Don’t get mad - get smart.

This month I am going to talk about when your game goes to pieces. The problem seems to get worse on every shot and you are ready to walk off the course. The reason the wheels have started to fall off is that your mind has begun to play tricks on you. You look back at the series of bad shots you’ve hit, and you then project into the future that the bad shots are going to continue and they do. Here’s how to break this destructive cycle.

Lose the aggressive style - when things are going bad you try to hit drives harder and aim for the impossible pin placements. Play to your strengths and handicap.

Use the five second rule – evaluate what you did right or wrong for five seconds after the shot. Once the time is up move on it is in the past.

Create your thinking circle – When setting up to the ball, line up your shot from behind the ball. This space is where you think about the shot required and that one swing thought in your mind, whether it is turning the hips, grip width etc. Once you have addressed the ball leave the rest of the jumble in your back in the thinking circle and just hit the ball.

Ignore golf between shots - between shots, shut down your golf brain and talk about a different topic. Clear the mine of negative golf.

To find some inner rhythm to play good golf learn how to do these skills:

Learn how to breathe – take slow deep breaths

Count your steps – Count out your steps to serve as an internal metronome that will even out your rhythm as you play.

Visualise the course – Take some time before the round to visualise how you’d like to play each hole or study the course guide if playing the course for the first time.

Watch the group ahead – After a few holes you will know how fast the group ahead is playing. If the group is slow, walk slower between shots and do some practice swings when waiting to keep the mind from getting slow and annoyed at the slow group.

Stretch during the round – lightly stretch the legs, arms, rotator cuffs and back. This will do wonders for your ability to relax over each shot.

Stretching on the tee box

Haikou Invitational Pro Am update:

Humid and hot temperatures greeted ninety players from all over Australia in the province of Hainan Island, “The Hawaii of China” south of Hong Kong. The Island having just allowed foreign visitors to its shores only in the last ten years, is a tourist mecca for Asian Tourists.

The format of play consisted of one professional and three amateurs playing individual and team 4BBB. Playing partners that I had the privilege to spend the week with where resort members, Dylan Herrick, Vivienne Stevens and Jean Trowell. West Coast Golf Club was the host club being presented in immaculate condition with lush fairways, fast undulating greens and US open rough around the greens and fairways.

The Le Meilleur team faired well, coming in third in the overall 4BBB with scores of 44, 48 and 47 points over 54 holes. Individually Dylan came third in the nett scores playing off a four handicap. Vivienne taking out third round honors with a great round of 38pts. Jean won the nearest the pin, with all taking home crystal trophies and some hard earned Chinese Reniminbi vouchers.

Overall the week was enjoyed by all with future events scheduled in Asia. For more information log onto the website www.enjoythehit.com