In the first chapter we remembered that, for Jack Nicklaus, the success of any golf shot depends10% on the technique, 40% on the stance and 50% on an effective mental preparation. The key to getting into the golf WAVE is your mental preparation, for playing with a purpose, using thoughts and images to increase confidence and improve concentration, making the sensations and emotions work in favour of the player. In other words, the mental preparation is not about filling your head with confusing ideas just before or during the shot.

Looking at the top-level professional golfers, you can identify different factors of mental preparation that are vital elements in their victories. For these professionals the mental preparation begins with a quality training, with which they improve their technical skills, but also their confidence and ability to focus. Many of them benefit from being fully focused on their practice all the time, because if they kept on at the mechanics of movement alone, they’d probably throw in the towel and leave golf.

So, what counts for them is the quality of their time.

In terms of tournaments, they have both achievable goals and others that are more demanding. However, during a competition round, they leave the challenges to one side and focus on one single shot at a time. Before the shot, professionals deliberately focus their attention on what they want to do, instead of worrying about what they do not want to do. They often used images to help them recall previous successful balls, in order to get back the emotion and mood which can inspire the new shot. And all make some evaluation after each round played, to learn from their own experiences.

There is nothing mysterious about the mental work that the best golfers do as they try to engage an excellent shot. We can define strategies to design a pattern of steps, but mental abilities are like physical abilities … to be skilful in them you have to practice and practice.

The astonishing emergence of Tiger Woods in the professional Tour at the end of 1996 was no coincidence. A year later he won his first Major, the Masters, and went on to take a number of important titles one after another. This was because Tiger was one of the PGA Tour players who worked hardest in his preparation, for years and years. He not only practiced all aspects of the game, but also continually strived to improve his ability to stay focused and control his emotions.

Have you ever thought about your mental ability? Do you have any margin for improvement? Think about whether you plant doubts in your mind during a regular round, if your nerves tighten with tension, if absurd thoughts come into your mind or if you lose your calm. If your thought process makes you lose shots, you have margin for improvement.

Javier Alvarez has a Degree in Psychology and a Degree in Physical Activity Science and Sports.

Pictures: RFEG and Volvo.

Por Javier Alvarez