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Rule on golf: Keep thoughts positive while swinging
GrahamLewis
Graham Lewis - photo by Photo provided.

Q:  What do you think about when preparing to hit your shot?
A:  You may have heard that golf is 90 percent mental. That statement probably is fairly accurate when applied to the highly skilled golfer. They have trained to the point they know how to hit the shots and try to think about positive results when preparing to hit. They visualize where they want to hit the ball and what they want the flight of the ball to be. I am willing to bet that most of the bad shots professionals hit in a tournament are caused by a negative thought, and thus, anxiety about the result is present.  Have you ever stood over your ball and said, “Don’t hit it in the water?”  The answer is yes; this negative thought created anxiety, and the result is often a poor shot and likely in the water.  
Q:  How do you minimize negative thoughts?  
A:  You have to learn how to think. We know that we learn how to swing the club and that we must practice, but we don’t spend much time learning how and when to think and what to think about. I don’t have the space in this column to discuss the many ways to think positively, but next week’s column will show you how to develop a routine that will help control your thought process.
Email me at grahamgolf@darientel.net with ideas and especially if you can share how you have dealt with today’s question.    

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