Think? Feel? Or Not? Playing Our Best.

The break in the rain only intensified the golfing opportunity that showed up on the course today. Golfers were excited, keyed-up. The rain had stopped. It is time to play, get on the course before the next wave of storm clouds would drive everyone back into the 19th hole lounge.

Dressed in full compliments of rain gear, umbrellas and drying towels in hand, the driving range was full, tee-boxes, fairways and greens were busy with eager players. What was particularly noticeable though, was the general air of hurried excitement and a strange mixture of impatience and aggravation. People weren't playing well and they were not recording typical scores. You could see and hear a surprisingly foul mood around the course. What had happened to all the enthusiasm, all the hopefulness?

Lower scores are predictable with the unusually wet rough, slow greens and the fresh cement-like condition of the bunkers. Indeed, it is understandable that with these conditions, play would be sub-normal and frustrations high. But, why was it affecting peoples' moods so pervasively? What is really the reason for the lower scores - was it the wet conditions or the way players reacted to the wet conditions? Where do emotions fall on to the continuum of cause/effect? Are scores more reflective of playing skills or mental skills?

One of the cornerstones of a foundation of mental skills is this question of causality. Who's in charge? Who's in control? How much do your thoughts, attitudes and emotional reactions effect the quality of your golf swing? How does your attitude determine your playing mood? We're back to the same question - does your play determine your mood or does your mood dictate the quality of your play?

Thankfully, you and I don't have to be neurochemical scientists to understand how this issue plays out throughout a round of golf. But, take a journey back through the last several rounds of golf you have played and ask yourself some simple questions. You'll likely shed some revealing light on the relationship between what you think and feel and how you play;

What expectations do you have for your performance and what is a typical or common reaction to any shortcoming?

How often are you disappointed after starting your round with noticeable optimism?

How do you react when you miss a third short putt in a row?

How often do you try to analyse what went "wrong" with a miss hit before the next shot?

How often do you demean your abilities or skills?

How do you feel after hitting "good" shots?

How do you feel after hitting "bad" shots?

How many holes does it take you to "get over" a shanked shot?

How often when a round starts to spiral out of control, do you play just to "keep things from getting worse?"

What percentage of your swing strategies are focused on "correcting" previous shots?

Have you blamed the grass or the sand or the wind, for your miss hits?

On a scale of 0-10, how much fun do you have when you play a round?

Do you pay attention to your score while you play? And, if so, why? Identify typical thought and feeling reactions to what you see on your scorecard.


You might notice a theme threading through these questions. As you read this blog posting, your utilizing the same mental faculties that you can use to discipline your mind during any sporting event. But, remember, golf is as difficult as it is because you have a lot of time to fall into the trap of thinking while you play. Now, is a perfect time to think, not while standing over the ball out on the course. However, managing your thoughts and using your ability to focus while you play are basic disciplines that require practice.

So, practice your thinking. Feel whatever you feel. It really doesn't matter what you feel, just feel and then, make sure you practice balancing and letting-go of anything that would interfere with your calm, relaxed and refreshed approach to playing your best. And, when you begin to play well, feel excited and proud and hopeful, but remember to let-go of those feelings as well. We perform best when our minds are quiet , our guts are calm and our intent is clearly in focus. Practice that! Every shot!