Just Imagine . . . The Perfect Shot

When Doug went to see his sports psychologist the other day, he asked about visualizing his shot. He had read about the importance of standing behind his ball and visualizing a shot, seeing the balls' flight and watching it land and roll to the target.

But Doug had also been working on learning imagery and knew that visualization was only one kind of imagery.Doug wondered if he could improve his practice routine by doing imagery instead of just visualization.

Doug was asking about an Interactive Imagerysm technique called, "Ideal Model." This is an image that lets your body/mind know exactly what it is that you want to have happen, in any situation.

You have probably heard golf pros describe how they imagine a shot before they make it. Many of them will use the word imagine rather than visualize because they have learned to add more sensory information into the process. The more information your body/mind gets the more powerfully it can create the outcome you want.

Better golfers include many details into the ideal model of the shot they are creating in their minds. Maybe it would be helpful to know what it is really like. Here's one example of an ideal model of a golf shot:

You're walking up to your second shot on a long par 5. You're not Tiger Woods so you aren't expecting to put it on the green, but you do want to put yourself in position for your best chipping or pitching distance.

Your first thought about this ideal shot is to notice the total distance to the green and to decide how far you want your shot to go.

You look at your lie, is it sitting up or is it in a divot? On grass or hardpan, is it lying flat, uphill, downhill, or sidehill? You figure in the wind, think about the roll you've been getting on these fairways, notice the position of hazards and confidently choose a club that will give you the distance you want.

It is important to feel confident in your club selection because any ambivalence you experience in your mind will be immediately translated into your body.

When you feel unsure about something then the message to your body is confused and the resulting swing won't be trusted.

Always it is your beliefs that create your feelings and your feelings that create your behavior--even your golf swing is defined by your beliefs! Even beliefs in your imagination!

Your beliefs start in your subconscious as a notion about a preference or something you want. Then the notion moves to your conscious mind to figure out how to go about fulfilling the desire. Usually your first intuitive decision about club selection is the best because it comes from the second language of the brain, imagery. Imagery is the direct language of both the body and the subconcious.

Ambivalence about what you are doing always creates some need to try harder. When you try you tighten up and try to guide or control the flight of the ball rather than trusting your body to create the swing that will give you the results you want. Trying is always the opposite of trust. The zone is a state of perfect trust.

Once you've made your club selection then you can imagine the swing you will make to produce the results you want. As you continue to stand behind the ball, and before you even take the club into your hand, imagine making the swing.

Pretend you are standing over your ball with the club in your hands and invite yourself to experience the swing in your imagination. Do you make a full swing, or only to about 10 o'clock?

Experience your hands and arms, the muscles in your shoulders, and legs as they work together efficiently and smoothly to produce the swing you want.

Notice the feeling of the club as you imagine the Just Right grip pressure.

Notice how comfortably your feet are planted and the incredible feeling of balance you experience throughout your swing. Feel the stretch of the follow-through and the pleasure you feel as you stand poised watching your ball fly straight and true to the target.

There's nothing like it!!

As you watch the balls' flight in your imagination allow yourself also to be aware of any other sensory impressions that are present. Do you hear the swish of the club head, the solid sound of connection as club-head meets the ball? What about the whoosh of the ball as it leaves the ground? Do you notice birds singing, cars driving by, or spectators oohing and ahhing around you?

Are there aromas in the air? Flowers, pine scent, fresh air? How about the warm feeling of the sun on your back or the gentle breeze ruffling through your hair?

When you actively use your imagination in a purposeful and skillful manner you encourage your body/mind to get the full idea of what you want.

How present are you in your imagination? The more of your senses that are active in a perfect imaginary shot the more accurately your body/mind can reproduce the exact outcome you want.

IMAGINE THE IDEAL SHOT! AND MORE OF THE TIME YOU WILL EXPERIENCE IT!

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Dr. Paula King, Golf's "Head" Coach®, is a licensed sports psychologist in private practice in Phoenix. Specializing in work with golfers her clients include tour pros, juniors and amateurs. Comments or Questions?