The mental game is really not utilized by the amateur player, when there is a lot to learn for us. For example, when I’m playing with my friends, it’s really easy to get into their heads. I can say something like “ah, you’re just not playing that well today” or “this course is playing crazy hard today” or a good one is “we better hurry up”. Then I laugh inside. They’re toast! Hahaha! Well, I’m kidding really. I don’t say that stuff to friends…much J But it isn’t hard to get into people’s heads.
There are a few really good books that are great if you want to explore the mental game. Dr. Bob Rotella has been writing books about the golf psyche for years. His books are concise, to the point, and easy to understand. Then you just have to take the knowledge to the course…which is easier said than done. It takes practice. But as with anything I been able to accomplish in golf, I find that if I concentrate on one thing at a time, such as one chapter in one of his books, it’s a lot easier to engrain those changes.
Dr. Rotella has an impressive body of work including a CD collection for those of you who like to learn that way, but his most noteable book is probably “Golf is Not a Game of Perfect”. The book strives to teach players how to prepare for each shot, how to think through each shot, and how to react to the outcome. It’s a great book and it’ll help you score better. It’s like they say, golf is ninety percent mental. And the other 10 percent is mental.
I usually know my psyche is messed up on the greens. When I’ve got a five footer for par and I get over the put and pull it, I know I’m not trusting my game or my stroke. Ugh! I hate it! Oh well, I’ll keep working. Maybe I’ll read “Putting Out Of Your Mind”…