Concentration is a slippery little rascal. Just when you think you’ve got a firm hold on it, it disappears, replaced by a random jumble of useless thoughts, emotions and anxieties.
Being able to truly focus seems to be getting harder and harder. With the endless number of distractions around, from emails and social media to smartphones and tablets to smartwatches, it seems like the only thing not getting smarter is us.
It doesn’t have to be this way. There is a clear path to finding your focus in any discipline, particularly with golf, where the ability to maintain concentration is a key element to playing to your potential.
So turn off all distractions, pour yourself a cup of tea and tune in. Here’s how to train your brain to focus and improve your concentration on the golf course.
Develop the ability to switch off
Maintaining intense concentration over a long period of time is hugely difficult. That’s why, with a game like golf, where 90% of the time spent on the course is in between shots, it’s essential to have the ability to switch on when you need to think and truly switch off when you don’t.
Major League Baseball star Ray Knight defined concentration as “the ability to think about absolutely nothing when it is absolutely necessary.” A clear and quiet mind in between shots enables a sharper focus when it’s most needed, and preserves mental energy levels to last the distance. Try a meditation or mindfulness course to help develop the ability to quieten your minds.
Shoot down distractions
Distraction seems to be the bane of the modern age. Research carried out by Ofcom in 2018 reported that, on average, we check our phones every 12 minutes (you can bet that’s every 10 now).
Being fully present in the moment and having the ability to avoid unnecessary distractions is a life skill we should all be working towards acquiring. It’s something that will help every facet of your life, not least on the golf course, where you’ll be fully tuned into your swing, your ball, the course and every part of your game.
Get a good night’s sleep
Quality sleep is probably the most underrated aspect of maintaining good health. If you’re not familiar with the work of sleep expert Dr Matthew Walker, I highly recommend you check him out. He explains how poor sleep is a key reason for most of the negative things in life – from disease to poor concentration.
I’ll leave you to discover the wider effects of a good night’s sleep. Suffice to say, a well-rested body and mind will enable razor sharp concentration on the course.
Eat well, play well
The food you eat before a round, as well as your regular diet, has a big impact on your concentration levels during the game.
A big carb-heavy pre-game meal will cause a crash of energy levels, leading to poor focus and mental fatigue. So, ditch the carbs and opt for a nutritious protein-rich meal. You’ll find the slow release energy acts as the perfect brain fuel, giving you the optimum conditions for a sharp mind.
In general, a well-balanced diet with minimal processed food and alcohol intake will help your overall mental sharpness. If you do feel like your intake is on the high side, make a change and measure the results after a few weeks. You’ll be amazed!
Plan your shot routine
Having a clear step-by-step shot routine helps to approach each shot with a clear, uncluttered mind. If you’ve always thought it best to be free and easy, stepping up to a shot without a clear plan, just try making a shot routine. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Breaking down your shot routine is the best way to keep a consistency to your game and maintain focus during each shot. Everyone is different, so devise a routine that works for you and stick to it. You’ll find that simple, routine actions specific to your game help your mind to avoid distractions. Before long, you’ll have the strong foundations of a focused game.
Keep your emotions in check
We all know golf is an emotional game. Stress plays a big part in golf and there are definitely some specific steps you can take when it comes to dealing with stress.
When it comes to keeping your focus, getting overly-emotional on the course is bad news. Whether it be anger, frustration or anxiety, emotions can have a destabilising effect on your ability to concentrate. On the flip side, developing the ability to think clearly and concentrate can help to keep your negative emotions under control. As Jack Nicklaus once said “Concentration is a clear antidote to anxiety.”
Get rid of bad energy
Let’s be honest though, sometimes our emotions do get the better of us. We’re only human after all. In this sense, sometimes it’s better out than in. Don’t hold onto those negative emotions. If you do feel a build up of frustration, let it out and move on.
We’ve seen it with some of the best sports performers on the planet. Not everyone has to stay ice-cool. From Tiger Woods to Roger Federer, many of the all-time greats in their respective sports have released their emotions from time to time. Then, after dumping all that bad energy, they move on to the next shot or play, ready to focus and to perform better.
Deal with stress off the course
As we touched on earlier with getting good sleep and maintaining a good diet, life off the course has a profound impact on your game on the course.
It may not come as a surprise that it has an effect. Still, many golfers will be affected and might not realise the extent to which off-course emotions can derail a round of golf.
Top tour players have strategies to cope with the stresses and strains of life, enabling them to bring next level focus to their game. For the rest of us, something as simple as talking to a friend, family member, colleague or mental health professional is the best way to address the situation. Then steps can be taken to create a healthy, clear thinking mind, regaining control on the course, as well as in day-to-day life.