I’ve been coaching golfers for a long time, and one of the things I now realize about human behavior is that people often can’t distinguish between good and bad habits.
Golf is a sport where sound physical and mental performances are necessary for good rounds, which means that healthy habits need to be established early and often to keep things going in the proper direction. Players who develop poor mental and physical habits never see improvements in their game or score no matter how much they practice and play.
One of my least favorite players is someone who plays all the time and maintains a high handicap. Basically, if they were able to improve their physical and mental habits they wouldn’t have to work at it so hard and their enjoyment of the game would go up as their scores went down.
My favorite players, on the other hand, are those who have a good set of habits they constantly work on. This includes the mental and physical sides, no doubt, but also the enjoyment factor that comes with problem solving and improvement.
When struggling, trying this on for size: “Your thoughts are your beliefs; your beliefs are your words; your words are your actions; your actions are your habits; your habits are your values; your values are your destiny.” Who said these words of wisdom? Mahatma Gandhi, one of the more quietly inspirational people in recent history. He wasn’t referring about golf, obviously, when saying it but, like many words of wisdom, they can be applied across all walks of life.
If players are able to prioritize those thoughts they can make their minds believe it. And if they can say and do the right things off what they’re thinking and act they way they should, it will likely become a habit. That’s what we try to do with the tour players we coach – mold them so every habit they have makes them a more effective person and golfer.
When you watch professionals play, not all perform well each round. But most still apply the same sound mental and physical principles to their day that leads to success down the road.
My best suggestion for the average player is that if your shot patterns aren’t getting better, figure out how to change your habits. Find a teacher or take a lesson. If you finish a round of golf and are upset with your performance, you have to change your procedures. It’s that simple.
In golf, as in life, many people don’t do that, so improvement rarely comes. In my role in the equation, I try to coach improvement all the time. Sometimes that’s swing mechanics, sometimes not. But good thoughts and habits? Every lesson, no doubt.
