Don’t Take Golf (Life) so seriously,
You may know about left brain vs right brain theory. Have you ever thought of the ramifications for your golf of trying to play with your Left Brain in control?
The theory says that your Left Brain is better at doing some things and your Right Brain is better at doing other things. Left Brain is good at math, logic, accounting, engineering, etc. Right Brain is good at creativity, imagination, art and music. You may not know that the Left Brain is clumsy and un-athletic while Right Brain is where the "natural athletes" operate best.
Now consider playing golf-
You need good Left Brain ability to gather all the data, figure out what shot to play, what target to hit to, etc. You need good Right Brain ability to actually play the shot, to be athletic over the ball. You must not mix the two! This is a trap that most golfers fall into. This is one of the biggest reasons for inconsistency. Left Brain cannot play a lick, yet most are doing Left Brain things over the ball.
Are you still considering the details of the shot while moving into the shot or over the ball?
Do you change the shot or target while over the ball?
Do you step into your stance very carefully, focussed on aligning your feet very exactly?
Do you check the alignment of your feet, your hips and your shoulders over the ball?
Do you check your grip, your posture over the ball?
Do you instruct yourself to keep your head still over the ball?
Do you carefully align the club face or the putter to the line of the shot, trying to get it exactly right?
Do you pay close attention to how you are going to move the club and then on how you are moving the club in the swing?
Do you have multiple swing keys you are monitoring and controlling while swinging?
Are you making sure you do your pre-shot routine exactly the same every time, trying hard not to leave anything out?
These are all examples of a player operating in a Left Brained way.
The Left Brain is a klutz, yet we try to take control with it and use it to create ART or Artistic like qualities a lot.
- You are judging what you are doing with it.
- You are trying so hard to do it right with your Left Brain.
Here is a simple exercise to highlight the difference between Left Brain and Right Brain operating.
In most other sports, operating in a Right Brain, athletic way is part of playing that sport. You are reacting to a ball or another player and you don't have time to think about how to do it or to be careful about what you are doing. When you do, it usually screws things up. This is why some basketball players play great shots from the floor but when they have all the time in the world without interference to shoot the foul shot, they can struggle.
When you struggle with your golf, do you try to fix your swing mechanically on the course?
Is your Left Brain directing the corrections and then trying to make them work?
After the round, do you run off for a lesson or to the practice tee and work some more in a Left Brained way to perfect your swing, to check your alignment and your fundamentals, to find solutions?
After all this is the model for playing better and learning to play golf isn't it?
Ask yourself HONESTLY are you training yourself to play golf with your Left Brain as if to perfect the science of the game?
Neuroscience recommends that you always finish your practice on the range with shots to different targets using a full mental routine. Then play golf on the course with a full mental routine for every shot, leaving the Left Brain to only be used for Data input, such as calculating distance or reading a putt. Before pulling the trigger, let the right Brain create artistic magic and allow the seing to flow...!
Rob Irwin
www.sportofmind.com
