by Andre Sanchez

Golf is not a psychological game.  That has been said so many times, yet if you had a good grasp of the psychology of golf you would be a much better player. No, it wouldn't stop the yips or the shanking that cause so many people to leave the game.  That is not psychology.  So what is?

Confidence is. Show complete confidence in what you are doing and the opposition will get worried. That applies to any game. It starts when you get out of bed before an important game.  Have a shower - that's always a good start because it gets the blood flowing and your brain and digestive system in condition.  The latter is important because if that is sluggish then so are you, so give it a kick start with some fruit juice, and carbohydrates to work on.

The juice gives you a quick energy rush, and the carbs set you up for the next few hours. Now have a few stretches to loosen up your muscles, check that your club faces are clean, whack on some deodorant and aftershave to make you feel good and set of for the golf course.  You are confident already.  You know you are in good nick, your clubs are clean and you smell good.  That's a nice start.

While driving to the course think of your first drive.  You likely know the first hole well so make your mind up how you are going to play it before you even get there.  Park the car, get the clubs out, and then have a couple more stretches.  Touch your toes and one or two twists, and then head off to meet your buddies or your opponent.  Get to the tee, and offer to tee off first - your confidence can get them worried and is frequently accepted, but either way, once the playing order is settled don't even think.  Stick the tee in the ground, a couple of loosening practice drives then without hesitation whack the ball 300 yards down the fairway.

You did it because you knew you would do it.

Note:  'Would' do it, not 'Could' do it.

You had it worked out and even knew where to place your tee, and what side of the fairway you would aim for.  Your opponents are a bit worried now because they have to do the same.  You are on the front foot. This works whether you are playing against anybody else or not.

It is the self belief and confidence that you will play the right shot that is important to you, not what it does to any competitor.  Having played your drive, you should be working out your next shot so that when you get to the ball you know basically what you're going to do.  OK, your lie might be terrible, but you know basically what your intentions are.

There is one proviso to all the benefits that self belief can give you.  You must be technically capable.  There is no point in confidently fading the ball round a dogleg to give yourself a perfect shot to the pin if you don't know how to put clockwise spin on the ball. The psychology can help, but you have to be able to play the shots. Learn how to fade and draw, get yourself the proper ball to help you do it and then walk up confidently and scare the pants of everybody else with your confidence.

Self belief counts.  Have you ever watched Tiger Woods when he is full of confidence?  He can beat any man or woman alive at the sport, and give them four holes of a start.  However, have you seen him with his head down?  When he is throwing his clubs on the ground after a shot?  He does nothing.  Confidence counts, and if you don't have it, you too will do nothing.

So keep your head up, know that you can play a shot and just do it.  Don't think about it and don't worry about 'what ifs'.  There are no 'what ifs'.  You can play the shot and you do play it.  You can do it with your eyes shut because you have played it many times in your mind.

The psychology of golf is an important aspect of your game, but only if you are technically capable of carrying out what your confidence tells you that you can do.  It is a very powerful tool that can scare opponents, and enable you to apparently effortlessly play shots that might scare others.

Going for the green in two at the 15th at Augusta takes guts; but more than that- it takes conviction.  More Masters have been won and lost at the 15th than at any other hole. It's not called Fire Thorn for nothing.  You don't play this hole without getting a thorn in your side if you are not confident with complete self belief.

There are many aspects of the psychology of golf that many would agree or disagree with, but one thing is sure.  If you don't believe in yourself, nobody will do it for you, and your own self confidence can give you a head start over individual opponents and also enable you to play shots that you are technically able to make, but would never otherwise dream of trying.

Championships have been lost by those without the confidence to play that one 'impossible shot', and won by those with the guts to go for it.

The Psychology of Golf: Fact or Fiction? was originally published at http://www.golfplayernow.com