Shift Your Focus

By Kevin Telford

The game of golf has many variables; weather, course conditions, random swing thoughts, mentality, playing partners, pace of play, and the list goes on. Learning how to focus your concentration and maintain control over what you can control will help plot your way around the course more effectively.

One can only effectively control what happens before and after a shot, but not necessarily during. With this tactic, it is important to maintain control over:

· Your game plan, a consistent pre and post shot routine, and

· an effective set-up

If you don’t have a plan on the golf course, your mindset can become chaotic. It tags along with the saying, “if you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail”. Try maintaining one goal throughout a round of golf. Whether it’s: Holding your finish after each shot maintaining balance during each swing Hitting the shot your comfortable with, not necessarily what’s called for · Aiming at the middle of the green Not hitting driver if you can’t hit driver

Having a consistent routine before and after each shot creates a variety of benefits. It allows you to assess all the variables (lie/wind/terrain/obstacles) and make an informed, confident decision. When you’re in pressure situations, it helps to set the nerves. While you should be detailed, this isn’t a lengthy process. The routine should be quick but thorough. If you don’t know where to start, watch what the pros do before they play. Most efficient routines consist of assessing variables and then picking targets. For example, select two intermediate targets, one for the club & one for your body. Focusing on those allows for a proper setup of the ball & swing confidently. Try to start your routine while playing partners are in their process. Consistency is key, keep it the same for every shot.

A solid setup is paramount for executing a successful golf shot. There should be more to your shot than simply walking up to the ball, swinging your club and hoping the universe steers it in the right direction. How you address the ball has a direct effect on where it’s going. Make sure you know and understand how certain shots call for different set up positions. If you have any physical limitations, you’ll need to tailor your setup/ swing to accommodate for those. A TPI physical screen is highly recommended to fully understand what your body is capable of versus heading to YouTube for tips that may not benefit your swing.

While golf can seem like an incredibly complex game, which it is, narrow your focus & see if that changes how you make your way through a round of golf. We’re not building rockets, just trying to advance the ball consistently