Stop On A Dime: How To Pick Smaller Targets | #theHEADCoach
12/04/2013
Imagine being in the center of the fairway and you have a 110 yard shot to the hole. The pin is just left of center and it’s a safe shot with no trouble on either side. As you get ready to hit this shot, I want you to identify what type of player you are based on the following examples:
Player 1: Hoping to get it close but no visualization, no target and no thought of actually making it.
Player 2: Thinking about making it, but still thinking about your last three putt.
Player 3: Thinking about making it, visualizing the shot, but a target is out of the question.
Player 4: Visualizing the shot, but thinking about a good spot to miss.
Player 5: You look at it and immediately start to think about what you must do to put the ball in the hole. You create a complete visual of the shot in your mind from start to finish. You have a very specific target selected that is about the size of a dime, and you are determining how the ball will respond once it hits that dime sized target and specifically where it will roll into the hole. As you gather this information, you step up to the ball and all of your energy is totally committed to hitting your target, and you are 100% READY to make it happen.
If you are anything less than Player #5, you are missing out big time.
Why would you think about anything other than hitting your target and rolling the ball in the hole? No, I’m serious why would you do that? It’s crazy to me that you would think otherwise. One of the best ways to truly enjoy this game to the fullest, is to be totally engaged on every single shot. To me, it is the best part of the game.That calm, confidence of being 100% READY standing over the ball is a high, it’s a rush, it’s a very euphoric feeling! If you’re not getting that feeling today, here is what you must do:
Pick a very specific target on every shot. I said EVERY SHOT. No exceptions. If you are on the tee or five feet off the green, that ball has to land somewhere. Figure out exactly where that is and let your mind assist you in making it happen. Once your exact spot is picked that is about the size of a dime, visualize the exact flight path and watch it all the way to fruition. I call it watching the entire movie from start to finish. Envision will happen once it lands and where it will reside when it stops. Stop on a dime!
Bonus Tip – Carry a dime in your pocket as a physical reminder of what to do 🙂
To understand how you think about your game today, click here to complete the Tour Pro Mind questionnaire and receive a free evaluation of your results with The HEAD Coach, Greg Liberto.
Greg Liberto
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Greg, This summer, I was playing in a golf tournament in my hometown. Coming down the stretch, I needed (I figured) 3 pars to make the cut for the championship flight. I was struggling to say the least. On my 16th hole I made a triple bogey 8. Angry, I hit my tee shot on the next hole to 3-feet and made a birdie. On the 18th, I was thinking I would need a “deuce” to make the cut. I had a gap wedge in my hands from a bad lie in the rough. Thinking I needed to make the shot, I picked an extremely precise spot to land the ball and put all my energy into it. I hit it to the “DIME” and it rolled over the edge of the hole, stopping only 7-10 inches past the hole. It was a tap in birdie.
This stuff works!
cool story Troy, Thanks for sharing and yes it really does work !!