Having a physical routine is helpful, especially to the new golfer. But it’s easy for it to become habit. And when it’s a habit, your mind is free to wander and you can become distracted - maybe by people around you or course conditions; maybe by your own thoughts. A good mental routine helps you focus and concentrate on the shot at hand and block out distractions because it engages your mind in the routine.

There are four steps to a good mental routine:

1. Calculations.This step may sound a little like your usual pre-shot routine. It involves picking a target, a club, and the type of shot you plan to make. The most important part of it is committing to the choices you make. The calculation step uses reasoning and logic that’s controlled by the left hemisphere of your brain. For the remaining steps of the routine you use the right hemisphere of your brain, which controls athletic movements. Unless you make a commitment to your calculations and stick with it, you’ll be pulled back into the left brain calculations and your athletic abilities will be affected.

When you have a problem committing, it’s very often related to tension. As tension increases, your mind gets busier and it’s harder to make decisions. If you feel this happening, stop your routine and take a deep breath to help you relax. Then begin the calculations again, this time making a firm commitment to your decisions.

The second and third steps of the mental routine are interchangeable - you can do whichever one first that you feel most comfortable with. They both require right brain thinking, so they actually enhance your ability to make a good shot.

2.Visualization. See the shot in your mind, as though you’re watching a video or movie. See it flying through the air, falling, rolling toward your target. The more vividly you can visualize, the more you engage your right brain and promote athletic movement.

3. Feel. This step involves actually feeling the movements you will use to hit the shot. When first using this routine, many people will take a full practice swing. Later, the feel step may be reduced to just a small waggle. The important thing is to place the emphasis on feel, tempo, and rhythm, and have a swing thought that’s related to feel. Sam Snead’s feel-based swing thought was "oily." Mechanical swing thoughts are fine for the driving range. But to keep from getting distracted by a lot of details while on the course, you need to use a feel swing thought.

4. Hit the shot. Use the feel thought while you’re hitting your shot. Don’t wait too long after step 3 to hit your shot or your focus will expand and you’ll get distracted.

If you use this mental routine before every shot, you’ll find you’re more focused and less distracted. You’ll be freeing your athletic ability instead of getting in your own way. Even your bad shots (which ever golfer has!!) won’t be as bad. And you’ll find yourself playing more consistently and consistently having more fun too!

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