Play Golf... Visualization and Imagination

I was checking out videos on YouTube this morning and I found this cool old Nike commercial that I feel is a perfect example of "playing golf." Many golfers, even the pros on tour, can become very frustrated, sometimes even angry, from the result of a bad shot. One thing that I always try to remember when I tee it up or practice is that golf is still just a game. I believe that if everyone approached the game with the imagination and spirit of a child people would enjoy the game even more, regardless of the score.


Three things to make GOLF a game...


Visualization: In your pre shot routine try to visualize the ball going towards your target or in the hole. Pretend like you are playing a video game or watching yourself on television. See yourself swinging the club, the ball flight, the roll of the ball, and it ending exactly where you want. Then just do your best to execute what you saw. You might be surprised how closely you are able to do what you visualized.


Imagination: Have the imagination of a 4 year old. At that age anyything is possible, nothing can stop you, and everything is new to you. In golf, getting from point A to point B is typically never a straight line. Similar to visualization you have to be able to think outside of box and be creative with the shots that you take. When reading putts and getting out of trouble, look at the shot from different angles and try to see if there is something that you can use or a different line you can hit the ball on that will get you closer to the hole.


Focus on the Positive: In every round or practice you will hit bad shots. Sometimes we hold on to those mistakes and let them carry over into the next shot or even the next few holes. Whenever you hit a perfect ball on the range or crush a tee shot right down the middle, think about how that felt, focus on what you did right and try to recreate that feeling for the next shot.
The next time you play or practice remember to go out there and have fun remembering that golf is just a game. Go back to your childhood where you ruled your own world and everything in your imagination seemed possible. Get out of your own way, free your mind of any outside distractions and just play.


I am a huge fan of Bruce Lee and the other day I heard this quote again and I had never thought about it in relationship to golf but it fits...