The Mental Side Of Relaxed Arms (Video) - by Pete Styles
The Mental Side Of Relaxed Arms (Video) - by Pete Styles

A huge number of golfers that I teach go out in the golf course knowing that they should keep the relaxed hands, relaxed arms, forearms nice and soft, shoulders nice and soft and they know that they are going to go and try and play the most relaxed golf. And then five or nine holds later, that stood on that first of – stood on the niked tee shaft is shaking, grip pressures going through their forearms, through the shoulders, through the -- and it’s the mental side of that game that is effectively the downfall for the relaxation, they are not able to relax because mentally they are not in the right place.

So there are count of reasons why that might be. One of the first things might actually be specifically not actually picking out the right targets, and if you are picking out a target that’s very close to a hazard, well of course you are going to be more tense about that. And if you picked a flag that’s really near a pond and you are going straight to that flag, you are probably going to tense so that you probably not going to head a great show. So let’s be specific about our targets and let’s make sure that big sensible target; middle the grid, middle the fairway. That enables me to relax a little bit more and enables me to swing a little bit more within myself and I think that’s the next good tip as well, is always do swing within yourself. I know if I’ve got a 150 yards, that for me might be an A time. But if I choose a pitching wedge to try and go 150 yards and probably go to not have enough club so I'm not swinging within myself, and again I tense up, I tighten up because I suddenly going to think I need to enlighten this. I need to hit each one as hard as I can. So the grip pressure increases, the forearm increases, the shoulder pressure increases and I don’t hit the ball very well. So its picking sensible targets, then picking sensible club selection enables me to keep relaxed. On the other trick, it’s probably the oldest trick in the book, is just telling yourself, you’re only playing golf, you are not out there saving lives and not many of us are actually applying for our mortgages out in the golf course. We are just out there to have fun and relax with a few mates. So let’s try and keep that – the sense and perspective and sense of realism that we don’t have to actually this bull to get onto the green, we don’t have to earn too tight to the flag and what’s the worse that could happen if we don’t hit the ball particularly well. And if that enables you to relax a little bit more, I'm sure we’ll be playing better golf with relaxed arms. 2016-07-18

A huge number of golfers that I teach go out in the golf course knowing that they should keep the relaxed hands, relaxed arms, forearms nice and soft, shoulders nice and soft and they know that they are going to go and try and play the most relaxed golf. And then five or nine holds later, that stood on that first of – stood on the niked tee shaft is shaking, grip pressures going through their forearms, through the shoulders, through the — and it’s the mental side of that game that is effectively the downfall for the relaxation, they are not able to relax because mentally they are not in the right place.

So there are count of reasons why that might be. One of the first things might actually be specifically not actually picking out the right targets, and if you are picking out a target that’s very close to a hazard, well of course you are going to be more tense about that. And if you picked a flag that’s really near a pond and you are going straight to that flag, you are probably going to tense so that you probably not going to head a great show. So let’s be specific about our targets and let’s make sure that big sensible target; middle the grid, middle the fairway. That enables me to relax a little bit more and enables me to swing a little bit more within myself and I think that’s the next good tip as well, is always do swing within yourself.

I know if I’ve got a 150 yards, that for me might be an A time. But if I choose a pitching wedge to try and go 150 yards and probably go to not have enough club so I'm not swinging within myself, and again I tense up, I tighten up because I suddenly going to think I need to enlighten this. I need to hit each one as hard as I can. So the grip pressure increases, the forearm increases, the shoulder pressure increases and I don’t hit the ball very well. So its picking sensible targets, then picking sensible club selection enables me to keep relaxed. On the other trick, it’s probably the oldest trick in the book, is just telling yourself, you’re only playing golf, you are not out there saving lives and not many of us are actually applying for our mortgages out in the golf course. We are just out there to have fun and relax with a few mates. So let’s try and keep that – the sense and perspective and sense of realism that we don’t have to actually this bull to get onto the green, we don’t have to earn too tight to the flag and what’s the worse that could happen if we don’t hit the ball particularly well. And if that enables you to relax a little bit more, I'm sure we’ll be playing better golf with relaxed arms.