One of the things that plague
many golfers and students
of the game, are mental thoughts
that betray them. There are several
issues a lot of people may have, including
lack of concentration, lack
of confidence, and anxiety. With
the proliferation the past couple of
decades of sport psychologists, or
mental coaches, we have a wealth
of knowledge and research that
shows us how to best optimize our
mental games.
Dr. Gregg Steinberg has been
the USGTF’s sport psychology consultant
since his days as a Ph.D.
candidate at the University of Florida.
Steinberg has had three books
published (including Mental Rules
for Teaching Golf, available through
the USGTF Pro Shop), with a fourth
on the way. He has also appeared
on numerous national television
and radio programs, and is often
quoted in magazines and newspapers.
Furthermore, he has worked
with many professional athletes and
countless amateur athletes.
A lot of mental problems boil
down to one word – negativity. Golfers
who lack confidence, concentration,
or suffer from anxiety are most
definitely in a negative mind state.
Steinberg came up with a clever
way of helping golfers overcome
negative thinking a number of years
ago. The fix involves a simple piece
of equipment – a rubber band.
Most golfers who miss shots
due to negative thinking are aware
before the shot that they aren’t in
the proper frame of mind to hit the
shot, but they go ahead and strike
the ball, anyway. Such golfers don’t
have a way of dealing with the negativity
that pervades their minds.
Golfers who suffer from negative
thinking during their pre-shot
routines should wear a rubber band
around their wrist. At any time during
their pre-shot routine, all the
way up to taking the club back, if
a golfer has a negative thought, he
or she is to immediately stop their
routine, snap themselves with the
rubber band, and then consciously
replace the negative thought or feeling
with a positive one.
Steinberg points out that mental
practice is just like physical practice
– it takes time to make a change. The
key with the rubber band technique
is consistency. The player should
always stop their pre-shot routine
if there is any negativity involved,
and snap themselves with their rubber
band. It should not be a case
of, “Well, yes, I have some negative
thoughts right now, but I don’t feel
like snapping myself this time.”
The first round someone plays
golf with the rubber band around
their wrist, they may find themselves
snapping it as many as several
dozen times! They may also find the
negative thoughts not wanting to
leave. That’s okay – again, it takes
time to make a change. Eventually,
after a certain number of rounds
(the number will vary for each individual,
but 10-20 rounds is usually
enough), the player will find himself
or herself snapping the rubber band
only a few times. At this point, the
player can be confident that their
mental game has definitely gone to
a higher level, and they should find
the game more fun and enjoyable.
If you or your students suffer
from negative thinking, snap to it!.
