We have all seen it. We have seen a golfer hit the most incredible shot to set them up to win an event. But what we are not able to see is what really helped that happen. You see, it is a misrepresentation of athletic ability to think that what you see is what is happening. I know, hang in there. From the surface yes, but it is the unseen that we must understand. For peak levels of performance, like swinging a club and hitting a golf ball with the perfect trajectory and curvature to a tucked right hole location on the 18th hole at Bay Hill on Sunday for the win for example, it doesn’t just happen. It happens because as a golf athlete, the brain is trained to create a sequence of movements to swing the club with an intent of hitting the golf ball in a direction on a trajectory and curvature in which the situation calls for. Why am I bringing this up? Well, because while you are in practice mode due to out of season weather conditions for golf, it is a perfect time to use our brains to build stronger patterns to help achieve your goals of becoming a better ball striker and scoring better.
For GPC members and for those who are not, our intention at GPC as coaches is to help create an environment that facilitates learning and understanding the sequence of events needed to create the best patterns for action to produce the best long-lasting results. An example: we have all of our junior golf-athletes and adult golf-athletes wear appropriate clothing for physical performance workouts and golf practice. This may not sound like a “big” deal and you may be wondering why this would help with hitting better golf shots on the course. Well, one reason for this is to create a signal to the brain to begin the moment you wake up to select the clothes for your day, work, workout, playing golf, or golf practice. In those moments your intentions begin to formulate and build towards execution of the rest of your day. I am sure you have heard the phrase, dress for where you are going not to where you are, similarly dress for success, this is simply offering you the opportunity to see yourself where you may want to be. It may sound silly or trite, but it is powerful. There are many studies by neuroscientists and psychologists on peak performance and believe it or not, how you think about yourself or see yourself has an impact on your overall success.
The golf athlete who prepares with the best intent for improvement, what happens in the moment of hitting the shot is only a result of the hours, days, months, and years of intentional actions, creating a clear vision of what is possible. In great performances, an outcome has already been decided before an action has taken place. Scotty Scheffler winning the Master’s or the Player’s Championship is not a surprise to Scotty, he has prepared for this his entire life. His preparation, his intentions of playing are to go do his best, in practice and playing. This is in part is why you and many amateurs get so troubled by a 3 foot putt or a shot to have a great round. The sequence of events leading up to the golf shot or putt, your intentions may not be on improvement but rather on how to not miss, or how to fix your swing, derailing the outcome even before it happens.
To play your best golf or any endeavor, start with how you prepare for your day, whether it is for school, work or golf. Give yourself the best chance by having a better intent for success. Plan out how you dress, how you think about yourself has great power, give yourself a positive thought for the day. Second, dressing in a fashion that makes you feel good about yourself, remember the only opinion that matters is your own! Third, have a growth mindset, you want to get better. Fourth, know that failure is an option. The most successful people, athletes and in business, understand with actions there will be failures, but there is NO Quit!
So remember, if you are striving for greatness, it starts with intention and it never ends!
Enjoy Your Journey!
