To see how important it is to learn to relax while playing golf, you only need to look at a professional. Learning this basic skill involves two elements. Both of them are equally important.
Relaxing your mind is the first part. Relaxing your body is the second. You will be able to strike the ball more precisely and farther if you are able relax your body. You will be able overcome distractions and focus on your task better, which can lead to amazing results.
Learning how to relax while playing golf is one of six essential aspects of Golf Swing Basics.
RELATED: MIND
The most important skill to possess while playing golf is to be able to relax or have peace of mind. This ability is also a result of relaxation techniques before and during a round.
One of my favorites scriptures from the Bible is Isaiah 26.3. It states that a calm (relaxed mind) is possible only if you have a stayed mind. That mind is one that trusts in a positive outcome. When we can only focus on ONE thing at a moment, our mind will relax. How can you stay calm and relaxed while playing golf? You must focus on a series of different things.
Your focus should be on the target. Next, visualize how your ball will travel to get there. Remember that your target may not be the exact point you want it to land at due to winds, slopes, and other course conditions.
You must then shift your focus for a while to what the best club selection is for you intended ball pathway.
Your club selection will determine the length of your planned swing. Next, you must determine the best position for your setup. Then, you must focus on THE BALL, when your swing is complete.
You can do these things in a progression and you will not think of anything else while playing a round.
RELATED: THE BODY
Stretching before playing or practicing is a great way to learn how to relax while golfing. You can perform many different exercises before you play a round. Before you play your first hole, you should do some of these. These can be done whenever you feel like you’re getting tighter during a round.
Ever tried to drive a nail into the board by using an extremely tight grip? Isn’t that time-consuming and difficult? You can hammer nails into boards faster and more easily by relaxing your grip with the hammer.
The same principle of relaxing your grip when you are playing golf will allow you to hit the ball further and more consistently. If you are holding the golf club in your hands, someone should be able slide it from your hands very easily.
Consider your body as the fulcrum of a whip. Your shoulders should also be more open and flexible, as a whip gets closer to its tip. You can see that the pros are not swinging as hard as they do on TV. Their club head speeds, ball distances and ball speed are far higher than the average player’s.
It is important to breathe deeply before you begin to swing. Avoid holding your breath while you swing. This will cause your muscles to contract. This principle has been used in many other sports such as martial arts.