The birds are chirping, the air is beginning to have a tinge of warmth and spring is ever so close. With it comes the excitement of knowing that golf courses everywhere are preparing for yet another season. Visions of tee shots splitting fairways, approach shots landing just feet away from the pin and putts disappearing into the cup dance around in our minds! Ah yes, springtime is here and with it comes the call for spring training. Thats right, spring training for golf is here.
You dont have to be a ballplayer to bring meaning to the words spring training. Golfers can take advantage of this time to prepare for the upcoming season as well. If you live in a place where winter has come and gone, you can take advantage of the thaw to get yourself in condition to play a great spring and summer of golf.
Preparation is the key first step in any performance cycle and spring is the time to PREPARE for the upcoming season.
Here are some ideas to consider as you prepare for a great golfing season:
- Prepare your body first
You can avoid injuries both large and small by developing a good stretching regimen and a workout regimen if youre not doing so already.
Get your body ready to performno matter what your handicap your body needs to be prepared. Stretch every day, warm up your muscles build your capacity to be limber and flexible. As alwaysconsult your physician to make sure you are doing what works best for you. - Get Real
Do you want to shoot lower scores this year? If so, get real with yourself and be honest about the strengths and development areas in your game. Ask questions such as: what clubs tend to get me into trouble? How far do I actually hit each club (IN THE AIR!). Which clubs do I need to spend more time improving? Delusions of grandeur are the cause for more added strokes on your scorecard than anything else. Know your game; be honest about how and where you get into trouble on the course. Do you make inappropriate club choices; do your emotions get in the way? Are you more negative than you want to be? Are you taking advantage of ALL your skills and talents when you playif notwhy not? - Develop A Mental Game Plan
The physical game is easy to work on leaving everything else underdeveloped. What many players leave out of the mix is the part of their game that eventually has the greatest impactthe mental game. What will you do this year to improve your mind, your emotions, and how you direct your energy on and off the golf course? What about specific performance areas such as imagery, mental clarity, present time focus and emotional resilience? Do you want to trust your swing more, gain confidence and be more consistent? Golf is a game of rhythm and flow and these two qualities begin with a real understanding of how the mind/body/performance relationship REALLY works. Its all connected; your physical game, mental game and emotional game are linked together and cannot be separated. If you really want to get to the next levelthese are the tools to get you there. - Do Something About It
Now that you have taken an honest look, decide what you need to do to help yourself improve. How will you improve your physical conditioning? What will you do to improve your mechanics or hit the shots that lose you strokes on the course? Do you finally need to see your local PGA Pro? Will you work on your mental game, practice more effectively and close the gaps in your game?
What are you going to do this spring to get ready to play your best golf this year? Now is the time to prepare yourself. Good luck!
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Copyright 2004 David Breslow. David is the author of Wired To Win and offers a highly acclaimed Perform In The FlowZone’ program for sports and business. David has appeared on The Golf Channel, ESPN radio, etc. For more programs/services/products or sign up for a free newsletter (write newsletter in subject box). Also, review the new series of Performance Training Manuals available online! Contact: David Breslow at 847.681.1698 Email: David@theflowzone.net or visit the web: www.theflowzone.net For book orders call toll free: 1.888.280.7715