Confidence and trust are underrated when it comes to the game of golf. We are too quick to question our technique when it could be as simple as you having second thoughts over the shot.
Developing a routine that allows us to walk up to the golf ball with confidence will go a long way in improving your game. We want to take in all the information at hand, digest that information into a clear plan of action and have the confidence in that plan that it will suite your game at the time of the shot.
There are many correct ways to play any given golf shot, but if we are over top of the golf ball, still deciding what the best play is, we are already setting ourselves up for failure. Try and have a clear plan on what you are trying to do before you put your club behind the ball. If we are between two thoughts, chances are you won't be able to do either of them.
Trust your Gut.
Perhaps we have come up with a plan to hit our golf shot, and with all things considered it is the best way to approach the situation. If you are standing over the ball, and your gut is telling you this won’t work, it’s best to trust that instinct. Step back, and reassess the shot. Your gut could be telling you that you are uncomfortable to hit the shot you have chosen. Trust this feeling, come up with something that you do trust, or trust more, and you are going to have a better chance at executing. The last thing we want to do is change our plan mid swing, and your gut may be sending you the message that its’ going to change your plans whether you like to or not.
(We need something here that will help us say that the driving range is where we build trust, and also the more we play the more trust we can develop through positive experiences, and selective memory)
Building trust in our swing comes from positive memories. Use your practice to give yourself a reference point on when you have hit this shot in the past. The more variation in shots we practice, the more we will be able to trust ourselves when we try and execute on the golf course. Discard any poor shots from your memory bank, and only remember the good ones. If you hit a poor shot, or you didn’t trust a specific shot on one round of golf, hit the range soon after and prove to yourself that you can do it.