30 | July 2017 #juniorgolfmag Visit us at juniorgolfmag.net “A rrrrgh! I could have shot a great round today if only I had…” You complete this exasperating sentence with any number of excuses. How many times have we all said it? Our usual response is to return to the range to hit more balls. Sure, hitting more balls might make us feel better, but it probably isn’t the answer. We all leave strokes out there on the course. I call those strokes the “gap” between what is and what could be. Although ball striking is critical to scoring well, many other factors can be even more important. As an elite competitive golfer, you work hard to improve your physical golf abilities. Your “outer game” swing technique and your ball-striking skills determine your scoring potential. However, your “inner game” mental and emotional skills determine wheth- er you can achieve that potential. So, how can you score closer to your potential more often? Here are five keys to becoming what I call a Golf MasterMind® : 1. Stay motivated to reach your dreams. A Golf MasterMind has a deep inner motivation driven by inspiration, desire, dedication and dreams. Motivation means that you will do whatever is necessary to learn, improve and achieve your fullest po- tential. It also means that you are resilient and mentally tough, allowing you to handle pressure, setbacks and failures and still keep reaching to achieve your goals. 2. Gain a deep, true understanding of your skills. A Golf MasterMind knows his or her ball control abilities with every club, in many different situations and conditions. These include perfect fairway lies, tight lies, rough and uneven ground, as well as external factors such as weather and play- ing under pressure or handling distractions. 3. Match your strategy to your skills and abilities. A Golf MasterMind develops a strategy for every hole that takes advantage of his or her game. You need to discard your ego when it comes to dissecting a golf course. You must also be able to revise your strategy “on the fly” as you play each shot. Strategy requires that you know your own strengths and weaknesses so that you can develop the best plan of attack for every hole and make good decisions for you. 4. Develop your focus “on-off switch.” A Golf MasterMind can focus intently on the task when it is time to hit his or her golf ball, then relax between shots. It is impos- sible for anyone to remain focused for the entire time it takes to play 18 holes, so you must be able to turn your focus on and off when needed. Focus also includes emotion- al management and your ability to accept errors and mistakes on the golf course. You don’t have to like every shot, but you must accept those things that you cannot control and move on to your next challenge. Academy instructors teach mastery of the game at every level Be a Golf MasterMind BY RICK HEARD THE MENTAL GAME 5. Lastly, you must have confidence in your game. A Golf MasterMind possesses an unshakable belief in his or her ability to perform. This confidence comes from competence across the four just mentioned keys: you are motivated to succeed and you persevere and remain optimistic; you un- derstand the abilities you possess; you fol- low your strategic plan of attack, according to your physical and mental skills; and you focus on each shot, accepting the outcome and giving every swing your best effort. None of these keys to peak performance re- quire that you hit more range balls or change your swing. Instead, these are about making the most of the swing you have, each time you play. Of course, you can and should work on your technique and improve your ball-striking and ball control abilities. And, as your skills and abilities improve, so should your strategy, focus and confidence. Rick Heard is a PGA Teaching Professional, the author of “The Golf MasterMind” and co-owner of the Don Law Golf Academy in Boca Raton, Florida. † Golf MasterMind is a registered trademark of Rick Heard. Your “outer game” swing technique and your ball-striking skills determine your scoring potential. However, your “inner game” mental and emotional skills determine whether you can achieve that potential.