the ball is much more likely to respond as desired. If you choose an EXACT target for your shot, the ball is much more likely to travel in that direction. If you visualize the trajectory of your shot, again the ball is much more likely to fly in a similar way, and so on.
On the flip side, if you don’t choose an exact target, how can your mind direct your body to Michael Emery
Michael J. Emery
swing the golf club so the ball travels in the right direction? If you don’t decide in your mind where the ball is going, how can you impart the correct information to the ball at impact with the clubface? If you are thinking “I don’t like this club” how relaxed and confident is your golf swing going to be?
I know what you’re going to say now. “But I don’t feel confident with that club” or some variation of “this is how I am”. And if that’s how you’re thinking, nothing will change. It’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation. You have to feel confident in order to hit the ball well; and you have to hit the ball well in order to feel confident. Or do you?
What causes a lack of confidence? Is it a fear that the ball is not going where you want it to go, or a fear of making a fool of yourself, or a fear that your swing needs to be fixed? We’re not born with fear. Fear is learned…and therefore can be unlearned. The question is “how?”
First, stop thinking that your golf swing needs to be fixed; it’s just fine. Just look at all the professionals on TV and you won’t see two same swings. If you topped the ball on the last shot, you topped it. If you hit it fat, you got under it too much. These are relevant facts which provide feedback to you which enable you to adjust your next swing accordingly. Your entire swing doesn’t need fixing.
Secondly, having emptied your mind of irrelevant “swing needs to be fixed” thoughts, you can use your mind to create a feeling of confidence. Think confident thoughts and you’ll feel confident. Everything in life starts with a thought. Thoughts create your emotions which direct your actions. Just by consciously choosing to direct your thoughts in this way you will reap great rewards. However, if you really want to appreciate the full power of your mind in golf, hypnosis is the way to go.