What you see is what you get

How many times have you missed a shot on the golf course or on the green and realised that the last place you looked is where the ball went?

You just found out how powerful this saying is: ‘what you see is what you get’. Never forget this has great application in golf. Your mind is like a vice that holds the key to your golf success.

The swing is important, but the mind is bigger than the swing. Therefore, the following fundamentals should be practiced before executing any golf shot during your round or practice session:

* What shot is needed?: First determine the type of shot you want hit.
(Draw, fade or straight)

* Where’s the target?: Choose a target that allows you to see both your target line and beyond the actual target. This distant focal point well past the target prevents you from letting up on your swing. Visualise swinging through the target to the farther focal point. Look where you want the ball to go. You must avoid looking where you don`t want the ball to go. This takes a lot of effort but is attainable.

* Pre-shot routine: Go through your pre-shot routine to assure proper grip, alignment and setup. Make your practice swing to relax your muscles and begin developing a positive swing thought. This is a crucial step to visualising your desired shot.

* Practice swing thoughts: Make a very methodical practice swing that allows you to observe the back swing and feel how your body rotates through the shot. Being extremely slow with this practice swing will train the proper muscle movement. Watch the path while the club goes back and through to ingrain the visual path in your mind. I try to envision a PGA Tour player whose swing I wish to emulate to help stimulate my imagination. This is a training and discipline practice that will provide more confidence in the shot you will soon execute.

* Refocus on the target: Your thoughts are now focusing on your target and less on the swing because you have seen the shot in your mind. This will create the feeling of being focused on the end result, not the shot execution.

* Swing: All that remains now is to take a deep breath, then breathe out to relieve the remaining tension from your body, and swing the club to your target. The results will normally be quite positive. One important factor to the process you have just practiced is to trust your swing.

This imagery can be practiced at the golf course or while you are just sitting at home or at work. See every shot positively and then execute.