For the sake of simplicity, all advice on swings and drills is provided from a right handed perspective; lefties …. well, you know what to do 🙂

There are a couple of very simple thought processes that you can utilize to help your brain influence your body to improve your game and your scoring.

One has to do with confidence, another with stress, and please allow me to tell  you a quick story that makes me a believer.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to tape a commercial for the practice facility where I work – The Plum Creek Driving Range – at WBTA Radio in Batavia. I met with the President and GM of the station, Dan Fisher, who was a real pro. I had some thoughts written on a sheet of paper provided by Mark Pflaumer, Plum Creek’s owner, and I
read through them a couple of times. When they were played back, I sounded pretty vanilla, so Dan spiced things up significantly by telling me to smile while I was speaking.

The results were astoundingly better – more projection, more dynamic, more enthusiastic.

Since golf is played with the body – but won with the mind, here are two ways that  brain – body trick’s can apply to golf.

The first brain – body trick has to do with confidence.

Carry yourself with confidence, even after a bad shot, and your next swing at least has a  chance to be better.  Here’s exactly what I mean by “carry yourself with confidence”:

1) Walk into your shot (always approach the ball from the rear)  with a confident stride, not slumpy and slouchy because you just hit a bad shot. Walk tall, chin high, with a purposeful gait.

2) Have a look of confidence on your face – a relaxed smile, not a terse, tense, frown.

3) Visualize a beautiful shot, do not permit the thought of failure to enter your mind.

4) Then execute your pre shot routine and make a good pass at the ball

The second brain – body trick has to do with stress and nervousness.

Stress and nervousness are both inevitable, so don’t try to ignore anything – simply acknowledge their presence then go about your business.  You can do this by using Sales Training 101 – Rebuttals by Using the Word “And” to get past objections.  In this golf analogy, objections would be stress or nervousness.

Here are a some examples:

You have a fast, five foot, downhill, left to right slider putt, your worst case scenario because you have trouble with this type of putt.  Here’s what you should say to yourself:  “I have a tough putt, the type I hate the most, AND I’m going to roll it right into the cup.”

You have a tight lie for a twenty yard pitch, the type that you usually hit fat or thin. Here’s what you should say to yourself:  “This is a tough, nervous shot for me, AND I’m going to “stick it” right next to the flagstick!”.

Brain- body tricks can take care of a large portion self created stress and allow your unconscious mind to let your body play golf without unnecessary interference.

I know this all may sound a little strange, but try it, you’ll like it.  In fact, give it a try with day to day activities besides golf as well.

I’ve always taught my kids that it doesn’t cost a dime more to be positive – so why not be that way?

Enjoy your golf,

Tom