Vison54

Reality of Golf

1. What is vision 54?

a. A complete game philosophy based on this formula:
i. P + T + M + E + S + S = 54
1. P: Physical
a. How flexible are you?
b. Your golf swing matches your body type
i. Jack Nicklaus: limited shoulder flexibility
c. Are you drinking water and eating enough during a
round?
i. Should eat something every three holes
1. Proteins (nuts), sandwiches, mix a fruit
with a protein to balance sugar intake
ii. Goodie bags?
2. T: Technical
a. The technical aspect of the golf swing is an important
part of golf, but the other aspects of “PTMESS” should
be equally or more emphasized. At our training at the
MCA clinic, nothing from the technical aspect of the
game was discussed.
b. Is your swing functional and repeatable enough to hold
up on the golf course?
c. Focus on the technical aspect should decrease leading
up to a tournament
d. GAPP
i. Grip
1. Club in fingers, palms facing
ii. Alignment
1. Alignment sticks: dowels, clubs
a. Keep the train tracks parallel
2. Don’t let tee boxes trick you
iii. Ball Position
1. Driver, long irons, short irons, putter
iv. Posture
1. Athletic
2. Straight spine angle, cupping of lower
back
3. Relaxed knees, not overly bent
4. Elbows close to rib cage
5. Hands hanging down
3. Mental
a. Do you set S.M.A.R.T goals?
 i. REVIEW PRE-SEASON PLAYER SURVEY AT THIS
POINT
b. How do we make the best decisions, and how do we
commit to them?
c. How do we monitor our self-talk?
4. Emotional
a. Separate from mental
b. DHEA vs Cortisol
i. DHEA
1. Provides access to higher brain functions
(the “zone”)
a. Visual acuity, decision making,
perception, timing, rhythm,
coordination, reasoning
2. Actually a banned substance if synthetic
because it provides a competitive
advantage
ii. Cortisol
1. Stress hormone that triggers fight or
flight response: not good for sports like
golf
a. Test anxiety
c. We have to learn to create confidence.
5. Social
a. How in control of yourself are you when you think
about the effect other people have on you?
b. Do you compare yourself to others?
c. Playing a round of golf is only about 20 minutes. How
do you spend the rest of your time?
6. Spirit of the Game
a. What do you like about golf? Why do you play?
b. Why did Michelle Wie not play so well after turning
pro?
c. Why does Tiger Woods constantly change his swing?
d. What do others do to look like they’re having so much
fun on the course?
e. What motivates you?
i. Know YOUR spirit of the game to keep your head
clear in order to play your best.
ii. TASK:
1. Rank the ingredients in the “spirit of the game” formula
(PTMESS) on a scale of 1-6 (why) on the back of your pre-
season survey? Which are you strong and weak at? Therefore,
how do we improve our weaknesses and maintain our areas of
strength
 Vison54
Play Box

 Golf is a SPORT, so react and be athletic

o Don’t we “shut off our brains” when we play well in other sports?
 Discuss
 We have to be PRESENT THROUGH OUR SENSES
o What do those terms mean?
 Present
 We don’t think about the past (good or bad holes) or the future (if
I par out I can PR) , but we think only about the current shot
o Senses, not thoughts
 What’s the difference?
 Senses allow you to DO IT
o See
o Feel
o Hear
o Rhythm
 Play box time: 3-9 seconds
o No Snedeker
o No Garcia, Na
 Stages of Play Box
o Sensing vs. Thinking
o Stay present through end of swing
 Ignore outcomes to start
 Get to 5’s on the commitment scale before focusing on outcome
o Find what works for you
o Be able to stay in your play box for 18 holes
o CREATE over the ball, you can THINK behind it
 Play Box Notes (from app)
 Vison54
Storage of Memory

 E+R=O
o E = Event
o R = Reaction
 (+, -, or neutral)
 Want positive reactions to good shots, and neutral
reactions to others
o O = outcome stored in the brain for future reference
 Our brain thinks the same 95% of the time, so train it to
think positively
 Amygdala
 Stores negatives in a 3:1 ratio, so we need to trick it by
storing things in AT LEAST a 3:1 positive ratio
 Post Shot Routine
o Practice it TODAY on the range
 Action Plan
 Say something positive about every shot
o Was the OUTCOME great, good, or good enough
 What is “good enough?”
 Two ways to store positively
o The outcome
o Pose/hold finish on good shots to store and
promote balance
o Commitment to the decision (M)
 Are you the type that needs to…
o Store more positive, or…
o Be more neutral on negatives
o Or both?!
 Good-Better-How (GBH)
o This is our post round evaluation
 Have to start with at least 3 positives (more if you tend to be
negative)
o Use PTMESS as a guide on how to find positives
 Vison54
Bounce – Back Ability and Emotional Management

 Manage your energy so you come off the course with as close to the same
reaction as possible, regardless of it being a good or poor round
 Adrenaline
o To increase (if down/low/lackadaisical)
 Larger/quicker inhales than exhales
o To decrease (if too hyped or nervous)
 Larger/longer exhales than inhales
o Do you play like Tiger or Bubba with a lot of adrenaline? Or…
o Like Ernie Els, Luke Donald, Vijay Singh or others who are more
calm?
 DHEA
o Banned substance, but your body can produce it naturally
o Allows you to utilize your “third brain” that other animals don’t
have
 Helps with…
 Visual acuity
 Decision making
 Perception
 Timing/rhythm/coordination
 Reasoning
 Cortisol
o Stress hormone that hinders the brain activities above
o Catalyst in test anxiety
o Body needs 6-10 hours of sleep to overcome
 Playing Focuses (last sheet)
 How to practice (on app)
o 1/3 technical skills
o 1/3 essential playing skills (MESS)
 Play box
 Decisions/Commitment
 Memory Storage
 Balance
 Tempo
 Tension
o 1/3 simulation/scrimmage
 “game like situations”
 Vison54
8 Essential Playing Skills

There are skills you need to learn which will allow you to play great on the
golf course. The VISION54 8 Essential Playing Skills were created to complement
your technique. There are many things that influence performance beyond your
technique. For example: your state over the shot, your emotional management,
what decision you make and how well you commit to it, and how you talk to
yourself. Most golfers know this but they don’t practice e it or don’t know how to
practice these skills. Within this section you will find many exercises for each of the
8 Essential Playing Skills (EPS).
The exercises contained here are intended to increase your awareness and
competence of each EPS and are categorized for easy selection. You can either
choose a category to work within and view those associated exercises, or you can
select them at random. As you go through each of the exercises, you can make notes
about what works for you, insights you have, or any other important things you
need to be aware of so you can reference it during future practice sessions.
To learn more about each EPS, we recommend that you read Play Your Best
Golf Now. Remember that the EPS are meant to complement your technical skills.
Technical skills and EPS together will give you a foundation of skills for great
performance on the golf course. The EPS exercises work no matter what your
technical swing preference is.

VISION54’s 8 Essential Playing Skills

 Play Box: To execute shots in an athletic performance state you want to be
present through your senses.
 Decision and Commitment: You want a clear, simple and congruent decision
for every shot and the courage to commit to it.
 Balance: A good sense of balance improves your swing and stroke.
 Tempo: You want to be in sync for the day with your body and swing; and to
get there you want to be intimate with sensing tempo.
 Tension Awareness: Tension destroys your swing and stroke so it’s a great
advantage to be able to be aware of and monitor your tension levels.
 Emotional Resilience: Go to your happy place and feel it. It will allow you to
have access to your whole brain.
 Storage of Memory: Events that you emotionalize get stored stronger as
memory in the brain. You want to either be happy or neutral in your post-
shot routines.
 Self-Talk: You want to be your own best friend or coach when playing. Make
sure you talk to yourself in a productive way.
 Skills
Play Box: (see our handouts)
 Experience the difference between thinking and sensing.
 Be present through your senses.
 Be fully engaged with your swing and target.
 Show up every time you hit the shot. You can never go on
automatic.

1. Swing/Chipping: Hit three shots seeing the ball flight in your mind’s eye,
three shots feeling the grip pressure being constant, three shots listening to
contact. Do the same in chipping.

2. Putting: Hit three putts seeing the line of the putt, three putts listening to
the sound of impact, and three putts feeling softness in your shoulders.

3. Pitching: Hit three pitch shots seeing a bright orange landing spot in your
mind as you are swinging. Hit three pitch shots listening to the silence inside
your head as you are swinging. Hit three pitch shots feeling the tension level
in your arms as you are swinging.

4. Putting: Hit three putts seeing the ball fall into the cup, three putts feeling a
low center of gravity, and three putts counting in your play box.

5. Swing/Putting: Throw a few balls in a basket. Do this until you sense

freedom. Now hit five shots with that physical and mental freedom in the
Play Box. Repeat one more time. Then go to the putting green and do the
same for a 5-foot putt.

6. Putting: Hit three putts feeling constant grip pressure, three putts listening
to the silence around you, three putts seeing the clubface at the finish
position.

7. Swing: Hit three shots counting during your swing, three shots feeling your
feet, three shots seeing a green neon line from the ball to the target.

8. Swing: Pick your own Play Box awareness and sense it with different levels
of intensity/engagement: 50%, 75% and 100%. Which is best for you?

9. Swing: Hit shots with a 3, 6, and 9 second play box.

10. Swing: How many consecutive shots can you hit being 100% engaged in the
Play Box?
Decision and Commitment
 Making a decision you commit to is more important than making
the right decision.
 Make the process as simple as possible.
 Make sure you listen “in” and go with a decision you trust.
 Decisions include what shot to hit and what is most important for
you in the Play Box.
1. Swing: Hit ten consecutive shots with 100% commitment. If any of the shots
have less than 100% commitment, start over. Mix it up with different types of
shots. Do your full routine.

2. Swing: Hit shots on the range with a friend. Have the friend pick the target and
tell you what kind of shot to hit. It could be a 5-iron low draw to hit a 100 yard
marker. How committed did you stay to the decisions? Do this ten times then
make your own decisions and commit to them for another ten.
a. Vary the
i. Shape of shot (fade, straight, draw)
ii. Intensity of shot (%)
iii. Trajectory of shot (low, medium, high)

3. Putting/Swing: Putt six putts from 15’. Change your preparation level for each
one. On the first putt, play like a kid and do nothing in preparation, just putt
and react to the hole. For each subsequent putt add some preparation. On the
sixth putt, check everything. No stones unturned! Where in that spectrum did
you putt the best?

4. Putting: Hit 12 consecutive putts where your commitment to the decision is

100%.

5. Putting: Hit twenty different putts within fifteen feet. For each putt, imagine in
detail how the ball rolls into the cup before stepping over the decision line.

6. Swing: Hit five shots where your body language is weak and your voice is vague
when you say your decision to yourself in the Think Box. Hit five shots where
your body language is strong and your voice is clear and congruent. What is best
for you?

7. Swing/Short Game: Hit 25 shots, either full shots, short game, or putting. Before
stepping into the Play Box, say your decision out loud. Check what % of shots
you are fully committed to your decisions.

8. Short Game: Hit three different tricky chip shots, three different tricky pitch
shots, and three different tricky bunker shots. Did you have 100% commitment
to each shot?
Balance:

 Always nurture your rotational balance. It’s fresh produce.

 You can never over do it or do it wrong, it can only enhance your swing.
 FEEL balance is essential for good golf.

1. Swing: Hit five shots with your feet together, five shots standing on your right
foot, five shots standing on your left foot, and five shots with your eyes closed.
Finish each swing in balance.

2. Swing/Chipping: Juggle with three golf balls for five minutes. Hit shots while
you alternate standing on only your right foot and swinging with your left arm,
and standing only on your left foot and swing with your right arm. Hit five shots
left-handed if you are a right-handed player, and right-handed if you are a left-
handed player. Do it with a 7-iron turned around. Do the same on the chipping
green.

3. Swing: Hit five shots with your feet together, five shots on your left foot only,
five shots on your right foot only, five shots with your feet together. Do this with
a variety of clubs and see how many swings you can finish in balance.

4. Chipping: Hit a chip shot standing on your right foot and using your left arm.
Alternate by standing on your left foot and swinging with your right arm. Do this
five times.

5. Putting: Hit putts alternating between standing on the right foot only, left foot
only, on the toes of the right foot, on the toes of the left foot, eyes closed and
feeling a low center of gravity.

6. Bunker: Hit ten consecutive bunker shots where you finish with your weight on
your front foot. Vary each shot to different targets.

7. Swing: Hit five shots standing on your left toes.

8. Swing/Putting: Hit five shots using only your left arm and standing on your
right foot, five shots using only your right arm and standing on your left foot. Do
the same on the putting green.
Tempo:

 All of us have a personal tempo that make sour swing be in sync.

 This tempo varies from day to day and even during a round.
 You want to learn how to be aware of your tempo and how to monitor it.

1. Swing: Hit full shots with two different clubs and use four tempos: 25%, 50%,
75% and 100%. Do the same and start at 100% and go down to 25%.

2. Swing: Hit five drives with 50% of full tempo, five 7-irons with 75% tempo and
five half swings with your wedge.

3. Swing: Hit a full 9-iron. Identify the spot where it landed. Now hit every club
longer than your 9-iron and make them land on the same spot. Use full swings
and vary your tempo.

4. Pitching: Practice different pitching distances and vary the tempo. How do you
hit a 25-yard pitch shot with 25, 50, 75 and 100% tempo. Do this with four
different distances.

5. Putting: Putt 3 footers with four different tempos: 25, 50, 75 and 100% tempo.
Do this four times.

6. Swing: Hit a drive as hard as you can while finishing in balance, hit the softest
lob shot possible, hit the hardest 5-iron you can while finishing in balance, hit
the softest, ¾ 9 iron possible. How must you manage yourself between the shots
to create the different tempos.

7. Swing: Hit shots making a full swing with any club and vary the tempos of your
back and forward swings: 25% back/75% forward; 100%back/25% forward;
50% b/100%f; 75%/25%; 100%/100%. Now hit three shots keeping the same
tempo throughout the entire swing.

8. Putting: Putt three 3-footers, alternating between dropping it in, charging to the
back and falling in the middle of the cup. Do this four times.

9. Swing: Hit five drives with the fastest tempo you can while still being able to
finish in balance.

10. Swing: Hit some shots listening to Strauss’ The Blue Danube Waltz.

11. Swing/Short Game: Hit shots to different tempos using a metronome.

Tension Awareness

 Tension ruins anyone’s swing and stroke.

 Where in the body do you have a tendency to create tension? Where in
the swing does it show up?
 You want to know the level of tension that is best for you and to keep it
constant and consistent.

1. Chipping/Putting: Hit chip shots with an alternating range of grip pressure, going
from one (as light as you can grip the club) to four (the tightest). Keep your chosen
grip pressure constant during the swing. Which is best for you? Do this in putting as
well.

2. Swing/Putting: Hit full shots with three different tension levels in your upper body
and jaw – soft, medium, and hard. Do this four times with different clubs. Which
tension level is best for your? Do this in putting as well.

3. Swing: Hit full shots with four different grip pressures, from extremely light to
extremely firm. You want to keep the same grip pressure in both hands and to keep
it constant throughout the swing. Do this four times. Which grip pressure is best for
you?

4. Chipping: Hit chip shots alternating between tight tension in your arms and
shoulders, average tension and no tension or very loose. Do this three times. What
tension level makes you hit more solid chip shots?

5. Swing: Hit shots with different tension levels in your lower body. Hit shots with a
tension level of one to four in your thighs. Hit shots with a tension level of one to
four in your toes. What do you notice?

6. Swing: Hit four shots with your tongue behind your lower front teeth, hit four shots
with arms that feel like cooked spaghetti, hit four shots while you still breathe.

7. Swing/Putting: Make a slow motion swing with your eyes closed. As you do it,
where in the body and where in the swing do you feel the most tension? What would
you need to do, to have less of it? Do this with your putting stroke as well.
Emotional Resilience

 Positive emotions help you have access to your whole brain.

 Create habits on the golf course that nurture positive emotions.
 This is how you develop “thick skin” and the ability to bounce back from
stress and adversity.
 This is how to remain a fully functioning human being playing golf.

1. Reflection: Write down ten things you are grateful for, and genuinely feel that
gratitude.

2. Before Practice/Play: Write down five ways in which you can create positive
emotions while on the golf course, and five ways off the golf course. Use these next
time you are about to play golf and when you are on the golf course.

3. Swing/Short Game: Hit ten shots and emotionally fall in love with each shot before
you hit it.

4. Swing/Putting: Hit some shots with lots of adrenaline and some shots with very
little adrenaline. Which makes you swing better? You can change your adrenaline
state with breathing exercises and physical movements in the Think Box. Do the
same on the putting green.

5. Swing/Short Game: Hit fifteen different shots and before each shot spend fifteen
extra seconds genuinely feeling something positive in your heart in the Think Box.

6. Swing/Short Game: Hit ten shots while you smile at the golf ball.

7. Swing/Short Game: Practice hitting shots with high, medium, and low adrenaline
levels. Jog or do jumping jacks to get your adrenaline up. Sit down and breathe
deeply with long exhales to get your adrenaline down. At what adrenaline level do
you perform the best?

8. Swing/Short Game: In between shots, spend 30 seconds doing something that

gives you a positive feeling.

9. Before Practice/Play: What warm up is best for you to make sure you start the
round feeling something positive?
Storage of Memory

 You can control how you react, but not what happens to you.
 Storing positive memories is the mechanics of confidence.
 Store shots that are “good enough”, the enemy of excellence is
perfection.
 Only smart choices for reacting – neutral/factual or positive/happy.

1. Swing/Short Game: Hit twenty different golf shots while being very disciplined to
be neutral/objective or positive/happy in your post-shot reactions.

2. Swing/Short Game: Following each shot during a practice session, if you did not
like the outcome of the shot, or did not go through with your intention for it, say
something aloud that is objective, neutral, or simply factual about the shot.

3. Swing/Short Game: After each shot during a practice session that you hit great,
good, or good enough, spend fifteen extra seconds feeling genuine pleasure about it
in your heart.

4. Swing/Short Game: Ask a friend to give feedback on your body language and facial
expression for your post-shot reactions. Are they the way you want them?

5. Swing/Short Game: Find the best way for you to ensure you are neutral or
objective after shots you don’t like. Is it to count, sing a song, talk out loud, focus on
something happy…?

6. Swing/Short Game: Find the best way for you to anchor a good shot. It can be
extroverted or introverted. Is it to smile inwardly, a verbal anchor, a fist pump…?

7. Swing/Short Game: Hit ten great, good or good enough shots and feel a positive
emotion in your post-shot routine. Do this for the outcome of the shot and for what
you did in the process.

8. After Practice/Play: After a round of golf go through your ten best shots or process
and really feel it inside of you.
Managing Self-Talk

 What we repeatedly say to ourselves becomes our beliefs.

 Talking to yourself is not advisable in the Play Box.
 Make sure your self-talk is congruent with your goals and who you want
to be.
 Two ways of managing your self-talk: learn to distract it and learn to
create what you want for the future.

1. In Between Shots: For an entire practice session stay aware of your self-talk. Keep
ten tees in your right pocket. Every time you notice an unproductive thought, move
one tee to your left pocket. Can you finish a practice a practice session with all ten
tees still in your right pocket?

2. Being Present: Practice “being present.”For one minute feel your breathing. For
one minute, in your mind’s eye, see your ball roll into the cup from three feet. For
one minute, grip a club, close your eyes and feel your hands on the grip. If you get
distracted by your own self-talk, start over.

3. Being Present: Practice in silence for an entire practice session, both outer silence
and inner silence. If you start talking to yourself, what are the tools you can use to
replace and silence the voice?

4. Reflection: Write down fifteen self-talk sentences that you would like to have as a
habit. Keep reading the list and sense what it feels like inside of you. Keep the list in
your golf bag.

5. Reflection: Write down three positive statements about yourself as a golfer. Pay
attention during the practice session to your own self-talk. If you notice a thought
that is not productive, replace it with one of the positive statements about yourself
as a golfer.

6. Reflection: How can you best distract your self-talk during a round of golf, if
needed. By talking to others, counting your steps, singing a song, saying a mantra…?
 Practice – 54 Drills for Skills

1. Game: Hit ten shots in 30 minutes. Simulate shots on the course. Pick a specific
target, do your full routine. Mix up shorter and longer shots, even short game shots,
if possible. Take a few minutes’ break between shots, just like you do on the golf
course.

2. Play Box/Game/Distance: Hit three putts seeing the line of the putt in the Play
Box, three putts listening to the sound of impact, and three putts feeling the softness
in your shoulders.
Make ten 3-foot putts in a row from Different locations. Do your full routine.
Putt six different 20-footers, or longer, with the goal to get the ball to the hole or a
maximum 1-putter length past.

3. Game/Balance: Chip from the same spot with four different clubs – SW, W, 9, 8. Do
this until you get all four shots within a club length. When finished, repeat the same
drill to another hole.

Hit five shots with your feet together, five shots standing on your right foot, five
shots standing on your left foot, five shots with your eyes closed. Finish each swing
in balance.

4. Commitment/Creativity: Hit ten shots in a row with 100% commitment. If any of

the shots have less than 100% commitment, start over. Mix it up with different types
of shots. Do your full routine.
Hit a draw, fade, extra high, extra low, slice, hook, straight, and a half shot with three
different clubs. Do your full routine.

5. Game: Set up a 5-hole course around the chipping or pitching green. Play and hole
out, with total par being ten. Play as many rounds as you can in 30 minutes.

6. Confidence/Tempo: Write down ten things you are grateful for, and genuinely feel
that gratitude.

Hit ten shots and emotionally fall in love with each shot.

Hit five drives with 50% of full tempo, five 7-irons with 75% tempo and five half
swings with your wedge.

7. Confidence/Tension: Hit 20 different golf shots while being very disciplined to be

neutral/objective or positive/ happy in your post-shot reactions. Hit chip shots
alternating between a 1-4 grip pressure. One being as light as you could ever grip it
and four being the tightest. Keep your chosen grip pressure constant during the
swing. Which is best for you?
8. Game: Play as many imaginary holes in competition as you can on the practice area
for 30 minutes. Pick the course you are playing, with whom you are playing, and
what the competition is. Take breaks between shots.

9. Distance/Play Box: Place gloves, head covers, or anything you can find at 10, 20,
30, 40, 50, yards, and as far as you can go. Hit pitch shots to land at different
predetermined distances. Mix it up for every shot.

Hit three pitch shots seeing a bright orange landing spot in your mind as you are
swinging. Hit three pitch shots listening to the silence inside your head as you are
swinging. Hit three shots feeling the tension level in your arms as you are swinging.

10. Tempo/Adrenaline: Hit a full 9-iron. Identify the spot where it landed. Now hit
every club longer than your 9-iron and make them land on the same spot. Use full
swings and vary your tempo.

Hit some shots with lots of adrenaline and some shots with very little adrenaline.
What makes you swing better? You can change it with breathing and physical
movements in the Think Box. Do the same on the putting green.

11. Balance: Juggle with three golf balls for five minutes. Hit shots while you alternate
standing on only your right foot and swinging with your left arm, and standing only
on your left foot and swinging with your right arm. Hit five shots left-handed if you
are a right-handed player, and right-handed if you are a left-handed player. Do it
with a 7-iron turned around. Do the same on the chipping green.

12. Aim/Tension: Check your aim on ten different putts. Aim and align and then put a
tee across the putter face. Go behind and check your aim. Check your aim with five
iron shots and five drivers, change the target each time. Aim and align and then put
a club down behind your heels. Are they pointed parallel to the target, the way you
want them to be?
Hit chip shots alternating between tight tension in your arms and shoulders,
average tension and not tension or very loose. Do this three times. What tension
level makes you hit more solid chip shots?

13. Self-Talk: For a whole practice session stay aware of your self-talk. Keep ten tees in
your right pocket. Every time you notice and unproductive thought in your head,
move one tee to your left pocket. Can you finish a practice session with all ten tees in
your right pocket?

14. Awareness/Play Box: Write down what your unique, great qualities are as a golfer.
Write down one quality you want to improve on or create. How are you going to
make it happen and create a new habit out of it?

How many shots can you hit in a row with 100% full, engaged presence in the Play
Box?
15. Tempo/Game: Practice different pitching distances and vary the tempo. How do
you hit a 30-yard pitch shot with 25, 50, 75, and 100% tempo? Do this with four
different distances.

On the practice area simulate playing holes 15, 16, 17, and 18 at Augusta, as you
remember them. What did you score?

16. Game/Confidence: Play a 9-hole par 2 course around a green with 100% focus on
storing the good things about each shot.

17. Play Box/Confidence: Hit three shots seeing the ball flight in your mind’s eye, three
shots feeling the grip pressure being constant, three shots listening to impact. Do the
same in chipping and in putting.

For three minutes, imaging yourself from inside your own eyes when you play your
greatest golf. See it, feel it and hear it, the more detail the better.

18. Creativity/Commitment: Hit shots on the range with a friend. Have your friend tell
you where to hit and what kind of shot to execute. It could be: 5-irong low draw to a
100 yard marker. How committed are you staying to the decisions? Do this back and
forth 10 times then make your own decisions and commit to them for another 10
shots.

19. Tension/Game: Hit full shots with three different tension levels in your upper body
and jaw- soft, medium, and hard. Do this four times with different clubs. Which
tension level is best for you?

Chip to a hole with four different clubs and get the shots all within a club length
from the hole. Do this at three different holes.

20. Confidence: Following each shot during a practice session, if you do not like the
outcome of the shot, or did not go through with your intention for it, say an
objective/neutral/factual statement about it out loud.

21. Awareness/Creativity: Do two super-slow-motion, full swings with your eyes

open. Two with eyes closed. Two super-slow-motion swings backwards, starting at
the finish position.

Hit a high-faded 7-iron, hit a low, straight drive, hit a normal trajectory 5-iron with a
draw, hit a choked down 9-iron, hit a hybrid fairway wood from a bad lie, hit a half
shot with a 6-iron, hit an extra low sand wedge, hit a high hooked driver and hit a
long iron with a big slice.
22. Being Present/Creativity: Practice “being present”. For one minute, feel your
breathing. For one minute see, in your mind’s eye, your ball rolling into the cup from
three feet. For one minute grip a club, close your eyes and feel your hands on the
grip. If you get distractive by your own self-talk, start over.
23. Game: Make 10 important putts from 15 feet and under. Imagine all of them being
to win a hole, lower your handicap, or win a championship. It might take you 10
putts to do it or 100? Do it until you have made ten and celebrate each one.
24. Tension/Balance: Hit full shots with four different grip pressures. The first as light
as you possibly can grip it and the fourth the tightest of tight. You want to keep the
same grip pressure in both hands and remain constant throughout the swing. Do
this four times. Which grip pressure is best for you? Hit five shots with your feet
together, five shots on your left foot only, five shots on your right foot only, five
shots with your feet together. Do this with a variety of clubs and see how many
swings you can finish in balance.
25.