GOLF PSYCHOLOGY USED BY TIGER

One of the golf psychology methods used by Tiger and Steve is something simple and can easily be practiced by anyone. Now, remember don't just try this once and say it dosn't work. These methods need to be practiced and employed on a regular basis just like the golf swing.



Have you ever played in a big tournament or money game and found it harder to hit the same quality shots you hit playing with friends or with no pressure on? Even tour players do , and to overcome this , here is a method I've found Tiger and Steve use. Now remember you need to practice this golf psychology just as if you were practicing your swing. In fact while practicing your swing is a good time to employ these methods.

What happens under pressure is we tend to get in our own way, we over think. What needs to be done is allow the sub consious mind to have control and leave the consious mind out of the swing. Even though few of us if any, have the ability of Tiger, we will all achieve better results by staying more relaxed over shots and not over thinking.

Here is one method Tiger uses. The one thing Tiger and Steve do after Tiger hits a shot is to never discuss golf or the golf swing between shots. The one thing golf psychology teaches is to take the consious mind out of the swing. Instead they may talk about a movie, sports event; they even talk about people in the gallery while walking to their ball, anything but golf.

The first thing Tiger does when he gets to the ball is check the lie. He looks to see if the grass is wet or dry, is there grass around the ball or is it on hard pan. In his eyes there is no such thing as a good lie of a bad one. The lie is what it is and he accepts i this order but first he will listen to noises around him, both near t.

After evaluating the lie he begins a process that involves all his senses. Not necessarily inand far. Maybe it's a bird chirping or a train wistle blowing in the distance. Next he will smell oders in the air, the fragrance of flowers or burgers cooking on the grill. He feels the air, is it moist or dry, warm or cool, and last he will visualize the shot. Not only does he visualize it in the air but where it will land and where it will roll out to. Now he is ready to hit the shot.

What this exercise does is take the consious mind out of the swing and rely on the learnt sub consious process of the golf swing. Now we all don't have the ability of Tiger but, most of us do have some degree of consistency in the swing if we learn to keep the consious mind out. Learn to rely on your sub consious mind for a more natural golf swing. This process will help us all hit better shots especially when the heat is on.

Dr. Joseph Parent gives a good analogy of this in his book Zen Golf. He compares the sub consious swing and the consious swing to a signature. He has you sign something as you would normally, then he ask you to trace your signature. The traced signature will be rough and jagged while the sign one is smooth and flowing. The samething happens with the golf swing. So, how important is it to take the consious mind out of the swing? I'll let you decide.

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