If a player can quiet their mind on the golf course they open up the channels for instinct and muscle memory to kick in. It's easier said than done, but a junior golfer who can learn to merge with the flow puts him/herself in a better position to perform and progress. Some players have a natural calm and temperament that keeps them unfazed throughout whatever the course throws at them. Most don't and rely on techniques and triggers to help calm their nerves and sharpen their focus. These include a routinely implemented pre-shot routine and refocus triggers for example removing your glove after a bad shot and training your mind to think no further on it once the glove is placed back on.
Take our Mental Focus Golf Quiz below and see what mindful insights you may be able to take with you on to the golf course to enhance performance and enjoyment of the game.
Mental Golf Game Help Books
In addition to the books we suggest below please also look at: Movies and Books for Education and Entertainment: Junior Golfers and their Parents.
Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game by Dr. Joseph Parent
Incorporating the Buddhist approach to mindfulness and focused concentration to the golf game, PGA Coach Dr. Parent, teaches a PAR Approach to mental game mastery that focuses on Preparation, Action and Response to Results. This book is widely acknowledged by professional golfers and others as a life and game changer.
Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect by Dr. Bob Rotella and Bob Cullen
Dr. Bob Rotella is one of the most famous performance consultants working with Tour players. This book is an easy, interesting read by an author who obviously knows his stuff and is eloquent in its presentation. Stories, anecdotes and lessons combine in an extraordinary approach to playing with more confidence, enjoyment and mastery.
Tour Mentality: Inside the Mind of the Tour Pro by Nick O'Hern (Foreword by Gary Player)
Fun, interesting and inspiring stories from the Tour - by the only man to beat Tiger Woods in the World Match Play Championship, twice - as well as insights into developing mental toughness and committing to the process.
Mastering Golf's Mental Game: Your Ultimate Guide to Better On-Course Performance and Lower Scores by Dr. Michael Lardon (Foreword by Phil Mickelson)
Performance coach to Phil Mickelson and other Tour players, this book shares Dr. Lardon's tools and techniques to perform under pressure and in the face of emotion, indecision and fear on the golf course.