Top 7 Golf Mental Game Mistakes You Should Avoid

Whether you are a beginner at golf or a veteran player, you may find your game improving if you notice and counter the following seven mental mistakes. These errors are quite common among golfers of all levels, so take stock of your own technique and make changes if necessary.

Lifting of the head

Do you lift your head while your shot is being made? If you do so even half a second before the ball has taken off, you are compromising on the accuracy of your shot. Make a point of keeping your head down a full second after you have connected the ball to counter this bad habit.

Lifting of the knees

Your golf address should start with slightly bent knees. If you straighten your knees on the upswing, it means that you are subconsciously trying to lift the ball during contact. Avoid doing this at all costs. The club is designed to initiate the lift so that you don’t have to.

Scooping of the ball

A similar error is an attempt to try and scoop the ball so that more height is attained. This will almost always result in either a slice or a fat shot. Again, your clubface will do all of the ‘heavy lifting’, so concentrate on your stroke technique and let your club do the rest.

Over-thinking the shot

Sometimes golfers lose their confidence because they feel they have not practiced a certain shot enough to pull it off. Or they think it is too hard and that they have to really concentrate on the shot ad nauseam. But some shots just need to be approached with instinct rather than too much thought—so don’t over-think difficult shots.

Aiming for the ball

Aim for the grass instead of the ball. Your clubface should skim the top of the grass. Stop focusing so much on the ball and rather pretend that it’s not there.

Convincing yourself of your aim

Our minds can play silly tricks on us. If you think your feet are aimed in the right direction, check again—slowly this time. You’ll often find you are aiming too far right and a slice is sure to follow.

Seeing obstacles

If there are obstacles in your way, try to ignore them as best you can. Imagine that there is nothing but a clear path to victory before you. If you focus too much on bunkers and water hazards, you are likely to land your ball in them.