To play in the moment is a supreme challenge for most people who play golf. If we're not thinking about the demands of the shot and the things that can happen to a poor shot, we’re analyzing our swing and filling our head full of countless details hole by hole.
In a couple paragraphs I'll give you a specific process to really learn how to become present when you play. To step deeply into the moment and enjoy the game regardless of what just happened.
If we're to make a deep and lasting structural change to our perceptual orientation (wow, that was a mouthful but it is the best way to describe things) then we require a process that can guide us in a natural way.
What is being in the moment? The irony of this conversation is that the only thing you EVER have is RIGHT NOW. There is no such thing as the past or the future. They are both mental abstractions constructed by our brain to "position" ourselves in relation to the moment.
Most of us are either stuck in the future or the past. You hit a bad shot, 3 minutes have gone by yet you're standing on the next tee still thinking about it. Stuck in the trance of the past.
You just hit an iron shot in the bunker and you're already self imposing concern on yourself yet you're still minutes away from getting up to your shot. You’re locked in an imaginary future. Once again you're not present. These mental activities directly influence the "now". No surprise being present is so challenging...
If you want to do you must first Be
Ok, here's what you'll do to begin the change and become more present while you play. I encourage you to take these few simple notes and make the effort. Making this change will have more lasting effect on your game and your performance than all other changes you make combined. Not to mention the noticeable gains in your experience of life itself...
Be a student of the game - treat each round, each hole and each shot as a teacher and you are the student. There are game improving lessons in every moment. Berating yourself is an absolute waste of valuable head space. Focus on what you gained and how this helps you grow as a player AND a person.
Be detached - I've taught this to many players and it has an immediate effect. While there is more to it than I can express here, this is the mark of a player who has reached a very high level in mental development. Treat each shot, regardless of the result, as EXACTLY the same.
The mindset of discovery - this is a great process. Imagine you're a scientist, an experimenter or on a mission of discovery. What are you looking for you ask? Distinctions about yourself, your attitude, your ability to remain focused and calm, your commitment to a pre-shot routine, etc..
You are calmly making mental notes on your game while you play. All without judgment.
These will transform your game and gradually improve your ability of staying in the moment. Being fully present on each shot. Settled in the now while truly enjoying the experience of this great game. Isn’t NOW a good time to develop this gift?
Wade Pearse is a Peak Performance Coach who spent 7 years applying the most advanced mental game strategies in golf with his clients and in his own game with phenomenal results. Visit his website. It is filled with mental game resources you can use in your game right away.
