“Can you think of a better picture, I can’t.” Jim Nantz
I am so excited for Masters week! The Masters for golfers around the globe is the sign that golf season is here! If you are like me, Masters Week is the start of spring. Forget the Farmer’s Almanac, The Masters at Augusta National tells us spring is here!
Pulling into the gates, the smell of the fresh cut grass, the Magnolia trees in blossom, the bright colors of azaleas, the beautiful green grass perfectly manicured, the bright yellow map of the US with red flag, the white caddy bibs and the bright white clubhouse. Wow, how can you not get excited about playing there! If you haven’t had the chance to play (lucky me!) or go watch the Masters, put it at the top of your bucket list. As a golfer or golf fan, you will love it! Take a moment to close your eyes, visualize the description in this paragraph of pulling into Augusta National. Can you see it clearly? Can you smell the grass, the beauty of the Magnolias, the understated elegance of the white clubhouse, what else can you see? Do you see and feel yourself getting lost in the moment of being there, taking practice swings on the range? Take a few moments and enjoy the journey around this golf haven!
Back to reality. Why am I delivering this article in this fashion?
We all have the ability to visualize, to become creative, but few use this tool to prepare themselves to play better golf. How often do you play golf by just going through the motions thinking only of what the outcome may be or what you would like it to be? Golf isn’t meant to be played based on an outcome, it is an experience that each of us have a choice to enjoy or suffer through. Regardless of where you may be playing your next round of golf, hopefully it will be at a place like Augusta National, if not, think of it as being like Augusta. Visualize yourself driving into the clubhouse road and it being lined with great trees, beautiful grounds, a stately clubhouse. Visualize yourself being on the driving range warming up and having an awesome experience. The warm sun on you, the sweat beginning to bead on your forehead, the caddy asking you about your round coming up and if you need water, hitting each shot with a purposeful draw or fade to your target. The research from neurologists suggests that what we can deeply see (visualize) we have done, therefore we can do. Our brains have a tough time distinguishing between reality and virtual reality, so if you want to play great golf, allow yourself to play not in the conscious mind but in the subconscious. Be aware but not there!
Use your most powerful tool, your minds’ eye, visualize everything that you want to do when you play golf (not a score), and feel what you want your experience to be like on the course. If you can enjoy your experience, all the hours that you practice will show up more often, your scores will improve and your enjoyment of the game will dramatically increase!
The smell of spring is in the air!
Enjoy Your Journey!
