As the parent of a junior golfer, I have often witnessed my son, as well as many of his friends have a problem with their focus and concentration. In golf, keeping your mind on the game is a big part of how to maximize your talents. Shooting a low score is all about physical and MENTAL skills. While I am not a golf professional, I have been around the game enough to have picked up some valuable mental tips.
Tip #1: Break the round up. Play three holes at a time. In golf, sometimes your junior player will lose their concentration right after they have a bad hole. They believe once the bad hole happens, it will destroy their overall score. Instead of worrying about a nine hole or eighteen hole score, set a goal for three holes. If the first three holes are a par 4, then par 3, then par 5, maybe your first three hole goal will be to shoot a 14 (or two over after 3). After these three holes, set another goal for the next three holes, and so on..This will help keep your junior player focused.
Tip #2: Caddy for your player. That's right... Mom or Dad needs to be the caddy for the day. In golf, you have to "think" your way around the golf course. Many times, junior players are just too anxious. They walk up to the ball and just hit it. No thought is given to the situation. As their caddy, you discuss each shot with them. "what club to you think you should use," "where do you want this shot to land," "what about the bunker on the left," etc... Have a discussion with your player about each shot. This will help keep their mind on the game.
Tip #3: In golf, you improve your score a little bit at a time. Baby steps. Don't expect your junior player to go from a score of 90 to an 80 overnight. Instead, ask your player to set a goal of improving one stroke at a time. Imagine if you start the golf season out shooting a 93 for eighteen holes. Each day you set a goal of improving just one stroke. Some days you will achieve that goal, some days you won't. But, by the end of the summer, you could certainly be shooting in the low to mid 80's. If you ask your junior player to do this, everyday they go out to play, they will have a reachable goal. They won't just be going out to "goof around." This will help them to stay focused and concentrate on each shot. In golf, it's all about the next shot. Don't worry about the shots you just hit, and certainly don't worry about the holes yet to come.
Tip #4: Add some "extra interest" to the game. When you have your player out on the course, throw in some extra incentive. "If you shoot a 45 on this nine holes, we'll go get ice cream after the round," "get a par on this hole and you can play your video game an extra 1/2 hour tonight," etc... Ok, so maybe bribery is not the best idea, but it works when used in moderation and for the purposes of having fun.
In golf, concentration and focus is a big part of the game. The quicker your junior player learns to master this concept, the better their game will become.
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