that many of the |
| might not hit their shot solidly, or choose the right | | | | golfers who attend my golfing school are taught this |
| club to hit, the majority of golfers hit short because I | | | | unique approach and they experience significant |
| believe that they have developed a belief that golf is | | | | improvement because of it. |
| played from tee to flag and they simply don't | | | | So give it a try and you can develop a belief that |
| develop their imagination to extend beyond the flag | | | | golf can be played beyond the flag. You'll start to hit |
| stick. | | | | your golf shots right up to the flag and dare I |
| So golf beyond the flag becomes the unknown, the | | | | say...even beyond it. You will golf confidently as a |
| darkness that can play tricks on our imagination. So | | | | result and experience a level of bravado and |
| we avoid it at all costs by staying in the light (short | | | | fulfilment that many golfers will never have the |
| of the flag), in a manner of speaking. Our idea of the | | | | pleasure to experience. |
| game is to play within our defined boundaries which | | | | |