Legendary golfer Ben Hogan is reported to have stated that when he was playing at his best he could often see his next shot completed before he ever started the club moving forward. What Hogan described is a simple case of visualization. Self-hypnosis is a technique that can allow you to reach a state where you can control your mind and reach peak performance. It is a state in which you are more receptive to suggestion. The easiest way a receptive state is to guide ones self into a state of relaxed focus. One quick and easy way to accomplish this is to sit comfortably, and slowly take 10-15 deep breaths, and with each exhalation allow your self to become more and more relaxed. Once you reach a relaxed state give yourself positive suggestions. The most powerful form of suggestion is visualization. The subconscious is unable to differentiate between something that is real and what is imagined. The more vivid the imagination, the more real the subconscious thinks the picture is. If an athlete spends enough time visualizing success on the field, and if he or she really makes the thought as vivid as possible, eventually the subconscious will believe it is reality and allow the body to perform the skill. There are two important keys to effective visualization. First, get as many senses involved as possible. You should not stop at thinking about making a putt. You should imagine the smell of the grass, the sound of the ball striking the putter, rolling along the grass and falling in the cup. Experience the emotion you feel in that setting. Second, visualize both the process of achieving a desired outcome and the result of achieving your desired outcome. In other words, visualize yourself receiving the winners trophy and being congratulated by your friends, and also visualize the process of teeing up, driving the ball, making the putt and all the steps along the way. Even include images of your self missing a putt and making the necessary correction to nail it right the next time. Recent studies suggest that visualizing only one aspect, process or results, may actually result in decreased performance. So include both. Combining focused relaxation and suggestion in the form of visualization is a simple form of self-hypnosis any golfer can practice. Practicing it two to three times a week can make a dramatic difference in your game. |
