Being committed to your shot is perhaps the
most important mental tendency in golf. The opposite of commitment
is doubt, and as the late Davis Love, Jr. - one of the great
teachers of our time - said, “Doubt is the number one cause of
missed shots.”
Doubt and indecision over the ball can come
from a number of sources including –
being unsure about strategy – ie: lay up or go for the
green?
wondering if you have the right club in your hands
questioning how a putt breaks
being bogged down with too many swing keys
thinking about negative outcomes instead of visualizing a
successful shot
Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott, of the
firm Coaching For The Future, use a brilliant concept they call
“Think Box / Decision Line / Play Box” to help golfers learn to
mentally commit to their golf shots. Pia and Lynn have helped
players of all levels, including Annika Sorenstam, with this
concept.
When you're in the “Think Box,” commit to
your strategy, what club to hit, the type of shot to play, etc. Then
step across the “Decision Line” into the “Play Box” and focus on the
target, visualize your shot, then trust your swing.
The key
is to be decisive and commit to the shot while you're still in the
“Think Box.” This leads to positive energy once you’re over the
ball. Watch U.S. Open Champion Jim Furyk go through his pre-shot
routine to see a master at committing to all elements of the shot
before he gets over the ball.
Note: Info on Pia and Lynn is
provided on the Resource Page later in this report.
Assess how
strongly committed you feel on most of your shots:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Poor
Fair
Excellent
Comments on your
assessment:
Make notes on using
this strategy to become more committed to your shots: