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| Guide 4 Golf > Golf Articles > Playing Tips > No Fear! |
No Fear
One of the biggest challenges of playing good golf is getting the right mental attitude. In particular, although there may well be hazards on the golf course, the biggest hazard can be in your own mind: fear can prevent you from playing at your best.
Conversely, relaxed and confident players tend to play better games than those who are frightened of the hazards. Don't worry about why the ball went the way it did on the last shot, but instead concentrate on your next shot. Clear thinking and focus will help you achieve a much better standard of play.
Another thing that many players worry about is what others might think of them. This can hold them back in lots of ways. It can inhibit such players from trying new things. Moreover, the more time and mental effort that a player thinks about what everyone else is thinking, the less he can concentrate on the ball, his swing, the shot, and the basics such as keeping his head still and maintaining good balance.
If you want to improve your mental attitude to golf, you need to relax and unwind. You also may need to change how you think about things: It isn't necessary to have the approval of others, and neither will a bad shot ruin your life. Learn from the example of Ben Hogan, who explained the key to his concentration was to "to ignore the gallery and the other golfers, and to shut my mind against everything but my own game."
Another thing you should do is not dwell on your mistakes or previous shots. Once you have taken shot it is done - you can not go back and replay it - so forget it and move on. As Tiger Woods said "I hit it and forget it.".
Finally, one last thing to consider is that we all tend to absorb attitudes and styles from people around us. If you regularly play with perfectionist, you will tend to become a perfectionist yourself, especially if you don't make a conscious effort to stop yourself. Likewise, regularly playing with relaxed golfers, can help you learn to relax on the course too.
In summary, mental attitude is an important component of playing good golf. If you can learn to relax and keep a smile on your face, you will not only enjoy your golf more, but you will also improve your game.
