If you’re a first time visitor to my site, you will notice by looking at the my previous posts that the majority of my tips deal with the mental game and short game.  These two areas are the most overlooked when it comes to golf and are the areas you can improve at the quickest which will lower your scores the fastest.  Check out my breakdown on all areas of the game and how much you should focus on them here. Today’s post will talk about confidence on the golf course.

Many golfers I talk to think that you need to be a very good golfer to have confidence.  This is far from the truth and in fact, anyone can acquire confidence because you’re not born with it or given it.  Simply put confidence is positive thinking.  If you want to make a putt and if you think about making it, then your confident.  Pretty easy right?!

You do have to understand that confidence does not equal success but it does enhance it.  The key is to continue thinking positive and confident.  After a bad shot where you’re thinking positive don’t think “well that doesn’t work” and try something else.  If your not thinking about a positive outcome for that shot then what are you thinking about?  Hitting into the trees or water?  Negative thinking is REALLY effective in case you haven’t notice.

If you want to be confident you have to think of yourself as a good player.  Lets say that all you want to do is shot lower scores.  Just thinking about shooting lower scores will help you achieve that.  When your not on the course and your not thinking about lower scores, then don’t think about golf at all.

Golf will try it’s best to kill your confidence but here’s a thought for you when your on the course.  Ben Hogan was quoted as saying that during the course of a round he only hit 4 shots EXACTLY the way he wanted to.  Think about that!  One of the best ball strikers ever to play the game says that.  If you mishit a shot on the course, stay positive and realize that even the best players in the world do this.  The difference is these mishits don’t faze their confidence.

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