Have you ever found yourself out on the golf course in a difficult position and not known what to do? Like being stuck on a downhill lie and not remembering what to do? My club is a flat parkland course and very often when players go to other courses which are hilly, they find themselves with uneven lies and become confused, unsure on how to play the shot. Typically when faced with a situation like the one mentioned, we tend to use our left-side brain thinking, the logical aspect of the mind. Running through the analysis in our head and trying desperately to remember the correct set up and ball position to play this type of shot. For some golfers this can induce a mild panic, causing the mind to flood with cortisone, the stress hormone, making it difficult to think properly and to recall how to set up If you find yourself in this position, why not try this tactic instead? Don't fight the situation by placing yourself under stress, instead go with the flow and revert to right-side brain thinking. Simply set up slightly away from the ball in the same plane as if to take the shot and take a practice swing, trying to take a small divot in the process. Once you've taken a practice swing, take a look at the divot that has been created. Where is it? Is it in front of the ball or behind? If it's in front of the ball you're angle of attack is too shallow, which will cause you to thin the ball, making it difficult to control the flight. To confirm this thinking, amend your set-up so that you change your angle of attack and take another practice swing, notice where the divot is now. Repeat this process, until you see your divot being in the right position to strike the ball. Using the right-side mind keeps you creative and in control, reducing the likely hood of panic setting in. This exercise only takes a few seconds to give you the feedback you need, to enable you to strike the ball with confidence. Remove the fear and doubt from difficult lies, don't fight it, go with it and stay mentally strong in your game. Please don't forget to repair your divots after, otherwise you'll be creating stress for others
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