All in the mind

FOR us golfers, the British winter can be a pretty miserable time of year.

Even though we've had a mild time of it so far, a lot of our courses are now soggy underfoot, the greens are bumpy, the days are all-too-short and often grey, and most times when we have managed to get out to play, the bottom of our trousers or waterproofs, not to mention our golf clubs, need a good scrub to get rid of the inevitable mud!

In previous years, I've spoken about taking practical steps to lessen the impact of winter, but one area that you can work on without the need to venture outside if the weather is horrid is the mental state of your game.

It's only in fairly recent years that much attention has been paid to the importance of 'thinking well' on the course. There are many components that make up the complete golfer, but there is no doubt in my
mind that the best players are first and foremost the best thinkers.

Nowadays, it's perfectly acceptable for top players to have a psychologist but going back a few years if you admitted to having one, people thought that there was something wrong with you.

Many of the people that I teach recognise that they have a problem with their mental attitude, but often they don't know how to go about changing it. The first port of call probably should be your club professional if you play golf with them ­ or one of your regular golfing partners whose attitude and honesty you respect. Ask them what they think to your on-course attitude and demeanour.

We can never see ourselves as others see us, so brutal honesty is the key to making progress. I have played golf with literally hundreds of golfers who declare their negative intent about a shot, before playing it.

This is almost a guarantee to fulfil the prophecy. Have you ever said or heard something along the lines of 'I hate this hole ­ the last three times that I've played it I've hit it out of bounds' or perhaps 'I was doing really well in the medal last week until I took a nine on this hole!' The first thing needed to initiate change is recognition ­ followed by the desire to change. Recognise that you have a problem, and then take steps to make changes.

I find inspiration from reading. I have found three books written by the American Dr Bob Rotella all to be easy to read and helpful ­ Golf is Not a Game of Perfect, Golf is a Game of Confidence and Putting Out of Your Mind.

All are well worth a try.

Another sports psychologist who has had an influence on the world of golf is the Swede, Kjell Enhager, who for some time worked with six-time Major winner Nick Faldo and had a huge influence on the Swedish national team.

His book, Quantum, Golf remains a classic among those keen on improving their thinking on the course.
Two more books that I can recommend are Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott's Every Shot Must Have a Purpose and Conquering the Mental Game ­ Fearless Golf by Dr Gio Valiante.

Many readers will remember that Pia captained the European Solheim Cup team in 1998 and was my vice-captain in 1996. For a lot of the 1990s she was responsible for the national coaching throughout Sweden.
Finally, Dr Valiante is the man who ­ word has it ­ works with Tiger Woods.

This book is brand-new and I'm actually awaiting delivery of my copy as I write, but by all accounts it is a must-have book for anyone looking to improve on their mental skills.

It is hard sometimes to understand that we always have a choice in how and what we think. But whether you give an instruction to yourself externally or silently, next time you find yourself with a negative
one, stop and ask yourself if it is what you really want.

If it isn't, then replace the instruction, whether verbal or photographic, with exactly what it is that you DO want to happen.

With repetition and in a fairly short space of time, it's amazing how quickly you can alter your thinking ­ but you do have to take responsibility and take action. I wish you the best of luck in your
quest to learn how to think like a winner.