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Festivals & Fairways: August in Edinburgh

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

The Edinburgh International Festival brings the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh alive in a swathe of colours and sounds every August and draws visitors from across the globe to the city, to experience a wealth of diverse entertainment.

The Edinburgh Festival is actually a collective term for the numerous smaller festivals which take place around the city during the month, bringing a range of theatre, opera, music, comedy and arts to the capital. As you might expect, Edinburgh can become a rather bustling and sometimes noisy city during the festival month so what better way to escape from the maddening crowds than heading for the fairways of any of Edinburgh’s golf courses?

In fact, many people who visit the festival do so on a short golf break and so combine the two activities; playing golf in the mornings and then setting off into the city to catch a show and/or a bite to eat. What’s more, many of the festival’s shows run until late in the evening and in some cases even the small hours of the morning, so there’s plenty of time to do both.

Take a walk through the Meadows or down the Royal Mile where numerous performances take place all around, from fire-eaters and jugglers to magic acts and street musicians and mimes all competing for attention, while many clubs increase their opening hours well into the morning.

If you’re one of those people looking to combine the festival with the fairways of Edinburgh on a golf break, then there are plenty of options to choose from. If you’re after opulent elegance at a top class golfing venue away from the bustle of the city centre then the Marriot Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club should be high on your list. This four-star establishment has two golf courses on its estates – the East and West courses – with the East course playing host to the Solheim Cup in 2002. Dalmahoy has also staged the Scottish PGA and Scottish Seniors Open and provides a fair, if long, test for golfers. Dalmahoy is also situated a short bus or taxi ride from Edinburgh International Airport and the Waverley rail station while a regular bus service passes the front gate of the estate every fifteen minutes, linking Edinburgh with the nearby town of Livingston.

For those wishing to stay closer to the action of the festival but still tread the fairways then look for Edinburgh golf tours which list such courses as Craigmillar Park Golf Club, Braid Hills and Kings Acre Golf Club among its itinerary.

One of the best benefits of combining a golf break in Edinburgh with a visit to the festival, is the guarantee of accommodation as the hotels, hostels and bed and breakfast in and around the capital fill up quickly at festival time and remain booked throughout the month, meaning bed space is scarce. But with a golf break, you can rest assured you’ll have a place to rest your head at the end of the day.

So, if you’re considering paying a visit to Scotland’s capital for the festival, why not combine it with a golf break to play some of the city’s best courses as well as taking in some of the best independent entertainment you’ll find anywhere in the world.

Brian Healy writes for YourGolfTravel.com (http://www.yourgolftravel.com), an operator of UK golf breaks and golf holidays in Europe and around the world.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/festivals-fairways-august-in-edinburgh-1066489.html

Beginner Golf Video: Not Just for Beginners!

Friday, July 24th, 2009

If you are starting to get your feel of what a fantastic sport golf is, you should to fish out some beginner golf video to help you have a nice start and get a boost of confidence.

Although may seem so confusing especially when you are really a newbie in this sport, you might easily get disappointed when you get to the field and find your ball still standing above your tee when you thought you have perfectly hit it.

That’s is why looking at videos is sure to pump your adrenalin and help you to understand step by step how to make your supposed “ perfect” swing into something like a reality swing.

So, there are a number of beginner golf videos out there. So which ones should you choose to be more than oriented? Here are some things to consider and remember:

  • finding a very good video online is not instant – there are a number of videos and finding the ones that will work for you very well based on your current skills might not be easy. Here, you should be patient enough to fish out the best video for you.
  • instead of looking for golfing videos on search engines, look for golf forum instead. These kinds of sites are the best place to go when looking for videos because these are made of long-time if not professional persona in this sport. This also follows that they have all sort of possible information that will sure to cater to the needs of not only the professional but also especially the newbie’s like you.
  • Look for simple yet informative videos – for someone who is still beginning to get the feel of the sport, make sure not to be looking at videos, which are so technical. Remember that you are still trying to get the grasp of what the game is so it is also rightful and perhaps less confusing and complicated on your end if you look at simplified stuff. Choose those videos that look into how to start your swings, good posture as well those that help you create your own style.
  • Go for golfer links – as you are rummaging through the web, take a closer look at links that are connected to professional golfers. Take time to read these links for they are sure to feed you with useful tips that made those professional in this business what they are today.

In conclusion,  a good beginner golf video will get started off on a positive note.

Tom is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys participating in a variety of sports and activities. For information on how to play golf better, visit his website today. http://www.squidoo.com/howtoplaygolfbetter
By T. Houser

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/beginner-golf-video-not-just-for-beginners-1063415.html

“I Didn’t Deserve That” He Cries

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

In one way it can be seen to be very positive – You’ve hit a golf shot which didn’t quite work, but you’ve chosen to believe that it’s not your fault that it was a bit of a duff, and therefore your confidence in your golfing ability remains robustly intact.

The other way of analyzing your shot is not quite as positive. The implication of this wording is that you think that you have applied the golf club in a pleasing manner and something else has caused the ball to veer off course. The wording also implies that there is nothing which you can do to improve matters; you have given your control away. It’s not your fault; it’s the fault of the wind, or the hedge, or whatever else it may be. This type of thought stops you from looking at what really happened; it prevents you from seeking the cause. And golf is a game of cause and effect. Unless you are aware of the causes of the outcomes which you create, you will not be able to seek a suitable remedy.

These “I didn’t deserve that” thoughts are similar to the “”It’s not fair” thought processes. They stop you from learning and growing as a person and as a golfer. You don’t get past go and collect your cash. Instead, you browse your local golf shop or the internet and spend rather a lot of dollars on purchasing a club with a bigger sweet spot or some gimmick which promises that you will stay on the course.

In reality, I think we all know that it’s not the best answer, but perhaps don’t know where to look for the real answer. The majority of golfers remain baffled as to why the ball slices one day and hooks the next and just don’t know how to tackle the problem. Shopping becomes a simple and easy, if expensive, salve to the golfer’s soul, whilst at the same time providing an enticing ray of hope.

The amalgamation of ever more clubs and accessories is to the golfer like the casino is to the gambler. And the gambler says “I got a bad hand” or “luck wasn’t on my side tonight”, in the same way as the golfer says “I didn’t deserve that” or “it’s not fair”.

A reality check is called for. Life isn’t fair. Golf is a game of skill…and luck. So long as you become as skilled as you can be you are putting yourself in a better position to take advantage of luck.

No matter what happens in your golf game, you are the one who hit the ball; you are the one who told the ball what to do. No-one else hit the golf ball; you did. And the resulting shot was the outcome created by your application of the clubface onto the golf ball. So instead of saying “that’s not fair”, try asking “What did I do there?” “Why did the shot turn out like that?” Ask yourself questions which will allow you to get back to the root cause. Then, and only then, will you learn, and as you learn you will get better at this great game. The more questions you ask yourself, the more you will learn.

Awareness precedes choice which precedes change. You have to know the cause to change the effect. This is true of everything in life, not just golf. Why do you worry about what people think? Why don’t you think you can hit that shot? Why don’t you see golf as a game and have some fun playing it? Why can’t you laugh at yourself? “Why?” is a wonderful question, which will encourage mental exploration and subsequent discovery, so long as you are honest with yourself and so long as you follow the thread right back to its beginnings.

Think of the phrase “a train of thought” and imagine that you are in the rear carriage, right at the back of the train, and as you ask yourself “Why is that?” and find your own answer you’ll move forwards to the next carriage. Keep working through the carriages of your thought train and eventually you cannot help but reach the engine. And once you reach that engine and become the driver of your train, you can choose your driving direction.

Beware, though, as you start working your way through your carriages that you don’t get fooled into thinking that you’ve reached your engine before you really have. Because if the answer to your questioning is that you lifted your head, or you swung from in to out, or you swung too fast, you have not yet reached your engine. Why did you lift your head? Why did you swing too fast?

Ask yourself a few more questions and be supremely honest with yourself. As you took that shot, did you see it happening first? Did you visualize it? Did you think you could pull it off? Did you commit to it? Did you absorb yourself in the task in hand and shut out peripheral details?

And if the answer to any of these questions is negative, ask yourself “Why?” and see where the answer takes you. This type of questioning will lead to real discovery and true learning. You will find that to explore your golf thoroughly you will also have to explore yourself as a person. Your mind is the bit that’s in charge. Your thoughts create your emotions and direct your actions. Everything in life starts with a thought.

Look around you, wherever you are. Look at the chair you are sitting on, or a chair that’s nearby. How was that chair made? You can see what it’s made of and how it’s been put together. You know that the wood came from a tree, and so on.

Have you reached the beginnings of that chair? NO, you have not.

That tree, that wood, could have been made into anything; how did it come to be made into this particular chair? Somebody had to see it first in their mind and then set about creating it. Everything that you experience in life begins with how you choose to think about it. And a golf shot starts in the same way.

The person who made the chair had to know how to cut the wood, put it together, and polish it and so on. But without first seeing what he wanted to achieve in his mind’s eye and without confidence in his ability to achieve that outcome the chair would have remained a few pieces of wood.

Each golf shot you make has equivalent requirements; No matter how gifted or talented you are, without seeing the shot first in your mind’s eye and without absolute confidence in yourself, you will not achieve the outcome you are hoping for.

Roseanna Leaton, specialist in golf hypnosis cds and hypnosis downloads for golf

http://www.RoseannaLeaton.com

With a degree in psychology and qualifications in hypnotherapy, NLP and sports psychology, and a great passion for golf, Roseanna Leaton is one of the leading golf psychologists. You can get a free hypnosis download from http://www.RoseannaLeaton.com and view the GolferWithin golf hypnosis cds and hypnosis downloads.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/i-didnt-deserve-that-he-cries-1062016.html

A Major Cause In Missed Putts Is Actually The Putter Itself

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

At least 35% of the game of golf is with only one club, the putter. Hours are spent in driver and iron selection and little time is devoted to the putter selection. Why so little time in putter selection? It is the most important club in the bag. Many missed putts are blamed on the player’s form – the truth is the putter probably compromised the stroke. Needless strokes are lost.

 

Most putters will fail one or both of the simple check tests. The first is the spin test. With the grip pointing down, hold the putter just below the head between the palms. Spin the club. The more waggle it has the more unbalanced it is. The second test is the push test. Place the end of the grip on the floor and hold the club with one hand just below the head. With a finger of the free hand, push where the “sweet spot” is marked. If the head moves there is no real “sweet spot.” If the putter fails one or even both, how is the putt going to be accurate?

 

Having a balanced putter with a true sweet spot has a major impact on the quality of the putting stroke. Striking the ball on the putter’s sweet spot ensures complete energy is transferred and on the desired line. The putter should be a foundation to build a sound putting game and not a variable. Concentration should lie on the speed, slope of the breaks, greens condition, and length. Confidence will be gained by having a reliable club at set-up.

 

Many putters at address will torque away from the ball. The stroke will be unnatural and will be hit off-line. A putter should be balanced to allow for a smooth stroke through the ball. Making one less in a few holes saves those strokes and improves the score. In the extreme case, making one less putt on each hole saves eighteen strokes. In most cases, a player having a balanced putter will see an eight percent decrease in score in the first round.

 

For more information about putter design visit ARC Golf Tech at www.arcgolftech.com.

 

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/a-major-cause-in-missed-putts-is-actually-the-putter-itself-1056869.html

Golf Tips a Beginner Must Know

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Are you interested in golfing? If you are interested in the game and you are planning to start playing it. Then here are a few golf tips beginner must know.

One, you have to the right stance. This is very important when it comes to swinging your club. This is the solid base that you are going to rotate from and is the core of your swing. Having the right stance will give you a solid foundation upon which your swing is constructed.  This will also help you maintain balance when swinging. If you are unbalanced, this will lead to an irregular and uneven swing. This will lead to you having difficulty in hitting good long straight shots.

A good stance is when your feet should be shoulder width apart. But, you can also have them slightly closer or wider apart depending on your preference. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable. The ball should be in line with the middle of your feet. And, place the club behind the ball. This is the basic structure of the stance.

Two, you will need to buy the right set of equipment. If you are just beginning with the game, do not buy an expensive and fancy golf set. You might end up buying the wrong set of equipment for you. Many people always have the wrong impression that they must have 14 clubs all the time. But, this is not true because 14 is just the maximum amount of clubs that people are allowed to have especially in golf competition. And, for people who are starting out, fewer clubs are usually better.

Golfers usually need to have wood clubs in their bags. There are different types of wood clubs. There are the driver, the 3-wood club and the 5-wood club. So, you have to be able to determine, which club you can hit the best out of the three. You also have to determine what long iron club that you can hit best with. There are usually 3-6 types of irons.

Similar with the wood club, you also have to choose one that suits you.  You also have to choose between the 7-9 short iron clubs. After choosing clubs that suits you, discard the other clubs from your bags and just play with clubs that you can hit best with. And, you need wedges and a putter for your set.

And lastly, golf tips for beginners must know is that they have to take lessons from a professional and then practice what you have learned. You must bear in mind that it will take many lessons and practice for you to be able to hit just one club well in your golf club. For beginners, fewer clubs are better because it means fewer clubs to learn. More clubs usually takes a long time to learn and this can be quite frustrating.

In addition, good golf tips beginner includes instructional videos as well.

Tom is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys participating in a variety of sports and activities. For information on how to play golf for beginners, visit his website today. http://www.squidoo.com/howtoplaygolfbetter
By T. Houser

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/golf-tips-a-beginner-must-know-1056883.html

Some Tips for Beginner Golfing

Monday, July 20th, 2009

Golf is becoming a popular sport nowadays. Why not? This sport can be rewarding though frustrating but it is highly addictive. If you are interested to play this game, beginner golfing is not that difficult.

People who are so excited to play golf usually make a mistake of rushing out and buying a brand new set of shiny and expensive golf clubs. Though, this is very nice to look at but if you want to play golf, you have to keep in mind that golf equipment comes in many varieties depending on a person’s golfing types and abilities.

You have to be careful in choosing the set that you buy as you’ll get stuck with the set you bought. Well, unless you have enough money to buy another set that is. Or, you will be forced to sell it to somebody else at a loss. Thus, if you really feel the need to own clubs, it is much better if you buy a half set first. A half site comprises of five irons, perhaps two woods, and a putter. Irons are usually the numbers 3,5,7,9, and wedge.

Another alternative for you is to hire clubs instead of buying clubs. This will enable you to try out a few different ones. Another alternative for you is to borrow one or two clubs from your friend. For beginner golfing, the nine irons or the wedge are usually the best clubs to start. You can practice with it to get a feel of hitting the ball in the air and should be fairly straightforward.

Another alternative for you is to buy second hand clubs. Pro shops and driving ranges usually sell these items. They can also offer you advice and will even let you try out some clubs. You can also try asking people at the driving range, you will eventually find people who have another set of clubs because they made a mistake of buying a wrong one.  But, when you are buying clubs, always make sure that you try it out first before buying. And, only buy clubs that fits you! Before buying clubs, you have to have a basic understanding on which club suits you well. And, most importantly, do not buy expensive brands when you are just starting out.

You can get lessons from plenty of people at the range. They can teach you secrets about golf. But, it would be better if you go to a professional when learning golf. Certified golf professionals are the only people who are qualified to teach you how to play the game. But, this can cost you money but this can be a very good investment if you are really serious about the game. The usual cost for a lesson is usually $25 to $40 per 45 minutes. If you want a discount, you can opt for group bookings instead of individual bookings. Lastly, be sure that you practice, practice and more practice!

Another option for beginner golfing is to watch instructional golf videos. These can be helpful for any level of golfer.

Tom is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys participating in a variety of sports and activities. For information on how to play golf better, visit his website today. http://www.squidoo.com/howtoplaygolfbetter
By T. Houser

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/some-tips-for-beginner-golfing-1053847.html

Why Not The Pro?

Monday, July 20th, 2009

Every program on the golf channel and every article in any golf magazine ends by saying: “Go see your PGA professional for assistance with this idea.” This means go $pend money and time to $upport your local pro.

Now the local pro is a nice person who cares about golf. I consider two of them my own friends. Still I have never taken a lesson, and many of you won’t either. Why?

First on the list is co$t. A single lesson is not going to cost that much. Yes, but most of us don’t have such a narrow focus on our problem and don’t take coaching so well that one lesson is going to solve our problem.

The question becomes how many lessons will it take to really improve your game? How much money ($) are you committing to this idea with no idea what the outcome will be? With that comes the commitment to attend all those lessons and to work on the pro’s suggestions during your time between sessions.

Where is that additional time going to come from? Are you really going to follow through? How good are you at taking coaching? Did you enjoy gym class? Did you participate in organized sports? Is this going to be fun or is it going to be more like going back to school?

One thing you’re going to have to understand is the pro is being paid to stand there. They are going to try to give you your money$ worth. They will toss out one correction after another almost as fast as you can think. It is difficult to make one or two swings with one thought in mind and then have a new one thrown out. One or two swings later and a third and fourth thought are added. Now what was that first thought again.

After a half hour you’ll wonder what is it I am trying to do? Do you like many people want one or two ideas and then time to practice with those before trying to add more changes?

Next on the list is embarrassment. Even in private lessons, do you really want to face the pro and display how little progress you’re making? Did you watch the Haney Project with Charles Barkley on the golf channel? It takes a lot of courage to let others see you struggle. How about in group lessons? We are amateurs, but we still have our pride.

Time to practice is difficult for most of us to find. With a set lesson schedule already taking time, when are you going to find time to practice what the pro has shown you? Have you ever watched children trying to learn to play a musical instrument. Mom has to force practice time, who is going to do that for you?

Which swing are you going to learn? On tour most pros look very similar. The odd player like John Daly or Jim Furyk is easy to spot. The traditional golf swing is very complex and takes quite a while to learn. These people have constant coaching and tons of practice time. Is this really the swing you need to model? PGA pros learn a single swing and a single teaching method. Is this the right one for you?

There are many alternate swing philosophies and mechanics. Some are being explored by the pros and being taught by individual instructors. How are you going to find a useful method and instruction?

Unless you happen to live next to a very flexible pro, you are going to have to learn from books, videos, and swing aides. Unless you enjoy spending hours in classes and on the range, you are going to have to learn by practicing at home and then developing your swing on the golf course. I have always preferred to spend my time playing while I practiced swing improvements.

Fortunately almost any proven method will help improve your swing and score as long as you practice it frequently. Choose something you can work on at home and that only takes a few minutes at a time. Repeat the method until it feels natural. Now step out on the course and just enjoy any improvement you see. When you go back home continue to read, watch video, and practice. You will improve with every trip you make to the golf course.

Remember don’t try to make the whole book or video real in one session. The golf swing is complex. If you try to master the whole thing at once, you will frustrate yourself. Have patience and enjoy this great game. For suggestions about books, videos, and swing aides see my web site. Also please visit to see my thoughts about clubs, short game shots, strategy, and course management.

Http://www.fix-my-slice.com

I am an amatuer golfer, an internet marketer, and a Deming Master.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/why-not-the-pro-1051190.html

Order Golf Checks

Sunday, July 19th, 2009

Business checks are an important purchase for every business. No business wants to find themselves out of checks. Running out of business checks can bring any company to a grinding stop.

Business checks are offered by most banks and many other companies. Any company that wants to stay in business for a long time knows it is important to spend money wisely and that means not overspending for resources, including business checks.

Many businesses are finding it faster, easier and less expensive to order their business checks from online resources such as Carousel.

Being able to order business checks online makes it easy to order checks any time of the day, or even at night after a long day at work. Online business check ordering puts you in control of when, how and what checks you order.

For some businesses, the checks they order are simple, while for other businesses, they want their business checks to either match the company’s colors, if any, or perhaps contain the company’s logo, etc.

The business checks ordered will be dependent on the specific needs of the company and using Carousel Checks makes it easy to find the right checks at the right price. The safety and price are added bonuses when buying business checks through Carousel Checks.

Once Carousel Checks provides you with fast, high quality business checks it becomes easy to reorder the checks anytime you need them. The peace of mind of knowing that you can get checks quickly and from a reliable source helps businesses know that they will never find themselves in the position of needing checks and not having them.

Because Carousel Checks knows that businesses, like individuals, want to order checks securely, the website utilizes the highest levels of security in order to ensure that every order is safe and the financial information remains confidential.

For businesses, large or small, having sufficient business on hand is important in order to keep their business moving along. Business checks from Carousel Checks are always safe to order, fast, reliable and of the highest quality.

Carousel Checks partners with clients in order to provide each personal client and business client exactly what they need, when they need it. The proven history of Carousel Checks makes us the choice of many businesses and individuals for all of their check needs.

Carousel Checks is committed to providing you with the highest quality products. We are enthusiasts at heart, and we know our customers are passionate about what they do.

We have focused on specialty items that you will not find with other check printers. All of our designs are copyrighted and/or licensed from the particular artist, amusement park, or company.

We are here for you, the customer. If you have any questions about your order please contact us, and we will be happy to assist you in whatever way possible that we can.

click the link to order

http://tinyurl.com/lefltl

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/order-golf-checks-1049624.html

Tiger Woods and the Green Jacket Mystique

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

The media’s buildup to the Masters has begun, and Tiger Woods was asked Friday after his second round of Bay Hill about the mystique of owning one of the most unique prizes in sports: the Green Jacket. He has four of them, but hasn’t won at Augusta National since 2005. Here’s his exhange with reporters:

Q. I just wondered if you could tell a good green jacket story. I mean, there was that story about how you fell asleep with it on or holding it, and I’m just trying to get a sense of –

TIGER WOODS: I didn’t fall asleep.

Q. Passed out?

TIGER WOODS: Thank you (laughter).

Q. For example, did you know when you won that you were allowed to take the jacket home with you for the year?

TIGER WOODS: Uh-huh.

Q. And what exactly did happen?

TIGER WOODS: Well, I remember the guys who have won, they’ve always said the jacket shrinks over the years. I don’t know if it actually shrinks. Golf clubs are vital for this and I have better one. Guys just might fill out a little bit more (laughter). So yeah, my jacket is just a touch big.

Q. It still is?

TIGER WOODS: Still is, yeah, still is a little bit big. It always feels good to put it on, even though it is a touch big.

Q. It’s a 46L if I remember?

TIGER WOODS: No, it’s 44L.

Q. When you go back to the club, the last time you do or whatever, beyond Masters week, do you have it on then?

TIGER WOODS: No, I would never wear it. The only time we wear it is for the champions’ dinner. Even if I win the tournament and I have it home in my closet, I never put it on.

Q. Has it been outside your house ever, either in ‘97, ‘01, ‘02, ‘05?

TIGER WOODS: No, it’s just kind of nice to wake up in the morning, put your clothes on and see this green jacket sitting there and then off you go to start your day.

Q. I know it’s a simple explanation, but why does it have such a mystique of all the trophies you get in golf with your golf equipment?

TIGER WOODS: I think it’s just so different. As champions you get the clubhouse trophy with everyone’s signature on it, which is pretty cool. But I think it’s just the history of it, just that everyone has worn a green jacket, and you go in that locker room — I think that’s it more than anything. It’s more symbolic than anything else. But being able to go into that locker room and to hang out when Mr. Nelson was alive and Mr. Sarazen was alive, Mr. Snead, to be able to hang out with those guys and have them tell you story after story after story.

I remember my first champions’ dinner, I’m hosting it in ‘98, and I’m sitting next to Ben Crenshaw and Mr. Nelson. So we start talking about how you hold a club and blah blah blah. At the time I was changing my grip a little bit, and Mr. Nelson says, “This is how I hold it.” We have knives out. “This is how I hold it. Back in 1934 I changed it to this,” and I’m thinking, ‘34, that’s a long time ago. And Ben says, “No, you’ve got to hold it like a dove” and the whole deal and the feel and the flow. He’s got a knife in his hand. That was pretty neat.

To me that’s more special than anything else, to be able to go into the champions’ locker room and the champions’ dinner, to hear the stories of a bygone era.

Sarfaraz Khan with The Sports HQ provides you reliable details to choosing ladies golf clubs

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/tiger-woods-and-the-green-jacket-mystique-1048003.html

Keeping Your Confidence High Whilst Learning to Play Golf – Part 2

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

Yes, there are easier and there are more difficult ways of creating a great shot. Yes, there is an optimal technique. BUT ONLY IF YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE IN IT. As Henry Ford said “If you think you can or you think you can’t you are probably right”. The moral of this story is that if you feel that you have over-dosed on technique to the degree that your confidence has gone, take a sabbatical from technique and concentrate on simply hitting the ball towards your target, whilst keeping the club face square.

It’s amazing how frequently a golfer is not aware of ball flight and where the club face was at impact in order to have created a particular shot. And any golfer, just by becoming aware of how side spin is created, has the power to change what they are doing and truly take control of the club, and in this way they will RETAIN THEIR CONFIDENCE.

It is well known that children “have minds like sponges”, that they find it easier to learn and that it gets increasingly more difficult to learn as you get older. This is because up until the age of 7, during the imprinting period of development, the subconscious mind is completely open to suggestion. And from then to the age of 12, the modeling period, the conscious mind is forming, and after that the conscious mind filters everything before it is assimilated into the subconscious.

Trainee golfers may have beliefs about whether they are good or not at sport, or golf, or good or not at learning – but these are just beliefs, nothing more. There is no need to be held back by limiting beliefs. Everyone has the power to choose to change beliefs no matter how deep rooted they are. All individuals have a body and a mind which has a similar physiology and neurology as the best golfers in the world. Athletic literature is full of examples of athletes who have excelled because of their internal desire, rather than the physical attributes such as size, strength, power or speed. There are tall golfers and short golfers, male and female golfers, young and old golfers. It is not age or body shape which prescribes ability. It is your mind which makes the difference. What the mind can perceive, the mind can believe and the mind can achieve.

Everyone has the ability to play golf well. The most important thing for a golfer is to set your own goals, and enjoy your golf – it’s a game and golf should be fun.

Unfortunately many people overlook this fact, and allow worries and fears to get in their way. Fear is something which we learn through experience. Fear of embarrassment and fear of failure result in many adults not even attempting to learn a new task. Returning to the subject of children, we are not born with fear. Think about when a baby learns to walk. How many times does that baby teeter along and then fall, and then try again, and fall over again and try again, until eventually they can walk? If that child was worried about embarrassing him or herself, would they have learnt to walk? A baby will persevere time and time again, and has absolute trust that they will be able to learn that skill – otherwise they would not learn that skill.

The most important factor to grasp here is that what other people think doesn’t matter…but what you think does. And having confidence in what you are doing as you play golf will dictate the outcome of your shots.

Roseanna Leaton, specialist in golf hypnosis cds and hypnosis mp3 downloads.

http://www.RoseannaLeaton.com

With a degree in psychology and qualifications in hypnotherapy, NLP and sports psychology, and a great passion for golf, Roseanna Leaton is one of the leading golf psychologists. You can get a free hypnosis download from http://www.RoseannaLeaton.com and view the GolferWithin golf hypnosis cds and hypnosis downloads.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/keeping-your-confidence-high-whilst-learning-to-play-golf-part-2-1046566.html

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