 | Thoughts Become Things. My friend and mentor, Bob Proctor, has been professing that for over 40 years. What you think about truly materializes into what you get. I have been blessed for over 20 years doing what I love to do—coaching golf; and with Bob’s help I have grasped just how important the “right thoughts” are for success in golf, and more importantly, in life. |
| Once you fully comprehend and embrace The Law of Attraction, or extreme positive thinking, you agree there are no coincidences, you attract people and things into your life as you think it, and with the right goal setting you will attract the right people and things to help you reach your goals. As a young golfer, one of my goals was to be like my idol, Arnold Palmer. I got a daily dose of Mr. Palmer by gazing at a picture of him waving his cap in victory at the U.S Open at Cherry Hills C.C. This is the very club where I learned the game of golf and felt his presence and legacy on every tee and green. I was grateful for all the lessons I received and how that might relate to Arnold Palmer’s attitude, determination and discipline when he was just a junior golfer like me. To be the best, you need to surround yourself with the best. My passion has always been coaching junior golfers. I have always had a great foundation in playing and coaching, but was searching for the mental element to pass on and inspire talented young golfers. For the past six months, I have been incorporating THE LAW OF POSITIVE ATTRACTION into a program designed specifically for the youth that I coach. Thirty-plus junior golfers have experienced fantastic results from this positive way of thinking. Today, I would like to share with you a bit about my teachings in hopes that you can apply this to your game, your junior’s game, and better yet, your life. With the goal in golf to “Shoot a good Score” the process must begin with the understanding that every shot has a goal of its own. You must put yourself in a higher level of thinking to ascertain how you’re going to accomplish each shot’s goal. First, it is important to develop keen awareness of your surroundings: the target, lie of the ball, distance you want to hit the shot, wind, relation to hazards, etc. This process is never rushed. A rash decision will not serve you well. Practice being aware of your surroundings 50-75 yards from the ball. Let this information seep into your mind. Your mind is brilliant and will best use this information as you decide on your next shot. Decide on the Shot Good Scores come from Good Shots! Now that you know where you are, decide where you want to be. We get from point A to point B by hitting properly, purposefully executed golf shots. Use the information you have and make a firm and binding decision on the shot YOU decide to play. Not you’re friends, parents, or the others in your foursome—but you. | |
 | Golf is testing in the fact that it is always calling upon you to make decisions. This is not always easy, after all we aren’t taught how to make these types of decisions in school; in our daily lives we often ask others if what we are doing is okay by them. Then miraculously we want our minds to be decisive on the golf course. This skill must constantly be worked on. |
| Tiger Woods does it with every shot whether in competitive play or in practice! His coaches recognize this as his greatest attribute. i. Ask the right question: What is the best shot for me? The answer seemingly floats into your consciousness. Have you ever had the feeling you just cannot miss this shot? If you have a hard time deciding on the shot, imagine a great golfer playing it for you. See how the ball reacts as he/she hits this great shot. Then hold that right image of yourself playing the shot. Making this decision will build great confidence in your ability to execute it. ii. When you have asked the right question and receive your answer, then boldly decide “this is what I’m going to do.” iii. Understand that the golf course is trying to constantly lead you in the wrong direction. Be DECISIVE. Attitude (Trust your Swing) Your golfing attitude consists of many things. Most importantly your thoughts (which include your goals and decisions, i.e., How will I make a “Good Score”), your feelings (decide on the shot and what will it feel like, i.e., imagine the feeling of executing a “Good Shot”) and your actions, creating a “Good Swing.” It is our swing that sends the ball to the target so we want to trust it. The swing need not be complex to be effective, but it must be yours! Practicing your swing to overcome old habits (paradigms) that perhaps don’t provide consistent desired results. The best golfers practice in a way that ingrains confidence in themselves and their method. So often we make practice a way to find out what’s wrong, instead of ingraining what is right. If you’re not sure what’s right, find someone to help you define this, and then diligently repeat it until it becomes a habit. There is no other way to impress upon your mind a trustworthy swing. These past six months have produced such amazing results among our junior golfers. Applying the Laws of Positive Attraction, teaching this and having them understand and relate it to their game and their life has been inspiring to say the least. What is truly most inspiring however, is how the mental processes these kids are discovering for golf are spilling over into their lives with abundance. Higher grades, better communication in relationships, raised confidence in themselves and their abilities, just to mention a few. Letters from their happy parents confirm that we are doing more than training championship golfers; we are giving them tools to be great people to last a lifetime. Testimonial from Kevin Kershisnik, age 16: Uncovering the secret of utilizing your mind correctly for playing world-class golf is the simplest thing anyone can do, and that is precisely why it is so easy to skip over this aspect of the game and never commit to putting yourself in a champion caliber mindset. I believe the key to a correct golf mindset lies entirely in finding a process that puts you in the optimum state of mind for striking a strong golf shot and absolutely committing to this process on every golf shot a person hits from a two-foot putt to a three hundred-yard drive. I have been severely beaten down by this game because I, like so many other aspiring golfers, have simply skipped over getting myself in the mindset of a championship golfer on every shot I approach. I have gone from not making my high school team as a freshman, to earning a varsity spot my sophomore year, to regressing to almost missing the team my junior year and consequently arriving at the brink of quitting the game all together. But now in realizing the importance of the mental process in the game of golf, a massive weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I now have a foundation for my game that I may lean on in times of pressure, fear, and anxiety and absolutely know that it will never crumble and leave me when I need my mental process the most. Testimonial from Michael Tilghman, age 17: The application of the laws of positive attraction as outlined in books such as “THE SECRET”, has affected me in many tangible ways. Whether it is through golf, or in life, decisive positive thinking has enabled me to achieve so much. It has truly amazed me how doors in my life have opened through The Secret. It has always been my dream to play golf competitively, and as a senior this year, I was captain of my golf team, and led them in several victories including Regionals. I competed fairly solidly in national events, and felt as if my resume was one that I could be proud of. I always prayed that I could find a college that would fit my aspirations. Soon after the State Championships, I began the recruiting process and I was almost demoralized at the responses I got. Throughout this challenging time, I never lost touch with what my goal was, and I knew that an opportunity would come around, and I just had to be ready to take it. Literally within three weeks, I made contact with a coach, submitted an application, and was given the opportunity to play at one of the top Division II programs in the country. My life was in a panic for several months, but the waters had calmed and now I could see the opportunities that lie ahead of me. The potential for success is unlimited with a positive and committed attitude, you can truly achieve anything. | |
|
| |||
Copyright © 2006 - 2009, Golf Fitness Magazine, Inc. All Rights Reserved 2706 Rew Circle Ocoee, FL 34761 | Phone: 407.864.5077 | Fax: 407.574.7016 Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Feedback | Customer Service | Gift Subscriptions | Subscription Renewal Web Development, Hosting, Online Marketing Provided By:   | ||||
