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Newsletter - Issue 81 Date 12/19/08
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TCT Quick Tips - On Plane and Short Game
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I found a great clip on YouTube of Tiger's swing on perfect plane:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mogN2NrAn-I&NR=1 

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Trust me when I say that a great chipper and putter loses to virtually 
no one, while a long driver is never a sure bet, unless he/she is 
accurate as well. 


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Golf Tip : Q&A Perspective and Focus
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I had a question from a reader - Stephen K. - that I imagine goes 
through the minds of a lot of golfers, and he had the courage to ask:

Q: I have a golf question. Anytime I have to hit a shot over water or any kind of 
hazard I get negative thoughts and 90% of the time I'll hit into the water or just 
mishit the shot. I always have a good round on easy courses. On tough courses 
I just think too much and I'm terrible. It's like I'm two different golfers. 
Any suggestions?  

A: Thanks for the question Stephen.

Here's my personal 4 step process for dealing with difficult or pressure 
filled shots.  Adopt it yourself and your trouble shots will become easier.

1) First of all, don't go for the career shot.  Play a safe option.  There are 
exceptions, such as if you are in a team match and your partner is in good 
position, but generally speaking play a shot that is in your wheelhouse.

2) I usually consider what the worst possible outcome for an errant shot 
would be in context with how important it actually is in the game of life.  
If you miss the shot, are you going to die?  Is a loved one going to die? Is your 
life going to be significantly and irreparably changed for the worse?  ( Yes, I
really do ask myself these questions.)

Of course none of these disastrous things are going to happen, 
so calm down, focus, and visualize a great shot.

3) Think about how many times you've hit this length shot well under 
other conditions and hold that image.  See the target, see the shot happening, 
be confident.  Think positive outcomes only.

4) Then go through your pre shot routine and let it happen.  BTW, have 
a pre shot routine that you go through before every golf shot, it helps calm the nerves.

This is the exact thought process I personally use in extreme pressure situations.  
I did it on the last hole in regulation during the last BCC Club Championship that I 
played in when I needed a birdie on the last hole to tie for the lead, and my opponent 
was 15 feet from the pin.

I was triple nervous because he had just made up a 2 shot deficit and I would 
have been very embarrassed to have blown the lead - even though my opponent got 
there with excellent play, not through mistakes by me.

I went through my 4 step process exactly and hit the shot of my life, a punch 7 iron 
that almost went in the hole, and tapped in a 2 inch putt for birdie.  My opponent missed 
a difficult downhill putt - the first putt he missed in about 7 holes - and then I was
fortunate enough to birdie the first playoff hole to win.

I couldn't have done it without going through my 4 step process on the
last hole in regulation.

The power of the mind is not a new concept in golf. Jack Nicklaus for 
example is famous for saying "First I see the ball where I want it to finish. 
Then there is a sort of fade out and the next scene shows me making the 
kind of swing that will turn previous images into reality". 

Enjoy,

Tom