Playing golf is more than being a good player technically, there are other aspects to consider and one of those is the mental side of the sport. It is surprising how many golfers neglect the mental aspect of golf and one component of the mental approach is body language.
Why is body language important on the golf course?
Studies have shown that posture affects your hormone levels and this has an impact on your mood. You may have heard of Testosterone and this is a hormone in the body which is higher when we are feeling confident or assertive.
However, all too often in the modern world you will see people looking down at their mobile phones, even when they are walking in the street. If they did not have the phone in their hand, what would you think their posture suggests in comparison to someone walking around with their shoulders back and head held high?
If you watch the top golfers on the European and PGA Tour, you can see their body language between shots. Walking between shots makes up much of your time on the golf course and if you watch the top professional players, they are never walking to their ball slumped over, with their head down looking towards the floor.
Even when Rory McIlroy has hit a poor shot, he walks towards his ball with his head held high and shoulders back, maintaining a confident frame. Doing this helps players feel dominant and promotes confidence and control.
That doesn’t mean you should be striding between shots as if you have just won the Open Championship, showing off to your playing group. It’s a quiet demeanour but one which shows you are feeling good and confident about the next shot you are going to play.
It is easy to hit the ball in the rough and slowly walk towards your ball with your head down thinking about the mistake you just made. However, this will only serve to drag your mood down further and could have a negative impact on your next shot.
Even if you are not feeling great about the shot you just played, fake it. Just pretend you have hit a great shot and your ball is on the middle of the fairway. In this situation, you would be walking to your ball with a smile on your face and chest puffed out at the thought of what you just did and what is about to come.
If you are not feeling confident about your next shot, make your body look confident and you will be surprised at how this improves your overall mood and golf.
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