Trust in yourself, believe in it, self-confidence how many times did you hear or even say that. Where does this confidence come from when you stand over the ball and you are about to give it your best. Not the least, where did it go when you needed it the most. Imagine if you could simply step into a circle of confidence. Imagine a circle where your self-confidence is perfect for the golf shot you are about to make. This circle is going to be your comfort zone. You feel good and you perform when you are in the circle.
4.1. Independent confidence
Independent self-confidence is when your self-confidence comes from within. When you are the one who decides that you want to be self-confident. This is independent of people around you, independent of sounds around you, independent of traffic around you, independent of what you see around you. In fact, when you are 100% focused you do not see much more than your own golf game, the ball, the grass, the wind, the slop, the green, etc. You do not need a good stroke, good weather, good mood, good friends, or good results to be confident. You are independent.
4.2. Dependent confidence
Dependent self-confidence is when you are confident due to a good stroke, good results, good sentiment among the people you play with. Imagine how this works in golf. Nobody plays a perfect round. Not even Tiger Woods, Phill Mickelson or Dustin Johnson play perfect rounds. There is always a problem somewhere. If your self-confidence disappears at the very first problem on the golf course then you may have a couple of holes in the beginning of a round where you play well and are confident, but at 4th, 5th, or 6th you will suddenly lose your trust in yourself and you will start getting tens. Anxiety knocks on the door. How many players have you seen go sour on 4th, 5th, and 6th? And how many stayed there without being able to get back into a good strong mood with good strokes. The trick is to stay confident even when it is difficult.
4.3. Build your confidence
Independent self-confidence can be built as well as demolished. It is your choice. Build you confidence by first of all being aware of your confidence. Your brain is like a computer program. You can program your brain to be confident whenever you need it. You simply need to have the knowledge, the training, and the motivation. Just like golf. You do not get anywhere in golf without training, and you do not get anywhere with your independent confidence if you do not train it and build it up.
Build your confidence by doing the pre shot routine below. Understand the components in the pre shot routine and train them.
Why? – well if you want to have fun at the golf course and if you want to have nice results then confidence is paramount.
Golf technique of cause is the base no doubt about that. For that you need to go somewhere else. This book as well as the program Mental Strategy for golfers are for the golfer who wants to go further with mental strategies.