Using the Mind

About a weeks ago, I wrote a post on the phrase, “This hole always gets me.” That post was inspired by a guy I played with two weeks ago at the local course here. He blew his tee shot on the 9th hole way right into the trees and frustratingly muttered the words. Apparently, the 9th hole always gets him.

Now I’m no phychologist, but here is what has happened inside his brain. A connection has been made between the 9th hole and hitting poor shots. This probably happened over the course of a few rounds and now the connection is cemented until he willingly changes it. He sees the 9th tee box and the brain immediately thinks, “This hole always gets me.” He steps up in a very poor frame of mind and whacks another ball into the trees, further establishing the negative connection. The brain never distinguishes between good and bad with these connections. It simply makes them.

So how do we use this whole Brain Connection Thing to help and not hinder? Good question. Read on.

What we need to do is intentionally set up positive connections. The brain is unique because it can control itself if we just learn how to do it. Let me tell you what I have done and you can apply the concept to your game. I was thinking about this topic a few days ago and decided to set up a connection in my brain between my putter and always making putts. I pulled the putter out of my bag, looked at it and thought, “This is the putter I always make putts with.” The connection was started.

Now, every time I see the putter, my brain immediately thinks it’s the putter I make putts with. I simply set up a connection just like the guy I played with has on the 9th hole. The only difference is that my new connection is helpful to my game and his connection is detramental.

Will I make every putt with the putter? Of course not. That wouldn’t be possible. What will happen, however, is a positive frame of mind each time I pick up the club. That is what I wanted to accomplish. You can do this with any club in the bag. You can do this with every club in the bag. I also have a driver that I always bomb down the middle. You can even do this with the 9th hole at your local course that used to get you but not any more!

Learn to use and control your mind just like you have learned to use and control your pitching wedge and you will begin to see the progress you wish to make.

See you again soon. Don’t forget to bookmark the page. Hopefully we just set up a connection between the website and good information you can immediately apply!

Mike Snyder
Twitter: @Mike_Snyder