How well do you focus on the golf course?

By Dr. Jean Harris

Contributor

    An 18-hole round of golf takes about 4 to 4 ½ hours, and yet if you shoot a 90, you are probably over the ball about 45 minutes during the round.  Therefore, you need to know what to do during the down time between shots.  It takes knowing how to focus just prior to hitting your shot, your pre-shot routine and during your swing. You need to learn how to deal with distractions.

   Last month, I was playing golf with friends, and we came to a difficult par 4 hole.  As we were getting ready to tee off, we saw a large alligator on the fairway.  Our focus changed from hitting the ball to staying away from the distraction.  However, most of your distractions are things you can learn how to avoid and how you respond to them.

TYPES OF DISTRACTION:

What you see:

• Players moving while you are hitting

• Shadows cast by a player in your group

• Someone standing behind you in your peripheral vision

• Bad course conditions

• Grounds maintenance staff mowing the fairway

• People who don’t rake bunkers or don’t sand divots in the fairway

What you hear:

• Players talking when you are hitting

• Highway noise, cars honking, ambulances

• Negative people in your group complaining

What you feel:

• Being paired with people you don’t know

• First tee jitters with people watching

• Playing through a slow group

• Playing with slow players

• Being rushed by the group behind you

      I’m sure you could name a few more.  Once you asses the things that bother you on a golf course, you need to come up with a game plan on how to reframe your mindset and realize that you can only control yourself and not others.  Redirect your attention and focus on the shot you are getting ready to hit.  If you do get distracted, you need to back off a shot until you are mentally ready.  It is important to have a pre-shot routine that you start again.

    Many good players have a “trigger” to help them get into their pre-shot routine, like tearing the Velcro on their glove or tapping their clubhead behind the ball while they are looking down the fairway.  Come up with your own “trigger” to help you get back into focus.

Dr. Jean Harris is an LPGA Master Professional at Pinecrest Golf Club. Jean.golfdoctor.harris@gmail.com