Carmel Magazine

TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT B Y D A N PA S Q U A R I E L L O A N D L A I R D S M A L L hen it comes to golf, we have so many educational resources at our fingertips. From magazines in our mail box to tweets on our phone—and everything in between—the best tips and tactics are easier to access than ever. Many of these, though, focus primarily on the technical or physical aspects of the golf swing. But if you were to ask the best players in the world what they work on the most, the mental game would most likely top the list. Golf is a game where players have to initiate the action, much like kick- ing field goals on the football field or shooting free throws on the bas- ketball cour t. These are the moments—especially between golf shots— where doubt, anger or other emotions can creep in and affect a player's performance. You can probably recall a few times where opposing coach- es have purposely called a timeout to "ice" the place kicker or free-throw shooter : the more they think about their objective, the more the pres- sure builds. This same process is repeated throughout the golf round. How can we handle this pressure, strategize our game and execute at the highest level? Here are a few tips to help you become sharper mentally on the course. Develop a Pre-Shot Routine, or "SFT" SFT stands for "see, feel and trust," all critical to the success of the pre- shot routine. First, see or visualize the shot in front of you. See the shape, see the trajectory, see the height of the shot and where the ball lands. This mental pre-play capability is essen- tial to the success of the shot. We all have that capacity, but it needs to be practiced. Now you need to feel the motion that will create the shot. A rehearsal of the swing motion is necessary to properly feel the successful shot. We see other athletes practice similar motions: the feel of a free throw, the pattern of a baseball swing or the flow of a tennis backhand. This helps kick-start a kinetic motor in our body and replicates muscle memory to execute the golf shot. Finally, trust is key, but it's also the most difficult aspect. Our minds flood with thoughts and emotions—the "what ifs," the past history or the next shot to come. Trust your club selection, trust your swing and trust your ability. Focus on execution and you will have a better chance of success. The routine should last less than 20 seconds to maintain fluidity and pace. Practice this on the range to become comfortable. Creating and sticking to a consistent routine will allow your body to react athletically. There is Only One Shot in Golf… …And that is the one you are about to play. If amateurs are not play- ing well, or hit a poor shot, they will carry over their anger and frustration to the next shot. This is called compounding errors, and usually produces more poor shots and more negative emotions. Conversely, if amateurs are playing better than usual, they will start thinking ahead, imagining them- selves shooting their career-best round or hoisting a crystal trophy. This can lead to decreased focus and the inability to stay in the moment. To focus only on the shot you're about to hit is one of the most difficult things to do in golf. It requires patience, discipline and practice. The next time you are on the course and about to play your shot, try to block out all dis- tractions in your head for 20 seconds. Focusing in short bursts like this will keep you fresh mentally and will pro- duce better results physically. You'll notice the pre-shot routine and the focus drill both take 20 sec- onds, because they are inherently relat- ed. Once you begin your routine, focus on your current shot only. And if this sounds too difficult, just do the math. If you usually shoot 100 and you spend 20 seconds concentrating on each shot, focusing properly will only take about 30 minutes of your time. Since the average round is about four hours, you will have three-and-a-half hours to enjoy the outdoors, get some exercise and—most importantly— have fun on the golf course. Pebble Beach Golf Academy, located at the world-renowned Pebble Beach Resorts, features Director Laird Small and Master Instructor Dan Pasquariello. Golf Digest has ranked the two among "America's 50 Best Teachers." Choose between individual or group instruction, including cutting- edge technology and club fitting ser vices. Call 831/622-8650 for more infor- mation or to reser ve a lesson. Trust your club selection, trust your swing and trust your ability. Focus on execution and you will have a better chance of success. 38 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 Mind Games W 038-039 Golf Tips_Layout 4/21/14 10:35 AM Page 1

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