Most golfers think that course management is what you do to get out of deep trouble. It is more than that. Course management comes into play on every shot with some shots being more important than others.

A good mental game includes good course management. Efficient course management is your ability to play around the golf course the way it was designed by the architect, avoiding the trouble and placing each shot in the best position to hit the next shot. It requires you to plan and concentrate before every shot.

The golf course is set up so you will make hundreds of decisions. Course management is smart golf; thinking positively to avoid mistakes. The game of golf is about managing imperfection. Golf is about managing yourself around the golf course without letting your ego take over (Tin Cup experience).

When you change the way you see the world, your world changes. When you change the way you see the golf course you can see opportunities. You see the obstacles and make plans to avoid them.

Your course management depends upon a myriad of things including your skill level, your personality, course conditions and the pressure of the situation. It is important to have a strategy for playing each hole so you will be prepared ahead of time to handle the feelings that might arise to deter you.

You can be a genius at course management if you are confident with your wedges and putter. Then it won’t matter if you miss greens.

You have learned from experience how to manage your home golf course well because you know your plan. When you play a new course, you need to concentrate on creating the shots you want.

Golf is a game of manoeuvring the ball around the course and having fun doing it.

COURSE MANAGEMENT TIPS Continue Reading→

The shot routine is one of three routines associated with playing each golf shot.  This one is usually called the pre-shot routine and is often considered the only one.  The three routines are the decision routine (selecting club, shot type and target), shot routine (from standing behind the ball to hitting the ball) and the post-shot routine (responses to good and poor shots).

Learning a strong mental pre-shot routine is the single most important thing you can do to improve your mental game, and your golf.

But not just any mental routine. Your mental routine must:

• Compliment your learning style
• Ease you into narrowing your focus
• Free you to hit athletic, artistic, creative, right brain shots or putts
• And tap into your powers of self-fulfilling prophesy!

Sound complicated? It’s not. In fact, an effective mental pre-shot routine

• Simplifies your thoughts
• Makes the game easier
• Allows you to think the same for every shot and putt, whether it is to win the Masters or a friendly round with your friends.

We regard the mental pre-shot routine as one of the essentials of a strong mental game. It lends to a very challenging sport….

• Consistencey
• Longevity
• And simplicity

We have long used the pre-shot routine as an excellent and effective standard for measuring and monitoring skill development in all other parts of your game.

The Three Step Journey to a Great Mental Pre-Shot Routine

Tip:

To make this fun and easy, start by assuming that you are of two brains. Let’s call the left brain the “thinker/analyzer” and the right brain the “athletic/creator”

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Run and Hit -Pitching

Around the green create a shot easy or more difficult to a specific target.  Using 1 ball, you must hit 10 shots to that same target.   Before hitting each shot you must run around the green.  Once back at the ball, run through your full pre-shot routine prior to hitting each shot.   After you have hit your shot pick up your ball and start to run around the green again.  Repeat 10 times.  It is important to note the quality of shots early in the drill compared to the last half of the drill.  Do they drop off?  What can you do to help deal with the lack of breath or the heart beating more quickly?  Allocate points in relation to where the shot finishes.  5 points if you hole out, 2 points if the ball finishes within 1 club length, 0 points if outside of 1 club length.

Repeat this drill a various stages of you practice.

Been practicing hard but not showing the benefits of all that practice when you get to competition? This is extremely common and it occurs with players of all levels, from Tour players to high handicappers. Frustrating isn’t it!

How would you like to ensure that your efforts in practice are transferred to the golf course, especially in competition? Of course that is what every golfer wants.

One way to ensure value from your practice sessions is to avoid making the errors outlined below by first being aware of them and following the advice

Problem #1 Practicing without a purpose

Solution: Be Continue Reading→

In the bunker, without a ball, set up into your set up position.  Open the face of your club up until the face is nearly pointing to the sky or parallel to the ground.  Scoop up some sand onto the club face.  Continue Reading→

It is important for athletes to learn how to change negative self talk to more positive self talk because positive self talk enhances performance by keeping athletes focused, confident, relaxed and motivated.

When you are practicing changing your negative self talk there are three simple steps Continue Reading→

“Make it your best Performance” not focus on result/score.

Performance Equation

Ability-Interference = Your Best Golf

Your golf performance equals your ability minus interference.

The next revolution in golf is learning to learn.

Practice to learn, Play to win.

Practice provides specific keys to improving your ability, and presents a different way to think about practicing and playing, which in turn will substantially decrease your interference on the course.  Practice gives you specific methods for improving your skill set and shows you how to translate this improved skill to the course.

First develop the skill, then free your mind for great golf

Better skill = Better confidence

Ability – Interference = Performance

Source Complete Golf