I am a beginning golfer with a high handicap. Unless I am playing with a friend who is also a beginner, I worry about what other players are thinking of me. I imagine they are thinking that I am playing too slow, taking too many shots or simply unsure of which clubs to use. Because of this, I start playing faster and sometimes apologize for bad shots. I know this is affecting my focus and my ability to improve my game. Do you have any suggestions on how I can keep my mind on my golf shots instead of feeling anxious about what others are thinking?

My suggestion for keeping your mind on your golf shots is to practice the mental skill of “catch and pivot.” Whenever you catch yourself thinking distracting thoughts, I offer you immediately pivot to a thought which serves you better. With intention, bring your mind back to a thought that focuses your brain on your golf.

Your mind is used to roaming all over the place looking for possible “danger.” The “primitive” part of the brain does this by design. You will need to intentionally break the habit of your naturally wandering mind and instill the habit of focusing your thoughts on the golf shot in front of you. In the words of pioneer sports psychologist and author Dr. Bob Rotella, “Anything that detracts from a narrow focus on the shot at hand diminishes your chances of playing your best golf. The more your mind is consumed with the target, the more your instincts and subconscious will help you.”

You can learn to redirect and focus your mind through practice. Just as you need practice to become successful in using your golf clubs, you will need practice in managing your mind for golf. Learning to quickly catch and pivot away from your distracting thoughts is a learned skill. The more you practice, the more natural it becomes.

The first step, the catch, is to consciously pay attention to when your thoughts are elsewhere. The next step, the pivot, is to create a replacement thought to bring your mind back to your desired focus. Examples of replacement thoughts could be:

  • “Focus on the target.”
  • “It’s possible I can make this shot.”
  • “This ball is going in the hole.”

Thoughts you create and can believe are usually the most effective.

In addition, it may help you to know that you can never know what another person is thinking. In most cases, golfers are thinking about themselves and their golf shots, not yours. It may also help you to remember, all golfers were once beginners and can recall how it feels when learning new skills. In any case, what others are thinking is their responsibility. It’s not your responsibility to respond to what you think they may be thinking.

Your brain is the most powerful piece of golf equipment you can bring to the course. By learning to manage your “golf mind”, in addition to practicing with your clubs, you may notice your game improving even more quickly than you expected.

The skill of managing your mind can serve you in areas of your life beyond the golf course. Learning to manage your thoughts can help you remain calm, directed and focused in any situation.

Learning mind management through golf will teach you how to manage your mind through life.