Winning The Mind Games To Get Out Of A Golf Slump (Video) - by Pete Styles
Winning The Mind Games To Get Out Of A Golf Slump (Video) - by Pete Styles

The advice that a golfer might think about one shot at a time on the golf course might sound a little bit clichéd but when you’re trying to get yourself out of a slump, it really is the best advice I can give you. As a golfer we’re actually going out onto the golf course. There’s a danger that we think too much about the entire long game, the entire score, the 18 holes are out in front of us. And really you know the things that are going to happen on the 18th hole are going to happen in four hours time, so we don’t really need to think too much about planning for what’s going to happen there. And the best effort is going to be put into thinking about what’s going to happen next, what’s going to happen in the next two, three, four, five minutes.

So as I set up to the golf ball on the first tee, I’m only thinking about this first tee shot. I’m making sure that I hit it to the best of my ability. And as I walk down the fairway I’m going to start thinking about the next shot and then thinking about the next shot but I’m not thinking two shots ahead, three shots ahead or even three holes ahead. It’s just one shot at a time. And that’s particularly relevant when you’re in a slump because if you’re in a slump there’s always that overarching feeling that this isn’t going to go well for me. Whatever I do now is not going to make a difference because it’s not going to finish it well. And it might be because in the past you’ve not taken advantage of opportunities or you’ve given away a good score at the end. But there’s no point thinking about that now because if I start thinking about well I’m going to give this good score away at the end, I’ll probably not have a good score by the time I get to the end. So the best thing you can do, think one shot at a time. What do I want this next ball to do? Doesn’t matter what score you get. Think about what you want the ball to do. Execute that shot. Then as you come around towards the backend of the round, you might think okay now I’m in a good position. Now I’ve got a good score going. I bet I throw all the way because my game is in a slump. But again don’t think about the score; think about the very next shot. Play number 16, play number 17, play number 18, one shot at a time until finally on 18 that last putt goes in. I thought about every single shot, one shot at a time and hopefully that putt on 18 goes in, you sign in for a good scorecard and you finally got yourself out of your slump. 2016-09-30

The advice that a golfer might think about one shot at a time on the golf course might sound a little bit clichéd but when you’re trying to get yourself out of a slump, it really is the best advice I can give you. As a golfer we’re actually going out onto the golf course. There’s a danger that we think too much about the entire long game, the entire score, the 18 holes are out in front of us. And really you know the things that are going to happen on the 18th hole are going to happen in four hours time, so we don’t really need to think too much about planning for what’s going to happen there. And the best effort is going to be put into thinking about what’s going to happen next, what’s going to happen in the next two, three, four, five minutes.

So as I set up to the golf ball on the first tee, I’m only thinking about this first tee shot. I’m making sure that I hit it to the best of my ability. And as I walk down the fairway I’m going to start thinking about the next shot and then thinking about the next shot but I’m not thinking two shots ahead, three shots ahead or even three holes ahead. It’s just one shot at a time. And that’s particularly relevant when you’re in a slump because if you’re in a slump there’s always that overarching feeling that this isn’t going to go well for me. Whatever I do now is not going to make a difference because it’s not going to finish it well. And it might be because in the past you’ve not taken advantage of opportunities or you’ve given away a good score at the end. But there’s no point thinking about that now because if I start thinking about well I’m going to give this good score away at the end, I’ll probably not have a good score by the time I get to the end.

So the best thing you can do, think one shot at a time. What do I want this next ball to do? Doesn’t matter what score you get. Think about what you want the ball to do. Execute that shot. Then as you come around towards the backend of the round, you might think okay now I’m in a good position. Now I’ve got a good score going. I bet I throw all the way because my game is in a slump. But again don’t think about the score; think about the very next shot. Play number 16, play number 17, play number 18, one shot at a time until finally on 18 that last putt goes in. I thought about every single shot, one shot at a time and hopefully that putt on 18 goes in, you sign in for a good scorecard and you finally got yourself out of your slump.