Eliminating Distractions on the Golf Course

• Posted on Grant
• in Course Management, Golf Fundamentals, The Mental Game
• on January 19, 2016
• 2 Comments.

What distractions have you been allowing into your golf game? Do you know how to eliminate them? I’m sure you could think back to your last round of golf and identify a few distractions that might have affected your golf game.

Too many swing-thoughts, worry about previous bad shots, or fear of hitting it in a water hazard are all examples of distractions that can have a negative effect on your golf game.

Here’s how to get rid of those distractions:

#1. Have a plan.

Having an overall plan of how to play the course and a plan of how to play each shot is the first step to limiting distractions. The level of intensity of your planning may vary depending on your handicap, but everyone can benefit from doing some kind of planning before the round.

Before you play the course, go through the holes in your mind and visualize what targets you are going to aim at on each of your tee shots. Then visualize hitting the center of every green on all of your approach shots and rolling the ball in the center of the hole on all of your putts.

Also, prepare yourself for unexpected scenarios: You can visualize how you are going to calmly react if you have a lost ball and your group falls behind and gets put on the clock. You can visualize how you are going to maintain your focus even if you get paired with a golfer who says negative things all day. And, also you can visualize how you will remain calm and stick to your process even if you birdie the first five holes.

#2. Stay committed to your plan.

During a round of golf, you are going to have potential distractions pop up. Anything from a missed 3 footer to a hole-in-one to a ball out of bounds can be a distraction if you don’t get your focus back on the execution of your shot by shot plan.

If I find myself thinking about something in the past that is distracting me, I will instantly get my mind back into the present moment by observing my surroundings: Feeling the sun or wind, looking at the trees or mountains in the distance, and listening to the sounds that are going on around me are all good ways to bring my mind back into the present.

Once I have gotten my mind back into the present moment, I focus back in on my shot by shot execution of my plan.

#3. Evaluate your plan and level of commitment to the plan.

When you are finished with a round of golf, it’s tempting to check out and not think about the round much. However, your post-round evaluation is vital to your long term improvement.

You can think back to the factors that caused you to lose focus, and then adjust your plan so that you will be ready and more prepared for the next time you step on the golf course.

This simple process of Planning, Committing and Evaluating has helped me play to my potential more often and I know it can help you! After you try this process of eliminating distractions on the golf course, feel free to add your comment below about how this process works for you.

Thanks for reading!

GB