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Conquering the emotional lows of golf

Hi Golfers,

Someone once asked Hank Haney, one of Golf Digest’s 50 Greatest Teachers, what irritated him the most when it comes to teaching golf.

Haney owns six golf school/practice facilities and works with some guy named Woods, helping him with his swing and fundamentals. So Haney knows where of he speaks.

What irritates Haney the most? A student with a bad attitude.

Close behind that student is the student who’s too hard on himself.

“They forget that golf is a hard game and that everyone struggles sometime.
The only way to get better is to have a positive attitude and work hard.
It’s that simple …and that difficult.”*

What about you?

Are you too hard on yourself at golf?

If so, you are tough to teach, because as long as criticizing
your performance or emotions, you cannot get to your good feelings about yourself.

Self-criticism is part of being a competitive golfer. However, self-criticism does not have to be a problem for you if you know how to handle it.

Let’s imagine a golfer begins a game by bogeying his first two holes. Usually, he will immediately criticize himself for the error, telling himself he has no chance of winning now. This is called destructive self-criticism.

When you self-criticize in a destructive way, you are creating shame. You are saying to yourself, “I’m not good enough.” Unconsciously, you are assuming you cannot get what you want from yourself on the course. This is based on a view of yourself that says, “I can’t do it.”

Mental Toughness Tip

There is a better way.

It's called constructive self-criticism.

When you self-criticize in a constructive way, you are tapping into your personal pride. You are saying to yourself, “I’m better than that!”

Constructive self-criticism is a request.

You are asking yourself for a better performance based on a positive,
confident view of yourself that says, “I can do it.”

The next time you are on the golf course and tempted to berate yourself,
realize that your self-criticism is a request. What do you want from yourself?

Do you want a change in your swing? A different focus for your mind?
A new strategy for this course?

Whatever it is, go to work on delivering it, and you will feel better
right away.

Your friend,
Lisa B.

P.S. If you want to dramatically improve your short game, bomb long drives, and remain confident and relaxed on the course, then I recommend a copy of my Ebook, "Breakthrough Golf! Lower Your Score Now Using the Mental Secrets of Professional Athletes."

It will take you step-by-step from where you are to where you want to be on the course. I guarantee it.

In fact, you can check out the book at my risk.
You have nothing to lose.

All the details are here:

www.golfgamesecrets.com/sales/

*Golf Digest July 2006.