If you want to play better golf, focus is the key!

Ever notice how targets in golf get progressively smaller the closer you get to the hole? Here is what I mean. On the tee box, your target is the fairway. Most fairways are 20 to 50 yards wide. Approach shots are played into greens which are smaller targets than fairways. Once on or around the green, you try to chip or lag putt the ball to within a few feet of the cup. And then finally, the ball is played into a hole that is 4.25 inches in diameter. That is a drastic change in target size and it happens on all 18 holes.

Here is another interesting observation. A missed shot when playing towards a large target is much easier to swallow than missing a smaller target. It seems like expectations increase as target size decreases. Again, here is what I mean. If your intent is to hit the right side of the fairway and you end up hitting the left side, it’s likely the other three players in your group say, “Nice shot.” You could have missed your target by 30 yards but it’s still considered a good shot because you hit the fairway. What if you were to miss a 10 foot putt by 30 yards? That would quite possibly go down in history as the worst golf shot ever. The same 30 yard miss carries different weight because of the size of the target and your level of expectation.

You can miss a tee shot by 30 yards and still consider it a good shot. But what if you miss a 3 foot by an inch? It’s a bad putt, right? Do you see how the pressure builds as we approach the green and ultimately the hole? This is dangerous because as the targets get smaller, your level of expectation grows. And as expectations grow, so does pressure.

So how does focus help?

Focus is the key but the answer needs to be more specific. You must be intentional about what you focus on. Most golfers focus on results. All this does is increases the pressure we’ve already discussed. A much smaller percentage of players have learned to focus on process. Pressure can not be eliminated, but it can be managed, and focusing on process is the most effective way. You’ll hear tour players talk about this all the time in interviews. The most recent I remember is Justin Leonard. He was asked when he’ll win again. His response was to explain that he and his coach are working on the process and winning will simply be a result. Good answer!

Every golfer at every level has some sort of focus on every single shot. What separates better players from the rest is where that focus is placed. It’s much easier said than done, but the goal here is to detach from results. And the reason we need to detach is because we can’t control results. We can only control process. You can’t control your ball finding a hole in the middle of the fairway. You can’t control your ball hitting a bump on the green and being forced off line. All you can do is hit the best shot you possibly can and then watch it go.

If you hit a good putt, then the ball has the BEST chance of going in.
If you make a good swing, then the ball has the BEST chance of going where you want it to.

Focus on the things you CAN control and detach from the things you CAN’T! This will be revolutionary for your game.

Focus on evaluating where the ball sits and how you think it will react when struck. Focus on the conditions around you, like wind, and then make a good club selection. Focus on visualizing the exact shot you want to hit. Focus on relaxing and going through your pre shot routine before every shot. These are the things you CAN control and this is where your focus should be placed. There is nothing more frustrating and stressful than trying to change the things you can not change. And as you very well know, golf doesn’t need any added stress and pressure. This game is tough enough as is.

Homework – head to the course and play a round of golf without a scorecard. Your only goal for the day should be to consciously detach from the results and dedicate the entire round to focusing on the process. If you focus on process well, the result is you will play better golf.

As always, thanks for stopping by and be sure to check back soon.
Mike

Follow me on Twitter: @Mike_Snyder