Mental Golf – Playing Focus

Keeping your mind in the present

Playing focus is being able to keep your mind in the present, focusing only on your current shot or situation and what you can control “right now”. Winning a tournament or making a cut is a great goal but one that lies in the future and is actually not under your control.

To be able to hit your best shot “now”, your mind must be in the present so you can use your abilities. I spend a lot of time trying to help players stay in the present, and it is a skill every great player has, and what we describe as “Playing Focus”.

The main method of being able to stay in playing focus, or return to if your find you have lost it during a round, is to set process goals and focus on these goals during the round rather than results.

Examples of playing focus goals:

1) Today, after every shot, I will react with a happy or neutral mind state.

2) On every hole, I will make a clear decision and commit to that decision.

3) I will maintain my balance in my finish with every shot.

4) I will complete my pre-shot routine on every shot.

5) I will make a positive pre-shot routine.

6) I will walk slowly between shots.

The only criteria in setting these goals is they must be positive goals. A bad example would be – “I will not leave any putt short today”