Never say “miss”
We all know golf is hard. Sometimes by the time we arrive on the green, the shots we have already taken have put a tremendous amount of pressure on our green situation. We may be walking up to the green thinking to ourselves “Oh man I NEED to jar this putt or I’m in big trouble”.
And you’re right. You probably will be in trouble if you don’t putt well. But the problem is, the mental side of the golf applies to putting probably more than any other shot. Now is not the time to give yourself any more challenges than you already face.
The worst thing you can do on the green is to start thinking negative. One of the greatest things golf does is help us learn to control our “inner talk”. If we use language in our mind that causes us to feel even more anxious about putting than we already do, It will affect our putting.
Delete the word “miss”
Just like a lot of pros shun use of the word “shank” when it comes to their shots. Putters need to eliminate the word “miss” from their inner and outer vocabulary. In his book “Never Split the Difference” FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss brought out that when people are put into a more positive frame of mind, they think quicker and are more open to problem-solving. They see things clearer and are more open to collaboration.
That principle doesn’t just apply to terrorists. A positive frame of mind will allow us to approach the situation on the green much more clearly. We will be more likely to see things we wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.
So how do we build a tougher, more positive frame of mind on the greens?
Be grateful
There’s always something to be grateful for. For one thing you are playing a game you should be enjoying. Golf is recreation for most of us, not a job. So take a moment to look around at your beautiful surroundings. Notice or even mention something you’re enjoying about the game. This will help you keep some perspective and stay relaxed.
Disconnect your mouth
We can control our speech more easily than our internal thoughts. What we choose to talk about inherently amplifies that thought more in our mind and makes us focus on it. So if you are saying to your partners out loud things like “If I miss this putt I’m going to lose it!” your mind will immediately start to fantasize about missing the putt and how angry you will be.
This wont help you.
Golf in general is a precise sport, and putting has the least tolerance for error. All of these mental cracks can easily culminate into a terrible putt. Bad putts add up fast and are probably the easiest way to blow up a hole. So It’s worth it to try to eliminate as many of these “cracks” as possible. If it isn’t positive, don’t say it.
Have a routine
We have heard over and over again how a important a routine is prior to any shot. If you have taken the time to build up a great routine on the green it will help your mind to stay on “autopilot” and will make it more difficult for the word “miss” to creep in. The coolest thing about putting is that you can practice it in a lot more places and circumstances than other shots. Shots where you need a driving range, or a net etc. So If you haven’t built a pre-shot routine, start working on a “pre-putt” routine right now!
Get on youtube and watch Louis Oosthuizen putt. He has a very specific routine that he does before each and every putt. Sliding his hands up and down the grip etc. This isn’t all just about technique and lining up properly, he does it to help his mind stay on autopilot so he can be in the zone necessary to putt for Majors and millions of dollars.
Have a growth mindset
Steph Curry is an incredible shooter. He has literally changed the game of basketball though his hard work and incredible dedication to the 3 pt shot (he also happens to be an amazing golfer). He has been able to accomplish this through having a “growth mindset“. He is always striving to do better. So he views every made shot, and every missed shot as an opportunity to learn and improve.
If we view each putt as an opportunity we will have a much more positive view of it before we putt. As was mentioned previously, being in a more positive frame of mind will allow us to see things more clearly and our mind will be more capable of problem solving. This trait also helps us after the putt.
If we drain it, of course we will feel good. But a growth mentality will help us to see how we can do it better and repeat that success over and over again. If we miss the putt, this mentality will help us to move on, learn from the putt and adjust accordingly.
Like a snowball this mentality will help us to grow stronger and stronger in our ability. Plus it just makes putting more enjoyable.
These are just a few simple ways we can improve our mental putting game. Be grateful, be positive and eliminate the “M” word.
