Member's Page for CD 4
Member's Home Page
Before Tee-offDecide that you will play SMART golf this round!
Listen to Classical and Baroque music
"...with a music background as more pleasant than no music conditions which may lead to improved performance. This view is also held by Lozanov (1978) who refers to it as a "placebo effect" and Lehmann (Lehmann & Gassner-Roberts 1988:23) who refers to the work of Metzger (1961) which discusses the close relationship between mood and achievement."
First, go to my music effects member's webpage where the above quote is taken from a scientific thesis if you need convincing
Music for performing
Buy a cheap used CD for less than $5 at:
Second Spin.com
Browse the Classical section and find your artist by alphabet or just type "Baroque" in the search field.
You can type "used CD's" in any search engine (google.com) to find more places to buy this music very inexpensively.
Or, if you can afford new CD's,
Amazon.com has a good selection
"We play our best when our lives are in order" In this CD, I mentioned that there isn't a whole we can do about it when our lives are not in order or not going well. What I meant by that is we can't worry or try to fix what's wrong with our life while we are at the golf course getting ready for our tee shot, of course. As I listened to myself on the CD, I thought I might have given some the impression that we are doomed to bad golf when things are not right in our personal life as many pros have experienced after divorces, deaths in the family etc. FAR FROM IT!
Here's what we can do:
When someone tells you to "forget it" or "put it behind you" you know that advice just isn't going to cut it when we are talking about major life problems. The solution is to constantly keep your conscious mind occupied with other thoughts so as to crowd out the negative ones. Your conscious mind has to have something to be thinking about all of the time. Your bad personal life is huge and so you must grab for something that is either very complex or emotionally just as huge to outcompete the negative. Remember, you have the will of your decision and the fuel of your drive for a great score working with you to make it happen.
Some suggestive thoughts to accomplish this:
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Continually go over the movements and minute details of your pre-shot routine and how you will execute them.
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Search for and replay in your mind something positive (the more complex the event, the better) that happened at work in the last week and dwell on it. Our work/career is a huge part of us whether we like what we are doing or not and so it has good crowding-out potential. I'm sure you can at least find a positive moment or two with a fellow worker even if you dislike your job. Something recent is still fresh enough in your mind to be clear and meaningful to replace those bad thoughts.
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I know you've all done this before. Fantasize or daydream about winning the lottery, landing the big account, getting together with that person you've had your eye on, becoming a famous person (moviestar, politician, rockstar, pro golfer )etc. The more detail you can conjure up, the better.
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If you have time before tee off, spark a conversation with a playing partner about anything that will be more than just a quick answer back like: "should you putt to die the ball in the hole or go past it" or "should you use one club to chip or all clubs" or "who would win a tournament between Tiger Woods and Bobby Jones in his prime and why"
If you find your troubled thoughts coming back later, go head to head with them and fight back with these thoughts to push them out. You should be able to hold them off for the round and you will be getting another benefit in doing this by keeping your conscious mind out of your golf swing and letting the subconscious mind play the shot. I hope your life never requires this advice! ******************
 You can buy a swing weight donut at any Discount store like Walmart in the states. for about $4 U.S.,but if you want to get in online and delivered
Swing weight donut for $2.99 U.S.
Or a fancy one that also doubles as a hole-reducer (picture above)to help putting
Innova
This little thing will do more for your game than those $120 gadgets advertised on TV.
Warm-upsIf you show up right at your tee time:
1. Stretch in the car on the way
2. Volunteer to tee off last.
2. Break out your whiffle balls and hit a couple 7 or 8 irons in a clearing. Think "smooth", Square and point, and "constant swing axis"
3. Try to squeeze in two long-distance putts on practice green to get the feel of the speed of the green.
If you make it to the course in time to hit a bucket to warm-up, do it! You want to accomplish the following objectives:
1. Stretching your golf muscles
2. Establish a smooth rhythm and tempo
3. Find your shot for 2 short distances with your best wedge like maybe 40 and 70. The idea here is to have a separation in distance between these 2 numbers . You can then adjust your backswing from these 2 shots for other short shots. BUILD YOUR GAME AROUND THE WEDGES!
4. Practice your pre-shot routine. Do it exactly like you will do on the course to bring your relaxed state at the range over to the playing course. This is an example of associating or anchoring.
5. Visualize the first few holes you will be playing on the course and play them in your mind on the range (without the putting of course)using the actual clubs you will use and your expected distances. How many times have you played a round and didn't get going until a few holes. This will eliminate that poor start.
6. Find your tee shot with your driver or whatever club you will use. You will hit this club approx 14 times for sure off the tee this day and a good start to every hole will be of extreme importance to your confidence. If driver isn't working, drop down until you find a club that will keep it in play and leave the driver behind.
7. If you still have time, hit your other clubs only until you have a good shot with each of them. If you hit a great shot with the first swing with a particular club, then stop, celebrate it, emblazon everything about it, make a huge mental note about it. Then go to the next club. When on the course, you will then have this memory to tell your subconscious to repeat.
Do not just hit balls mindlessly. Do it with purpose like you have actually started playing. Use your triggers to signal that you are now serious about a shot and practice compartmentalizing and conserving focus. Always lay a club down on the ground to help with alignment. We are trying to draw lines and then use them as a guide to follow.
On the First Tee
I reference Dr. Karl Morris;
Golf tips page and website
Benson's relaxation response
by Dr. Herbert Benson M.D.
Article on President Bill Clinton about golf
President Clinton's golf
Article on President George W. Bush's golf life and a video of his swing
President George W. Bush golf
While playing
More examples of positive self talk:
- I love the rush I get from being nervous, it fires me up for focus like Tiger Woods
- Ok, man/lady, you've done this before, you'll do it again
- I love making this shot, it's easy money
- I can hit this shot with my eyes closed
- This putt is a piece of cake, it's going in!
- O.k, that bad lie will now just make me play this hole conservatively like I should anyway
 Making negative comments to yourself!
On the course goals (these will keep you playing each shot individually)
Forget about your stroke score!
- I will perform my pre-shot routine exactly as planned for each shot on 10 or more holes this round.
- I will pump myself up with positive talk, out loud on 10 holes this round
- I will take the conservative shot over the risky shot 9 out of 10 times
- I will smile and laugh to myself 3 out of 4 times after a bad shot in order to put my mind in a good state for the next shot.
- I will putt within 5 seconds of last looking at the hole 15 times this round
Come up with some more on your own. This is how you create good habits in your game that will translate into consistency. Some sports psychologists suggest actually taking a notepad with you to "score" how you do on these types of items. If you make them, congratulate and treat yourself. This is the kind of "practice" that will lead you, The Very Busy Golfer, to lower scores. The beauty of this is, you do this while playing and having fun!
Consistency = Pre-shot routine + Tempo
Good article on why use Pre-shot routine by
Miguel Humara Ph.D.
A very scientific article on
The Effect of Performance Routines The last paragraph of the article sums it up. You can also read a discussion about it at Coaches Info
1 page book review of Bob Rotella's
Golf is not a game of perfect He talks about importance of pre-shot routine for consistency for further convincing
Very good article about gaining consistency by Dr. Tom Kubistant, CSP
Boring Golf
Good article by Tiger Woods on Tempo and Rhythm
Tiger tips
The ZoneArticle on the zone at golfonline.com, a good overall golf site to go back to anytime for good info
What the zone is
Another one from Tom Ferraro Ph.D.
The Zone and Golf
As I stated in this tape, many sports psychologists recommend keeping a small notepad in your golf bag for writing down everything about your senses and thoughts the next time you make it to "The Zone". When you write them down, it will be that much easier for you to bring back this state later. And this state is where you will play your best golf, there is no controversy about that. You might want to investigate Hypnosis and NLP more (see Member's page 3 for links) as many psychotherapists are saying that
The Zone IS Hypnosis.
Here are some examples of things that I have written down to help kickstart you:
Right now, I am in the zone, My head feels a little fuzzy and lighter. I feel like I can't miss a putt. When I see my ball and the hole from behind it, a line just appears in my vision. I have smiled and laughed more than I usually do. A few times, I hear my partners talking but don't hear what they are saying. I really noticed how the sun is shining and how I enjoy it's warmth on my skin. When I grabbed my driver out of the bag, I got the same feeling as when I got a raise last month. I am swinging the club harder than usual since I just keep hitting fairways without trying. Right when I strike the ball with my irons, I get the sensation that it is in slow motion. My only thoughts are just to keep walking to my ball, looking at the course, and picking a spot where I want to hit to.
When I was on the course writing, I just jotted some words down and then I fleshed them out later. The important thing to remember is to get as many thoughts and feelings down with as much detail as possible. You will then review your own writings later, maybe right before a round, to put you back in that mental state when you want to.
Have fun on the course
Side games/betsArticle with numerous games and recommendations for books on the subject
Intelligolf side games
Article on top 10 betting games and side bets
About.com Golf
Review of book "Chi Chi's golf games you gotta play" and where to purchase it online (about $12 U.S.)
Chi Chi Rodriguez book
Another book with golf gambling games
BOOK: Golf Games: Side Games We Play & Wager
VisualizationFree E-report in .pdf format Visualization by Joan King
Article on Sports Visualization
by Keith Randolph
Article on how to do visualization
The Enormous Power Of Visualization
In his book, Golf My Way (New York: Simon & Schuster), Jack Nicklaus describes the process: I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my head. First I "see" the ball where I want to finish...Then the scene changes quickly and I "see" the ball going there...Then there is sort of a fadeout, and the next scene shows me making the kind of swing that will turn the previous images into reality.
Article on Jack Nicklaus powers of visualization
Jack Nicklaus visualization
Article on how John Daly won the 1991 PGA Championship
1991 PGA won by Daly
John Daly's book "Grip it and Rip it" for about $5 U.S. used
Grip it and Rip it
Confidence/Play your gameFree E-report in .pdf format Confidence by Joan King
Article from Joe "no slice" Sullivan about playing your slice and not trying to fix it
A slice is good?
Book: Golf is a game of confidence by Dr. Bob Rotella for about $9 on Amazon
Golf is a game of confidence
Article on Rotellas rules (very worthwhile)
Inside the Golfer's Mind
More Bob Rotella articles
Article on developing confidence in sports
SELF-CONFIDENCE and PEAK PERFORMANCE
Another article on developing confidence in golf
Golf Psychology Lesson: Maintain Your Confidence
"I'm not a big believer in spending a lot of time practicing putting." Brad Faxon is one of the best putters on (the PGA) Tour and he says he spends the least amount of time practicing putting.
Putting demands confidence, touch
Brad Faxon bio
Lots of instruction articles by David Leadbetter
Learn from Leadbetter Be careful with these, it's a lot of physical swing advice that may just confuse you and put you off track from believing in your own swing. I just had to give you a link to Leadbetter since he is a recognized authority these days on the physical game. Use with discretion
The opposite of Leadbetter is Bruce Lietzke who I mentioned always plays a fade and rarely practices - My Hero
Lietzke's life perfect without practice
When things go badRay Floyd advice on how to live with bad shots; book from Amazon
The Elements of Scoring: A Master's Guide to the Art of Scoring When You'reNot Playing Your Best
Extensive article on Ray Floyd
The Last Gunslinger
"I give myself a mental allotment of misses before the round"
All about Walter Hagen
Article 1997 Masters on Tiger Woods
Tiger 1st round 40 after 9 holes.
All about Tiger Woods record score at the 1997 Masters
1997 Masters stories
Articles on golfers "choking"
Abbie Thomas goes inside the brain of a golfer to discover the best time to distract an opponent, when too much concentration is more than enough and what's going on in the brain when golfers 'choke' under pressure
Choking your inner choker.
Hale Irwin book you can get used for less than $1 at amazon:
Hale Irwin's Smart Golf
Hale Irwin bio
Hale Irwin stats and bio
Focus/ConcentrationFree E-report in .pdf format Concentration by Joan King
The undisputed king of concentration: Ben Hogan, "The wee ice mon". Good article,
Ben Hogan tribute
Items you might carry in your bag "Just in case" so you don't lose Focus and Concentration.
Sunscreen
Extra pair of socks
Band Aids
Mole skin
Bug repellent
Anti-itch/bug bite cream
Aspirin/Tylenol/Ibuprofen
Emergency sewing kit
Extra shoelaces
Extra spikes
Your personal medical prescription
Eye drops
Spare glasses
Extra towel
Windbreaker
Rain suit and wet gloves
Club cover for rain
Hand warmers (Walmart has for $2)
Extra glove
Coins (for marking ball and buying a drink when your wallet is empty)
The Rules of golf
As I stated in this CD for us busy people, our best opportunity to work on our game is between holes on our short game, especially chipping. It's totally legal. Here is what the rules say about practicing
During Round: Rule 7-2.
"A player must not make a practice stroke during play of a hole. Between the play of two holes, a player must not make a practice stroke, except that he may practice putting or chipping on or near:
(a) the putting green of the hole last played,
(b) any practice putting green, or
(c) the teeing ground of the next hole to be played in the round, provided a practice stroke is not made from a hazard and does not unduly delay play"
Quick and easy rules book for your bag for about $8
The main place for the Rules of Golf for North America is at the USGA
The Rules of Golf USGA. They've even got videos to watch here
For most of the rest of the world,
Free E-report
The R & A Rules of golf Check out the free 2-page download report in .pdf on this page. It's a brief summary of the rules. Perfect for printing, maybe laminating, and keeping in your bag. You can also order the booklet for free and have it sent to you.
Article with links to 27 High profile (pro) Cases of Rulings, Violations and Wise Uses of the Rules Real world cases
For us Very Busy People, we need quick summaries, FAQs, and most often used rules.Here is a list of 9 good articles:
FAQ's on golf rules
Emotional controlFree E-report in .pdf format on Anger by Joan King
Article on Anger
Anger in Golf- The power for self-destruction or self-improvement
Article on Anger
Controlling your anger in golf
Article on Fear
There's nothing to fear when it comes to golf
Article on Fear from a student's point of view
Golf and fear: the art of relaxing under pressure
Extensive Article on "The Yips"and the Mayo Clinic
The Yips
How to cure the Yips
The Yips: The Nether Regions of Golf by Dr. Tom Kubistant, CSP
Misc.Learn and improve at the short game while you play
Always always pace off your short game shots if you don't have exact distance. We are trying to reduce everything down to numbers instead of guessing.
It's real easy to be lazy here and just walk up to a 40 yd/m shot and use "touch" to gauge how hard to swing. This way is vague and won't impress anything on your brain to be able to repeat it or learn from it for the next time.
You want to associate your backswing number
(where on the clock your backswing goes like 7:30, 9:00, and 10:30) with the shot distance. It's fine if you are off as long as you LEARN from it.
Here's a real-life example of doing the short game the WP way:
Let's say I'm off the green facing a chip/pitch shot. I walk up to the spot on the green that I think the shot should land on. I pace the steps back to my ball. Let's say it's 30 yards/meters. I then choose the lowest lofted club that I can get away with for maximizing the odds of a clean shot (no chunk). Let's say that this time I must use my highest lofted club because a trap is in front of me - my lob wedge. From my past experience either in my backyard or other times playing my lob wedge, I know that I need to bring my arms in the backswing to 11:00. What are the numbers? L30=1100.
Now, you may not know how far to bring your hands back for a 30yd pitch with your lob wedge. This is o.k. but you will make your best guess and if it's long, then next time you will shorten the backswing a little. You will eventually be sure of how far back to take the club for every distance if you always pay attention to this.
Many golfers put a little piece of paper taped to the shaft of their wedges to remind them of their distances for each backswing o'clock number. Remember for this to work, you must have the same swing speed with the wedges.
THe other thing about short shots is to keep the body as quiet as possible for crisp contact given the length of backswing.
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