Your turn … Do you have a question?

What different mental games can I play on the course to measure how well I’m playing automatic?

Jon Says:

What different mental games can I play on the course to measure how well I’m playing automatic?

CS: John, thanks for your question.

You need to be able to focus your conscious mind on something neutral for the duration of all your golf shots. This is the only game you need to play.

Most golfers think about their technique or some other aspect of their game. Usually, this does not result in better play.

You’ll know when you have achieved automatic play. For starters you’ll play better (this is almost always a side effect). You’ll also be less tired after a round and maybe not have a perfect recollection of how you played.

Playing golf automatically is fun and rewarding. Try this the next time you go out;

Instead of focusing entirely on your score, keep track of your automatic swings (the ones where you are not thinking about your swing and playing safe) also. The idea would be to get the number of automatic swings close to 100% of your total score. When you can do this your golf will definitely improve.

To give you an example. I kept score of my automatic swings in the last round I played. I scored 98.48%. I wimped out slightly on the last shot of the day. I was thinking about “not missing” and “playing safe” and couldn’t get a perfect score. It was still a good round, the best for me in a long time.

See how you go and let me know how you get on.

Good golfing,

Cameron

paul gompels Says:

Dear Cameron,I think that I have sorted out my long game (save that I’m too ancient to really obtain any distance).
However, I am bogged down managing the short game –pitching, chipping and putting. Does one take the club back and then simply permit the club to fall without actually using any power with the arms?(putting excluded from this question).

CS: Hi Paul. You may be thinking too much about the short-game technique. If you have to worry about how to apply power you’re making it more difficult that it needs to be.

Focus on moving the club hard enough to propel the ball towards the target. The motion should be in rhythm and have flow to it. The subconscious will take care of all the minor details.

If this is difficult for you try throwing some objects to different targets by hand. Get a sensation of how easy you do this and the removal of any thought. Chipping the ball shouldn’t be any more difficult than throwing a ball.

Let me know how you get on.

I am totally convinced that your method is the best approach to playing to your potential but I have failed to apply it successfully . I was off 9 at one stage and was very comfortable off 12 for many years,mainly due to a strong long game.
Now I am on 19 . My problem is being unable to reproduce my good natural swing when confronted with the ball. Despite trying your techniques to swing automatically, my swing breaks down badly much of the time, Left side collapses, body sways, head comes up, ball goes anywhere. It feels like after years of this, this has become my automatic swing when I have to hit the ball on the course even though my practice swings I’m sure would produce excellent results if I could make the same swing at the ball. I feel psychologically defeated by the game.I last played to my handicap 9 months ago. I know that all it takes is being able to be in the same state of mind when I am trying to hit the ball as when I swing with no ball but I can’t achieve this.One thing I know is that I can count to myself and think of other things at the same time so I need some other technique to distract my coscious thoughts

Baz Says:

Can you cramp your swing by being too close to the body or can you be too far away from it?

CS: Thanks Baz.

I think the answer is yes to both. My advice is to get into a comfortable position at address. Listen to your body and go where it wants to.

If I can give you a little tip it would be to stand slightly further from the ball at address. Striking the ball is a dynamic action and sometimes standing too close makes for some problems. At impact both arms are straight – so standing further away helps accommodate this.

Good golfing,

Cameron

Fay MacDonald Says:

Hello Cameron, I love your golf instruction: GOLF BALLS, SOME I HATE SOME I LOVE. I love the Titleist Pro V1x – quiet of the club face, good stopping on the green, reliable carry. BUT at $22 a sleeve and a target for theft I need a generic brand thats as good and far less desirable for theft. Is there such a ball on the market.

CS: Hi Fay.

I like the Titleist ball too. I prefer the old Pro V. I’ve been using it for years now and can’t play without them. I hardly ever get this attached to any brand – but when it comes to my golf ball I want to use something that feels good and i can trust. The Pro V ticks all the boxes.

I must say that I’ve never encountered a theft problem. I’ve played golf all over the world and never had someone steal my golf ball because of the brand. Where do you play? If someone did steal my ball I would be quick to confront them. I hope you can work this out because it doesn’t sound good at all.

If you’re serious about your golf, and it seems that you are, I would stick with the Pro Vx. I don’t know of any cheap alternatives (other than buying second hand ones) and the cheap balls don’t stack up on performance.

If you can cut out people thieving your golf balls then maybe this will make them more affordable?

Thanks for the question and let me know if I can help further.

Cameron

Andrew Says:

Hi Cameron,

I would like to hear your thoughts on “visualisation” I can get great results visualising the shot trajectory and landing as I prepare and play a stroke, vs automatic where I can get great results singing a song in my head while I play the stroke. I personally think visualisation is a form of automatic, a thought unrelated to technique.

CS: I’ve tried everything to improve my play over the years, including visualisation.

Here’s my take,

It has never really worked for me. To be honest I have trouble getting a clear image in my head – I find visualisation difficult to do.

I have since learned that some people can’t do it as well as others, that they prefer hearing or feeling.

The other point is I don’t think you should be visualising over the ball. It is fine to do behind the ball, just not over it. You want your mind free from all other distractions while hitting the ball. Visualisation over the ball is like trying to predict the future. This is no better than worrying about the last hole.

You want to be in the present when you hit the ball. This is the perfect state of mind.

By all means visualise behind the ball (work out and plan your strategy) then hit the ball automatically. At least this is my opinion of what works best.

Thanks for the question Andrew.

Cameron