| |
| |
|
Golf Information |
|
|
|
How to Win at Golf
What's the point of playing sport if you don't want to win? You may try to kid yourself that you're playing for the good of your health or because you enjoy the sport, both of which would probably be true, but the real satisfaction and joy comes from winning. If you don't believe me just study the attendance stats for a professional sports team which is on a run of poor results and near the bottom of the league table. Teams that win fill stadiums, losing teams empty them. People like to be associated with winning teams. We all like to win, it makes us feel better. This is about how to win at sport, any sport, but particularly about how to win at golf which is my game. There are certain actions and thinking patterns which are easy to learn which make a great deal of difference to any golfer's ability to win. In this article I will take you through the ones that I have found to be most effective. Preparation Can you imagine Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, or Phil Michelson arriving on the first tee without having spent a serious amount of time on the practice fairway to warm up? They also spend time on the putting green and probably check through their equipment with their caddie before they get to the tee. Serial winners prepare thoroughly. This is a major reason why they win so often. How much time do you devote to your preparation before you go out to play? Let's face it, most amateurs may take a few practice swings; they may even hit a few putts, if the practice green is conveniently nearby, but it is rare for them to go to the practice fairway before they hit their first drive. I think that your preparation should start long before you even get to the course. When I am really determined to win I start getting myself mentally ready during my journey to the club. In the car I start to think about how I am feeling that day. If I suspect that my feelings aren't 'right', perhaps I am feeling a bit apprehensive or tetchy, I set about taking charge of my feelings. There is no point in letting your feelings run away with you - who knows where they will go? And, if you're not in charge of your feelings you will not play well. It is certain that you will not win. The good news is that your mind can control your feelings if you really want it to. After all, 'whose feelings are they?' If you created those feelings then you can also create a whole new set of feelings which will give you a much better chance of winning. It takes discipline to control your feelings. They often want to escape from your control, but you must not let them escape. You must be firm with yourself. If you find yourself feeling 'nervous' you must tell yourself to be 'calm'. If you're feeling tense, you must tell yourself to 'relax.' You may have to fight for mastery of your feelings but it is a battle worth fighting because if you win that battle you will probably win your round of golf as well. In fact I believe that most amateur golfers feel a bit shy about preparing too well. We don't want to appear over keen. But there's something even worse than that going on in our heads. We don't want to hit a bad shot and then have others laugh at us and say: "all that time you spent on the practice ground doesn't seem to have done you much good." And, there's something even worse than that going on in our heads - we don't want to disappoint ourselves. We don't want to get ourselves all 'revved-up' and then go out and play badly. So we don't take a chance on the warm up in case it doesn't work. Let me suggest a few positive actions you can take in preparation for your round of golf which will help you a lot. They may even help you to win next time you play. First, make sure that you allow yourself plenty of time to get to the golf course. Enjoy the drive and enjoy taking charge of your feelings. Try to arrive at least half an hour before you are due to play. This will give you time to greet a few of your pals, have a drink, change and boot up. Spend 10 minutes on the golf range or in a golf net. Start with some stretching exercises. Then go through your golf swing in slow motion a couple of times. Hit a few shots concentrating on making a good swing with good tempo. Feel relaxed as you play your practice shots. Concentrate on accuracy rather than distance. Spend five minutes on the putting green. Start with short putts and gradually make them longer and longer. If you want to win you have got to sink putts. So make sure that you sink the short ones. Even if they're only a few inches it will help your confidence.Just try to get the long putts within a foot or two of the hole. Now that you've prepared physically and mentally all you need to do is step up to the tee, relax and fire the ball straight down the fairway. This is the first shot on the way to winning. About the author: David Ferrers is a respected Performance Coach and the author of countless articles on 'winning' and 'golf'. He invented The Academy of Winning, The Science of Winning at Golf and The 5 Fundamentals of Winning at Golf all of which are available as free downloads from his web site at http://www.Winning-Seniors-Golf.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Golf - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Ideal Exercises For Senior Golfers The really tricky part about exercises for senior golfers, and getting them to do, is the fact they often suffer from various ailments and pains in various parts of their bodies.It is like having to deal with the overworked engine of an aging car. Understanding The Rotary Nature of The Golf Swing The golf swing is really a rotary movement in nature. Actually part of the real secret behind the perfect golf swing has to do with a golfer understanding the rotary motions in the golf swing and being able to perfect and master them. How To Play Better Golf... It's Not What You Think Playing better golf is the lifelong pursuit of every golfer on the planet. Why else would we subject ourselves to one of the most humbling games (sport) ever?I mean, how many times have you come off the course ready to give it up?I'm dead serious!You drive home saying never again! But?you go to the range the next day, or even the same day, after you've cooled down. How Different Courses Can Help You Become a Good Golf Player Golf is an fulfilling and absorbing sport but, even so, there is a risk that you may become stale or bored if you do not change the place where you play. This makes golf different from other games, but the reason for this is the very nature of golf. Perfect Golf Swing Is Within Reach The perfect golf swing. Aren't we all look for it? Now the educating part. Golf Swing Exercises Can Add Power Quickly Golf swing exercises are the missing link to adding tremendous power to your golf swing quickly. To be able to execute an effective golf swing. What Do the Core and the Golf Swing Have in Common Part II? In part one of this article we discussed the core and its relation to the golf swing. A quick review of the information in article one will indicate a definitive connection between the "athletic movements" of a golf swing and the core section of the body. Choosing a Golf Swing Training Aid Golf swing training aid clubs are a great way to learn how to swing your golf club correctly and more powerfully. There are many different kinds of training aid clubs available on the market and many different professional golfers endorse them. Golf Flexibility For The Senior Golfer Golf flexibility is the biggest term you hear when the senior golfer is complaining about lack of distance or a sore back.Why is this?It's not a secret that with age comes a decline in physical capabilities?especially golf flexibility. Back Fitness for Senior Golfers Back injuries are prevalent among golfers of all ages and especially for senior golfers. Age has a way of letting us know subtly that our bodies no longer react like the good old days of 20 something. Golf Humor Examines Golf Emotions:- Are We Just A Bunch Of Cry Babies? Let's examine an aspect of the game that I find par- ticularly fascinating:- The strong emotions associated with this game of golf.Before I started becoming a fan of this game, I always wondered how a game that looked so bland----and at times down right comatose-----that seemed to take boredom to a whole new level------could possibly have Any emotional appeal. Can a Stability Ball Help You Strengthen Your Core For Golf? Some call it a Swiss Ball, some call it a fitness ball, others use the more modern term 'stability ball.' Whatever you call it, the stability ball has been used in exercise and rehabilitation for years and has recently been adopted by personal trainers and fitness instructors for use in strength training and muscle development, especially when it comes to exercises designed to strengthen the core muscles. Guide to Playing Golf for Free and Getting Huge Discounts on Golf Balls, Golf Gloves, and Golf Stuff If you love to play golf as much as most golf enthusiasts, you would probably play more if the great game of golf and most golf equipment wasn't so grossly expensive. An 18-hole round of golf at even a moderately expensive golf course averages about $36. Learning To Play Golf With Fitness Learning to play golf has now become the pursuit of both men and women of different ages. Right from the very young golfers to senior citizens as old as 80 years old or even older. Improve your Golf Game by Learning The Secrets of The Golf Club Grip Grips are the least expensive yet one of the most important parts of a golf club. Remember, the grip is the only part of the clubs that you make contact with, so it's extremely important to make sure that you have the right size and the right quality of material. Mental Training for Golfers: Attitudes that Sabotage Commitment Plateaus in performance sometimes occur when you don't see any measurable improvement in score even though you are working hard. "I'm practicing more than ever, but I don't seem to be shooting better scores," many players tell me in frustration. Feel in Golf Putting The definition of feel as it is used in golf remains illusive. Its dictionary definition is "to experience by sensation, most commonly touch". The Real Secrets Of Golf Secrets of golf! Most golfers will do absolutely anything to improve their golf game and this is the reason why most are constantly in search of golf secrets to improve their game.However this search, more often that not ends up in total failure. Effective Golf Training Equipment Isn't What You Think If you are like most golfers, you have purchased hundreds of dollars of golf training equipment. How many gimmicky training aids do you have lying around?Now I want you to picture something. Junior Golf Is Becoming More Competitive?Why? How do you get the edge when you're playing junior golf? To keep up with the top junior golfer's means getting stronger both physically and mentally; and almost perfecting your golf swing. That's how competitive it's become.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
