The hole you hate

THE HOLE YOU HATE

Playing a hole you hate can send your scores soaring. You might hate a certain hole because it doesn’t set up to your eye or because it challenges your weaknesses. Don’t worry, because you have options:

• Play a different shot. For example hit a 3-wood off the tee instead of your driver.

• Remember a similar type of hole you’ve played well to boost your confidence.

• Use visualization to focus on what you want to do instead of fearing what you don’t want to do.

VERBALIZE YOUR SHOT

A common technique used by Tour professionals during their preshot routine is visualization. By imagining their shot’s shape, they see a clear picture of the shot they intend to play. This “mental rehearsal” promotes focused, confident decisions—and that leads to good shots.



Unfortunately many amateur golfers have a hard time pulling this off. While some see where they want the ball to end up, they don’t see the path of the entire shot. If this sounds like you, or if you have trouble visualizing your shot, then verbally describe the shot you want to hit. For instance, tell yourself, “I’m hitting the driver toward that palm tree with a 10-yard draw, and it will roll past the bunker on the left.” Saying it out loud will help you create pictures and clarify the shot shape. Another benefit is that it places your focus on what you want to do, not what you don’t want to do.