In 1996 a study was conducted at the University of Chicago in which they randomly selected a group of students and had them shoot free throws. They recorded their made percentage and then divided them into three groups. The first group did not practice over the course of thirty days, the second practiced shooting free throws every day for thirty minutes, and the third group simply went to the gym and spent thirty minutes visualizing making free throws with their eyes closed. At the end of one month the first group had not improved, the second group improved 24% on average, and the last group improved 23% on average. So, the group who only visualized making free throws improved basically the same amount as the group that did physical practice.
With the current state of the world, now is a great time to utilize the power of the mind and practice visualization. With enough imagination and focus you can bring the course right to you at home. You can play 18 holes in your mind going through the physical process of hitting a golf shot without actually hitting a golf ball. This means creating a vivid picture with all of the detail in your mind, even feeling the wind on your face and the smell of fresh cut grass. The better you can do this the better you will be able to focus on the right things when you get onto the golf course.
Take the time to engage in this practice and you will begin to notice what interferes with your focus on the golf course. With this awareness you will be able to shift your focus to where you want it more consistently.
PRACTICE SMART!
