Weve all been there. We know the feeling. Its that uneasiness we feel when we notice that things are slipping away from us. It comes up quietly sometimes and other times it appears with a bang. Either way, we lose control of our game and before we know it several poor shots and even several poor holes go by. This scenario is often described as a train wreck and many golfers will do anything to avoid the oncoming train.
On the golf course a train wreck occurs when one poor shot or poor decision is allowed to infect future shots and decisions. These then cause a chain reaction affect which, if not stopped can trigger more poor shots and more poor decisions to follow.
Playing poor shots, getting unlucky bounces and playing poor holes are going to happen. They happen even to the most detailed perfectionist or hopeful optimist. It doesnt matter what level you play; they happen to everyone.
The interesting thing about train wrecks is that while your result seem to be the culpritthe train wreck effect doesnt actually occur until something inside you changes. It doesnt occur until you begin to think about a train wreck. It happens because your inner game has been put on alert and then it tumbles into its usual thoughts and emotional reactions you experience when you hit poor shots or have poor outcomes.
Milton, a 10 handicap mentioned he tends to play rounds in which he overall plays pretty well and then in his words, loses it. He said, Something happens and then Id hit a couple of poor shots and before I know it I blow up a couple of holes. Milton is describing the train wreck. Have you ever been there? A train wreck is like a slump in baseball. While ballplayers might not initiate the slumpthey do prolong it by their thought process. Golfers do the same thing on the golf course.
Here are some ideas to consider:
1. See each shot as a separate entity
The reality is; each shot has a life of its own. It has its own beginning, middle and end. Train wrecks rely on you seeing them all strung together but they arent.
2. Train Wreck is a thought
While you might not initiate it, you may very well perpetuate it by thinking about it. Although youll hit poor shots and make poor decisions at times you are responsible for how long you allow them to affect you.
3. Rhythm and Feel
When you notice yourself going off track, bring your attention back to feeling the rhythm and feel of your golf swing. When things go off track, usually you lose both rhythm and feel and if you return your attention to them, you can bring yourself back on line more quickly.
To Your Best Golf!
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David Breslow is a National Speaker, Author and Performance Consultant. His book, Wired To Win is available at 888.280.7715. David works with clients all over the world via telephone so it doesnt matter where you live, work or play! His clients include professional athletes (PGA, LPGA and other sports), juniors and all amateurs. He also works with Businesses of all sizes. He brings a fresh, direct, no-nonsense revolutionary approach to Human Performance, helping people make quicker and more powerful shifts in attitude, behavior and action. David is the weekly Mental Game Columnist for Golf Channel where his articles are read by over 4000,000 people. For more info please visit: www.theflowzone.net, email: daviddavid@theflowzone.net or call: 847.681.0247
