Coaches

14 Jan 2014 Geoff Bryant

Self image and competitive golf

By: Geoff Bryant, WGCA President In a recent study, as individuals, we average hearing seven criticisms to every one compliment. And most of us remember the negative comments far longer than the positive statements. As we often see ourselves through the eyes of people who discourage us, many of our limitations become self-imposed. This is why Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote: “Most of us die with the music still in us.” The World Golf Coaches Alliance challenges all competitive golfers to remove those self-imposed limitations in order to play your best golf. Believe that you can win. Work to make it happen.

22 Dec 2013 Gregg Steinberg, USGTF Level IV Member

Practice your strengths

By: Gregg Steinberg, WGCA contributing writer The duel at Sherwood Country Club was reminiscent of the tale of David and Goliath. Compared to the monumental Tiger Woods, the stature and resume of Zach Johnson was quite diminutive. But that had no bearing on the end result. After an amazing hole-out from the drop area to tie Tiger in regulation play, Johnson went on to win the playoff and the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge. Like David and his mighty foe, Johnson could never keep up with Tiger’s power game. In 2013, Johnson ranked 153rd on the PGA TOUR in driving distance at 278.8 yards per drive. However, Johnson ranked 19th in scoring average (70.10). The secret to Johnson’s success in golf is not the power game. Rather Johnson focuses on his strengths. His golfing power comes from his wedge game and putting prowess. Psychologists now propose that we should focus on our strengths, and decrease our motivation toward the improvement of our weaknesses. When you work on your strengths, you are energized and happy. Practicing your weakness can drain you, and in most cases, be joyless. If Johnson focused on getting longer off the tee, he may have ruined his unique swing. Instead, he focuses on what got him to the PGA TOUR and then made it sing loudly! Do you worry about your weaknesses in golf? Are you always looking for that extra 10 yards off the tee? Is the long bomb your entire focus when you practice? Instead of working on the 300-yard drive, keep on practicing your strengths. Get great at certain key elements in your golf game, like Johnson has, and you too will begin to see the long term benefits to your scores.

8 Nov 2013 Gregg Steinberg, USGTF Level IV Member

Failing Forward

By: Gregg Steinberg, WGCA contributing writer When Dustin Johnson lost the lead to Ian Poulter during the final round at the WGC-HSBC, he did not force the issue and get too aggressive, leading to a blow-up hole or two.  The wiser and more seasoned Johnson has learned from his past mistakes.   He said he must be patient and stick with his game plan and let the scores happen. It worked, and DJ found the winner’s circle to what he called “the biggest win so far in my career.”   We all make mistakes. We all fail at times in our golfing life. We have all had a few terrible holes and many horrendous rounds. We have all seen the greatest golfers in the world fail, as well. However, the most successful golfers use failure as a springboard to greater days on the links.   Dustin Johnson has failed forward.  He has used his mistakes in the past as lessons well learned. Here are a few suggestions to fail forward in your golfing career:   1)      Be real about your mistakes. Realize that failing in golf and performing poorly at times is part of golf. Take it easy on yourself when you hit some bad shots and have a bad hole. One of the greatest golfers of all time, Ben Hogan, expected to hit five stinkers a round. 2)      Create a failing forward journal. After each round, write down five mistakes you made. Then write down what you learned from those mistakes and move on. The importance of this mental exercise is that you no longer dwell on the mistakes. Focus only on what is gained in knowledge from each experience.   But, don’t just think about what you should have done. Go out and practice the skills you need to improve, both mental ones and physical ones. As legendary basketball coach John Wooden once said, “Failure is not failure unless it is failure to change.”   Dr. Gregg Steinberg is a regular guest every Tuesday on “Talk of the Tour,” heard on the Sirius/XM’s PGA Tour Radio. He is a tenured professor of sports psychology and has been the mental game coach for many PGA Tour players.  Dr. Steinberg is the author of the bestselling golf psychology book MentalRules for Teaching Golf, which can be obtained by calling 888-346-3290. 

8 Nov 2013 Steve Williams, USGTF Level IV Member

Helping each player to find the tempo that is right for them

By: Steve Williams, WGCA contributing writer Everybody has a tempo that is right for them individually. There are those who have had great success with a quick tempo. Players such as Chad Campbell, Nick Price, Lanny Wadkins, Hubert Green, Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer, and Ben Hogan come to mind. Then, there are those with slower tempos, players like Payne Stewart, Fred Couples, Davis Love, Tom Weiskopf, Jerry Heard, and Julius Boros. All of these players have been successful! So, which is better…a fast or slow tempo? The answer is, the tempo that is right for that individual. The observant teacher will gain insight into which tempo is right for their student as they watch them practice and play. How do you get the golfer to swing with the tempo that is optimal for them? Let me make some suggestions, if I may. Here are some thoughts that you can experiment with for each individual. You can tell them to swing at a certain percentage of their full-speed swing. One individual might consider that he is taking a full swing when he swings at 80 percent. If you are trying to get him to slow down, you can suggest that he swing at 60 percent. This will work well for some, but not for others. I usually get better results doing it a little differently, though. I might ask them how far they hit their driver when they swing full and if they hit it perfectly. If they respond with 280 yards, I will ask them to swing slow enough that, if they hit it right in the sweet spot, they’ll hit it 220 yards. You might think that is a little ridiculous, because if somebody can hit it to 280, why would they be satisfied with 220? Well, I can tell you this: I have never, ever, had an individual swing the club that slowly after me putting that thought in their head, to swing so it would go only 220. Typically, they might back it off to 260 or so. This is the reason why I ask them to back it down to 220, because that is what it will take to slow their tempo sufficiently. For whatever the reason, this seems to work better with most people, rather than just telling them to swing at 60 percent. This can also be done using an iron. If someone tells me they hit their seven-iron 160, I might tell them to back it down to 130. Again, they’ll never back it down that much. Virtually every time, when swinging at a slower tempo, the golfer will notice that their balance is better, they hit the ball more solidly, and have not lost any distance. In actuality, once they get used to this slower tempo and the muscles have had a chance to adapt to each other, they will notice while playing golf (if they are observant) that their rollout distance is greater than when they swung the club faster. This is due to less effective loft at impact because of a better release. When you need to tell someone to swing faster, the key here is to recognize whether a fast tempo is beneficial or detrimental, and then helping them to find their optimal tempo. Then, leave a clear picture in the student’s mind as to which thought helps them to achieve the right tempo for them. Good golfing!

8 Nov 2013 Arlen Bento, USGTF Level IV Member

Learning to breathe can really help your golf game

By: Arlen Bento, WGCA contributing writer I have been teaching and coaching golf to skilled junior players for many years, and one of the things that I always want to keep learning about is how to get my players to play their best went it really counts.  I like sharing these lessons, because it can help many players and coaches to play their best golf. For years, I have tried all types of motivational talks, ideas and game plans, and it seems that under pressure, most players struggle and shoot higher scores than they would in a practice round or internal team match. Over the past four years, my high school team has been fortunate to win three state district titles but no regional titles.  Each time we advance to the regional we don’t play to our capabilities. So, this year we had the opportunity to work with John Denny, a professional mental coach who works with a computer program called Heart Math that has really helped my players.   The website is http://john-denney.com/blog/cat/heartmath/ The program is based on making players understand what emotion does to the body’s heart rate, and how an increased heart rate makes the body’s nervous system react.  This increase in heart rate under pressure makes it extremely difficult to make a good golf swing with confidence when the heart is racing.  Usually in golf, the increase in heart rate is caused by factors in golf like hitting a bad shot, being upset, feeling nervous, or playing in front of a large crowd. With the help of the Heart Math program, each player was hooked up to a computer to help them monitor their heart rate.  They were each asked to think of a bad shot or some memory of a bad golf hole.  As they developed their negative thoughts, we were all able to see what their increased heart rate looked like on the computer screen.   The program displayed the way their nervous system was handling their increased heart rate, and it was showing a series of jagged-looking lines that showed tension and pressure. Then, the program gave each player a new way to lower their heart rate by breathing and produce a series of smooth, wave-like patterns, which signify a calm, balanced heart rate and a nervous system that would allow players to make better golf swings and stay focused as they play. The results were incredible.  When players were thinking about bad thoughts and the computer system was in a red color mode with jagged lines, with three deep breaths at the right breathing cycle, all players were able to lower their heart rates and remove tension from their nervous systems to create a calm, balanced point to play golf.  The computer showed this as a green mode with wavy lines. The secret of the deep breaths were that each breath, in and out, had to have a new pace of 2-3 seconds per in an out.  So, this meant 2-3 seconds on the in breath and 2-3 seconds on the out breath.  This was a big change for most players.  Most players were used to taking in a big breath and letting it out quickly, which did not help lowering the heart rate to a level that was conducive to playing golf. Each player was taught to work on taking three deep breaths using this new in and out breath cycle, 2-3 seconds in and 2-3 seconds out.  By the third cycle, all nervous system tension was gone.  Completely gone! So, how has this helped my team? Well, John told me that if the players started using the breathing technique, they would eliminate the high scores or balloon rounds that are associated with tension.    The first day we went out to play a qualifying match after using Heart Math, all of my players shot nine-holes scores below 38; all seven players.  The next week, we won a big tournament and we shot our lowest score of the year as a team, 298.  Our team is now 8-1 and is poised to win another district title, and maybe this year with the help of Heart Math, we can win our first regional.

1 Nov 2013 Gregg Steinberg, USGTF Level IV Member

Find comfort first

By: Gregg Steinberg, WGCA contributing writer When Ryan Moore stepped up to his four-foot putt on the 18th hole to win the playoff against Gary Woodland at the CIMB Classic, he backed off. He was visually disturbed. He looked at his putter, wiped the face and started his routine over. Then, Ryan got into his putting stance and sank that pressure-packed putt for his third win on the PGA TOUR. Afterwards, Moore admitted to his nerves and stated that he felt uncomfortable when he first got over that putt to win. Importantly, Ryan proclaimed that any time he feels unsure, he will back off his putt and start his routine over again. Starting over allowed him to reset his mind and greatly contributed to his sinking that winning putt at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & CC. Unfortunately, many amateur golfers do the opposite. When they feel a bit uncomfortable over a putt, they usually do not back off. They are thinking about their playing partners and what they may think of them, and, how silly they may look if they don’t putt this ball right now. In turn, they just go ahead and make the stroke, usually leading to a poor stroke and a poorer result. To improve your mental game and make more putts under pressure, follow Ryan Moore’s lead. Here are some mental game recommendations: 1) At times the nerves will get to you, especially if it is an important putt. When those nerves come, back off the putt. Take some deep breathes and roll your shoulders to shake out those butterflies. 2) Like Ryan Moore, hit the restart button. Don’t just jump into your stroke–restart your routine from the beginning. 3) Stop worrying about what your playing partners will think of you if you begin your putting routine over again. Once you start making more putts under pressure, they will only complain that you are taking their money! When we observe and listen to what the best golfers in the world do under pressure, then we will understand what really works under pressure. Follow Ryan Moore’s putting strategies to boost your success on the course!

14 Oct 2013 Gregg Steinberg, USGTF Level IV Member

Tips for soggy play

By: Gregg Steinberg, WGCA contributing writer The Presidents Cup this year had many exciting, yet soggy, days of play. On Saturday, many players went around Muirfield Village Golf Club in 34 holes in very wet conditions. Such days can wear out players, both physically and mentally. To be fresh physically, you must be in top shape. This takes a steady diet of working out, with weights and cardio training. The same principle goes for the mental game, particularly your concentration. You must develop a stead diet of focus to stay fresh throughout a round of golf. To accomplish this, think of concentration as a reservoir of mental energy. To perform at your best, you must let your concentration flow when you are hitting your shot. However, if the flood gates are wide open and you focus intensely for an entire round (or longer as we saw at The Presidents Cup), the reservoir may be emptied too soon. To conserve these mental resources, the floodgates must be opened at the most appropriate times. Also, think of your concentration level like a wave that builds and then crescendos at the right moments. You must peak in your focus in order for you to play your best golf in tough conditions. In order to acquire both of these concentration principles, golfers need to implement an effective concentration routine. Here are my recommendations to accomplish this: 1. Have your concentration routine be composed of three main levels. To enter each level, imagine a dial that releases the flow of concentration from your reservoir. As the dial is turned up, the concentration flow increases and the golfer becomes more focused. 2. Developed different self-statements to crank the dial up. 3. The first level is when you are just enjoying the walk to your ball. The dial is set at a “1.” You can have a saying here such as, “have fun.” 4. At the second level, the dial needs to be cranked up to a “5”, and the concentration begins to flow more rapidly. Here, you are about 10 feet from the ball and begin to start thinking of your shot, such as the wind, distance, etc. You can have a saying like, “let’s go” to crank up the dial. 5. The third level is when you start your routine. Here the dial needs to be set at a “10” and the concentration is flowing at full capacity. Here you should have saying such as, “it’s show time” at the start of your routine. 6. After the shot, return the dial back to a “1” and enjoy your walk to the ball, unspoiled without any negative or analytical thoughts. If you get mentally burnt out during or after a round, try this concentration routine. You will see that it keeps your play and mind fresh for the entire round.

31 Jul 2013 Gregg Steinberg, USGTF Level IV Member

Snedeker’s perspective

By: Gregg Steinberg, WGCA contributing writer Family first was the theme at this year’s RBC Canadian Open. Hunter Mahan, the leader after two rounds, withdrew from the tournament when he discovered that his wife Kandi had gone into Labor. While many of the fathers on the PGA TOUR acknowledged and agreed with Hunter’s decision, Brandt Snedeker put it into perspective concerning how important family is to his game of golf. Since his daughter was born two years ago, Brandt has won five times on the PGA TOUR. He said that before her birth, he would take his game far too serious and was all-consumed by his play. But being a father put it all into perspective for him. Now, he knows that hitting bad golf shots do not matter so much. As he puts it, golf is what I do —  not who I am. Being a father has helped him to keep his emotions under control during the ups and downs on the course. These key mental game ingredients led him to victory at Glenn Abbey and to his second win this year on the PGA TOUR. Brandt is hitting upon what sports psychology researchers have discovered when it comes to success in golf. They found that the most successful young athletes played a variety of sports up until the age of 16, but then they focused on their primary sport. These athletes were much more successful than the athletes that focused primarily on only sport. The premise of this finding is perspective and balance, as Brandt spoke about with his family. When a young golfer places all his self-esteem eggs in one basket (i.e., plays only one sport), there is a lot more pressure to perform well all the time on the golf course. However, if a young golfer has many hobbies and sports to build self-esteem, there is less pressure to perform well every time on the course. Consequentially, when there is less pressure, the likelihood of playing well increases. My mental game recommendation to young golfers is to always spread the wealth and play a variety of sports and/or have additional hobbies. Here are the reasons for this recommendation: 1. When Michelangelo was working on the Sistine Chapel, he would switch hands to paint that famous ceiling. He believed in the importance of developing balance in his abilities. A young golfer playing a variety of sports will develop physical attributes that can contribute to better coordination, such as lower-body coordination if they play soccer along with golf. 2. There will be a decrease in injuries. When young athletes play a variety of sports, there is a less likelihood of an overuse injury. Also, participation in a variety of activities gives the body time to heal and rest certain muscles and tendons, decreasing injury. 3. Play a variety of sports including golf to spread the self-esteem points around. Then the young golfer can build self-worth from a variety of sources. When they step onto the golf course, there will be less pressure to perform. Spread the wealth in activities, and you will see your game accrue in the long term.