Using Mental Preparation to Improve Consistency
Are you struggling with your golf game?
Does it feel like you will never have a good round ever again?
Struggling with your short game or struggling with your tee shots can wear on you mentally…
It feels like once you improve one part of your game, another area of your game let’s you down. For some reason, golfers have a hard time putting everything together to shoot a good score.
Then, finally you have a good round and feel you are back on track. You can’t wait to get back on the golf course…
Your golf game is back and you feel totally ready to put those bad rounds in the past… Then it happens again!
After a couple of ‘okay’ holes, you can’t sink a putt. The past comes flooding back into the forefront of your mind and your confidence vanishes along with your golf game.
Consistency does not mean every part of your game is 100% ‘on’, 100% of the time. If you approach golf with that over the top expectation, you will be frustrated during most of the round.
Grandiose expectations are one of the top causes of inconsistency.
Consistency is a matter of performing within a certain range of efficiency, such as 85-95%. This manageable approach takes the pressure off when shot lands in the bunker or you three-putt a hole or your short game is a little off.
Inconsistent play has affected Phil Mickelson over the past few years.
Coming into 2018, Mickelson had 48 professional wins with his last victory being at the 2013 Open Championship moving him to No. 2 in the world.
Since his 2013 title, Mickelson had played 101 tournaments around the world before winning the 2018 WGC Mexico Championship.
Even though the past several years have been frustrating, Mickelson remained confident that he could return to his top form.
MICKELSON: “This is a very meaningful win. I can’t really put it into words given the tough times over the last four years and the struggle to get back here. To finally break through and to have this validation means a lot to me. I’ve been extremely frustrated knowing that I’ve been able to play at this level and I haven’t been doing it. But knowing where my game was heading into this year and believing in the fact that the results would come, and then being patient and letting it happen, all of that has been an important part.”
Consistency requires that you let go of expectations, remain confident that your game will come, and be patient.
These mental skills will place you in a better frame of mind to be at your best on a more consistent basis.
How to Develop Consistency in Golf:
Be consistent in your mental and physical preparation before every round.
Consistent mental preparation, leads to consistent performance.
Prepare for each round in the same manner, maintain the same preround routine and work to have a consistent preshot routine.
Part of your mental preparation should be to check in with yourself on expectations about score and ball-striking.
Let go of these expectations that cause you to judge how well you are doing every hole and instead focus on consistent mental preparation for each shot.
Start developing consistent mental preparation with The Golfer’s Mental Edge:
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Do you suffer from fragile self-confidence after missed hits, playing with strict or high expectations that undermine confidence or the inability to play freely and relaxed on the course?
If you suffer from lack of focus, low self-confidence or other mental game obstacles on the course, you cant reach your true golf potential…
What are mental game customers saying?
“I would like to thank you again for our last mental coaching session, which did offer me yesterday my personal best round ever! On a golf course where I had never scored better than 77, I scored a 73 in competition. I cannot believe the incredible inner work this simple session has produced on me and I would like to thank you again for that.”
~Emmanuel Grizaud, Amateur Golfer
“I want to tell you how much I appreciate all your help. You have made an enormous amount of difference in my game. I feel much better because of your help; I don’t feel the tension like I did before. You should feel very good about what you do for people—it is truly a gift!. I know my students and myself have benefited enormously from Dr. Patrick Cohn’s teaching.”
~Jim Dahline, PGA Professional
“The mental side is everything in golf—the ability to see your shot or line and trust that you can hit that shot or putt. Dr. Cohn has helped me trust my game and putting stroke.”
~Frank Lickliter, PGA Tour, Nike Tour Winner
“Dr. Cohn has helped me improve confidence and build a consistence pre-shot routine that helps me stay confident, and learn how to play one shot at a time during competition. He also taught me that I don’t have to hit every shot perfect to score well.”
~Brian Belden, Winner 2003 AJGA Steel City Junior Classic & Marsh Junior at Hawk Pointe