| Are you listening to your instincts? | | | | will cause you to hit the ball ineffectively. |
| | | | By trusting your primary instincts, or |
| Accomplished golfers regularly rely on their | | | | intuition, you can make decisions with |
| instincts and play their shots accordingly. | | | | confidence. If you can learn to listen to |
| An old adage states that in any given | | | | your gut instinct and react accordingly, you |
| situation, your first instinct is usually the | | | | will make better predictions and know what to |
| right one. We have all experienced making a | | | | expect rather than taking chances and hoping |
| decision that result in failure, and in | | | | for the best. |
| retrospect realised that we ignored our "gut | | | | |
| feeling". It is human nature and is often | | | | Are you taking unnecessary risks? |
| acknowledged by saying, "I knew I was going | | | | |
| to do that!" Instincts come from knowing deep | | | | Take care not to go for the "hero" shot when |
| down inside what your true capabilities are. | | | | the risk reward ratio is high. If you are |
| Second guessing your first instinct or | | | | contemplating a shot that, realistically, is |
| doubting your "gut feeling" is usually | | | | out of your capability it is better to take |
| signalled by a moment of hesitation and when | | | | on a shot that you are confident you can |
| uncertainty begins to take over the mind. | | | | execute. Believe in your own abilities. |
| When a player experiences indecisiveness, it | | | | Self-doubt will only weaken your capacity to |
| is difficult to mentally prepare for the shot | | | | focus and perform. You know what works for |
| and the player's flow and swing mechanics are | | | | you; don't let a temporary lack of |
| affected. For example, you are walking up to | | | | self-confidence affect what you have |
| your ball with a club that you've chosen, and | | | | originally planned for a shot. Of course, |
| then find yourself second guessing your club | | | | that is not to say that you can never change |
| choice while addressing the ball. With | | | | clubs, it just means when you do, be |
| hesitation, you switch clubs, but before | | | | confident that you made the correct choice |
| swinging the club, you question whether you | | | | and don't doubt the reasoning behind your |
| made the right choice. Meanwhile, you're | | | | decision. Once you've made that choice, stick |
| uncomfortable with your decision and it has | | | | with it and rest assured that it will work |
| caused doubt to enter your mind, and | | | | for you. |
| consequently you hit a poor shot. Sound | | | | |
| familiar? A common first reaction is to blame | | | | Tips |
| the poor shot on the club choice, under the | | | | |
| assumption that sticking with the original | | | | 1. Listen to your instincts. Second guessing |
| club would have resulted in a better shot. | | | | yourself will lead to poor shots because |
| Although it is a very common mistake, it's | | | | doubt divides the mind, disabling your |
| unlikely that the club choice in this | | | | ability to focus. |
| scenario is to blame for the poor shot. | | | | |
| | | | 2. Be confident with your choices, stick with |
| What causes the poor shot in these situations | | | | them and rest assured that they will work for |
| is the pervading uncertainty that distracts | | | | you. A temporary lack of self-confidence can |
| the player while addressing the ball. Either | | | | affect what you had originally planned for a |
| club may have been a reasonable choice, but a | | | | shot. |
| lack of confidence while swinging the club | | | | |