Imagine your playing partner standing beside you as you're addressing the ball, giving you all sorts of little reminders. Swing smoothly. Let your weight shift. Swing through the ball. Nice finish. How long do you think you would put up with that? One time, tops. So why do you put up with that kind of chatter from yourself every time you swing? The reminders like this that you give yourself as you're about to swing, and especially during your swing, are just as destructive.

Swing thoughts isolate one part of your swing at the expense of the rest of it. While it might work for a few holes, you will eventually start overdoing it and not be able to get back on track.

Once you’ve decided how the shot is supposed to feel, take a practice stroke or two, then step up to the ball and hit it right away, riding on that feeling.

Do not delay the shot or run through the feeling several times in your head to make sure of it. Any delay gives time for the feeling fade which gives your conscious mind free reign to start making you doubt yourself. At that point it will be difficult to even take the club away like you normally do. A bad stroke is sure to follow.

When your conscious mind is awake it demands to be paying attention to something. The path of least resistance is physical technique. Learn to rely on mental technique instead, which is being guided by the feeling of the shot that was created by your visualization. Learn that technique well. It is what will bring out your best time after time, and you will never wear it out, as you do swing thoughts that get tossed in the “one-day wonder” scrap heap.

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