The winter is here and you are playing a few rounds less than you were or the clubs are back in the garage until the other side of the year. Many of you will be contemplating keeping your game in order with a series of lessons or a once a week trip to the range. But before have your eyes on the 2010 season what have you done about reviewing the 2009 one?
One of the most important areas of a performance is reviewing what you do AFTER you have played. So take stock of what the season was about.
Follow these steps to review what you did and where you need to improve next season.
STEP ONE: Benchmark the season. Was it Good, Average or Poor.
STEP TWO: Now chunk it into the different area of your game. Give yourself a score out of 10 with 1 being “need to get some serious work done…10 being Sweet”.
Short Game /10
Long Game /10
Mental Game /10
Practice & Preparation /10
STEP THREE: Now ask yourself these three questions for each category. You can ask these questions by taking the traffic light test for every part of your game.
RED: What do I need to STOP doing with my short game that’s not leading me to success?
AMBER: What do I need to keep doing with my short game because it works?
GREEN: What do I need to START doing to make my short game MUSTARD (hot) next year? And move it closer to a 10.
Run every part of your game through these three questions and you will come up with better answers.
STEP FOUR: Go to the movies. Sit down and replay some of the best rounds you had in 2009. Who you were with, where, what club you hit and the result.
If you really want to take your game to another level…write it down and capture it.
WINTER GOLF: A time to work on a few parts of your game.
SCORING: Medal cards destroy your game because you focus on the score. The bridge between social golf and medal golf is too big. Most players will focus on score too much.
Mission: Everytime you go out take a card. Become comfortable with a card in your hand. Try playing GOLFMISSION to close the gap.
BOGEY HOLES: Far too much emotion whilst playing the hole badly. Plenty of emotion, Plenty of Recall. Develop a neutral mindset. A poor mind has 3 reactions. Good, OK and Poor.
Mission: Keep your reactions Positive or Neutral. Celebrate the smallest success and even the mindset of “Good Miss”. You will be better prepared to mentally to get something from the hole.
GETTING ANGRY: One athlete in the world used anger and it helped him. He played tennis with a headband and told the umpire to &*%$. His name was John McEnroe. You are not “The Brat” so give yourself a break.
Mission: Decide before hand you will “Deal With” whatever the hole or the game throws at you.
OVER THE FLAG: Winter golf is great for firing over flags and developing trust and playing with freedom. Most amateurs are short of the pin not matter what the time of the season. Never long? Now is the time to change that.
Mission: Commit to being a club longer. The ball doesn’t fly as far in the cold. Club up…go big. Take one more than you think. In some case two and get used to that feeling of flying over the flag with confidence.
EQUIPMENT: 'I'm useless with this putter' Take the opportunity to get fitted this winter. It is amazing how many players have not had clubs tailored to their swing and/or body.
Mission: Go and get custom fitted. It’s not the equipment. It’s you not the putter. But go and rule out the fact it could be. It’s like playing in size 11 shoes when you are an 8.
CONDITIONS: Never judge the day by the weather. All conditions are good. Get used to tough conditions. When the weather turns it eliminates about 85% of the field who don’t and can’t play in the rain.
Mission: Use the mantra..”It’s only rain, it’s only rain!”
STRETCH YOURSELF: Become a good golfer not just good at your home course. Find other players who are better than you to play against. You will have to stretch to beat them and you will learn from their game also.
Mission: Play some golf by the coast this winter. Wrap up though. A great way to develop more mental skills in tough conditions is playing links golf. Seek out players who are playing at a different level. Get out of your comfort zone.
Winter golf is a great time to reflect and explore your game. It’s a time to test new mental skills and moves in your swing and let go of the previous seasons baggage.
Keep thinking the same way and you will get the same results.
Think Differently,
Jamie Edwards
p.s. Great Christmas Golf Gifts go to www.golf-mission.com
