What a tangled web we golfers weave as we progress through our golfing journeys, bouncing from the euphoria of our career defining low rounds to the depths of despair following an unbelievably high number.

Metaphorically speaking that is!!

ALL of that opening paragraph is metaphor and yet is probably struck a chord with you as you read it. It’s not the scores we shoot that frustrate us, it’s the inconsistently and the huge gap between our very best and our shockingly poor efforts. Wouldn’t you agree?

If you’ve read my other posts, you’ll notice that much of my writing is in the form of metaphor. From the maps we follow, to setting your golfing compass, to the snow globe and following false beliefs….it’s all metaphorical.

And that’s not because I’ve learned advanced language patterning, or because I understand the psychology of influence (even though that helps big time) it’s because we all express ourselves metaphorically, on and off the golf course.

Which got me thinking; if we use metaphor to describe our game , maybe those inconsistencies have more to do with the actual description we apply to our games rather than the ability we’re describing. So, here’s my take on my first venture into this subject, the domain of metaphorical putting. Stand by to think like someone else.

Quick piece of back story to bring you all up to speed. I’ve been working with a local pro here in the UK who tee to green has been very solid but the putting…..well…..need I say more! His ‘pattern’ of  putts were consistently coming up short over and over again and it made no difference whether it was a 15 or 4 footer. Understandably he was getting incredibly down on himself, lots of chances but very poor percentage of conversion. He felt like he had no chance even before he teed it up on the 1^st.

Step in some ‘metaphorical putting’!

After some discussion it became very clear that the reason he believed was responsible for his poor putting, was the weight of expectation he felt whilst standing over them. Interesting…but doesn’t every ball slow down naturally if weight is applied to it?? What if the cause of his poor putting was down to the metaphor he was attaching to it…..what if?

So, we changed the metaphorical description around his putting and amazingly, the putting improved instantly, both in pace control and line. Even more powerful for me as his coach, was that his feedback contained the words ‘freer’ and ‘lighter’ and ‘as if a weight had been lifted off him’. Wow! What if the weight of expectation had literally been slowing the ball and now he’d reframed the belief, the lighter weight allowed the ball to roll easier.

He’s now been putting with a new metaphor attached to his ball for around a month and his stats have reduced from an average of 33 to 30. We’ve not discussed technique, putting arcs, ball placement, forward press or (tongue in cheek Mr Graham) putting maps and guides! But then again, aren’t maps a form of metaphor anyway?

So, a new slant on an odd age structure. Metaphor plays a huge part in all our lives and have been part of our evolution for a huge number of years. There’s nothing new in my approach except the simplicity that the meaning you attach to the ball may have more impact than you first imagined.

When you’re playing well or just hit a good shot, does it become ‘sweet as a nut’ or ‘my putter was on fire today’ or even ‘the hole was as big as a bucket’. You already use metaphors in your game, maybe it’s time to get a closer look at how you use them and make them work for you, as opposed to against you.

So, metaphorical putting! If you’ve been experiencing a spell of poor putting, think about the language you’re using to describe the process. Chances are the language, metaphorically speaking, is actually getting in the way of your stroke. Of course, the putting gurus amongst you will take my argument apart because it doesn’t stand up with any real data. And you know what, you’re correct. My answer to you will always be the same. If a player believes a technique works, then it works. John’s Aimpoint Clinics will work because players believe it will. The gift that John brings is creating the belief…..the maps and charts are back up….metaphorically speaking.

Ask yourself how you’d ideally like to feel, what you want to see standing over the ball and then get creative with attaching a metaphor which aligns that thought. Perhaps start out with the phrase…’Whatever the outcome of this putt, it has nothing to do with my sense of who I am….all that I am is far far greater than can ever be contained within a scorecard’.

‘My focus was like an actor stepping onto the stage and immersing him/herself in the spotlight, bubble like and incredibly reassuring’

‘My stroke was as smooth as silk, flowing uninterrupted like a waterfall in an undiscovered forest’

‘My sense of peace over the ball was just like a contented baby.. warm, safe and loved’

Get creative and discover for yourself that the power of metaphor can create a state of mind over the ball that can never be contained in an instructional book or swing mechanics podcast.

Thanks as ever for your attention and if you’re feeling particularly creative, I’d invite you to read through again, this time spotting all the metaphor I’ve used in constructing this article. But then again, maybe, just maybe….. the whole article is a metaphor. Enjoy your creativity.

As ever, feel free to get in touch, always a pleasure to hear from you.

Andy Morrison. info@progolfmindcoach.co.uk

Are you in the habit of playing ‘false’ golf  with a ‘false’ swing?

So, when you think back to your best golf and compare it with those rounds which ‘just got away from you’, how do you square it up in your mind so it makes some sort of sense. Why can your golf game be right where you want it one day and completely alien the next?

Well, what if I told you that the days you play beautifully represents your REAL ball and your REAL swing and the indifferent game actually isn’t you…..it’s ALL FALSE!

Let me expand your thoughts.

You know those snow globes/shakers we tended to have as kids, the type which when you shake them about, little flakes appear, be that snow scenes or some made up scene of your choice. When you pick it up the scene is clear, all the ‘flakes’ sit calmly in the base until you grab it and shake as if your life depended on it! The scene is instantly transformed into a very different view, flakes darting here and there; in fact it appears the globe is ‘full’ of snow. You stop shaking and once again the flakes settle on the bottom, the very same flakes which moments before seemed to fill the scene, are now taking up a tiny percentage of the globe. The rest is just clear….just as before.

Well, I’d like to extend that idea of the snow globe and apply it to your golf game, think you may well be already ahead of me, which is great, shows you’re on the same page already.

Let me offer you this idea. What if when you’re playing your best golf, rounds where it all clicks into place and you see everything so clearly, that’s like the snow sitting calmly on the globe floor…unshaken. What if those rounds where it was ’okay’; nothing really happened, were those moments when you took the globe and gently rocked it in your hand. A little snow floated up but on the whole, most of the ‘clear space’ stayed untouched. And then those poor games, the days you beat yourself up big time and threatened to quit the game on a weekly basis, was when you took the globe and shook it to within an inch of its life, the snow is absolutely everywhere and ‘appears’ to engulf the total globe. Would that make sense?

But here’s the thing. The total amount of snow is EXACTLY the same. No extra snow has been added, it’s a sealed glass globe so it’s still the same amount that sat on the bottom. And if it’s the same amount of snow, it’s the same amount of ‘clear’ space right?. The clarity of the unshaken globe is still there, it’s between the flakes.

And here’s the neat bit that answers the title of this article. The real you, the real game, the real swing is the clarity in the globe.  The ‘pretend’ you, the ‘false’ you are the snowflakes. On the days you don’t seem to connect with your inner game, feel the swing or zone in on the target is maybe because you’re believing the snow and not seeing the clarity. Because the snow isn’t you, it’s your thoughts, your beliefs, just an idea of you!

Why is it that you get to experience your best golf when the snow settles?  I believe it’s because that’s the authentic you, that sense of well being that comes with a deep knowing it’s all going to turn out fantastic. How many times have you played great golf but found it difficult to think about how you did it….it’s because the snow had settled and the clarity drove the process.

If your belief is that the snow is you, that’s when you fall into the trap of playing a false game, end up playing the ‘wrong’ shot  and attempt to correct a ‘false’ swing. The swing invariably is fine, your judgement is still intact, it’s just that the presence of snow has distorted the clarity that’s always been there.

So think of your total game as a snow globe. The true you is the clarity that exists when it’s not being shook up. That’s where your trust lies, the snow is still there but beautifully swept into a safe pile where no one will trip themselves up. Health and safety is taken care of. You are free to go out and play, not having to rely on the snow falling to remind you to have a great time.

Next time you experience a round where your game is causing you to think too much, worry about swing position X or ball position Y or what person C thinks about you, remind yourself it’s just because the globe has been shook a little too vigorously . The snowflakes are not you, just an idea of you. And whether the snow sits calmly on the bottom or is flying around the globe like a model plane with a broken wing, it only represents a small percentage of the globe.

You are the clarity; full of trust, curiosity, a sense of fun and an innate ability to show the diamond qualities that are the real you.

Don’t believe the hype…..Snow comes and goes….be sure not to base your total game on it.

Thanks for your attention. As always, feel free to get in touch with any thoughts/questions, I have access to a fleet of snow ploughs too which is also reassuring to know!

To your continued successes.

Andy Morrison.

info@progolfmindcoach.co.uk.  See you on the other side.

Is your golfing compass really set in the correct direction?

Wherever you are as you start to read this post, I’m sure you’ll be familiar with the idea that any area of the world can be represented on a map. Doesn’t matter if you live in a huge city environment or a one house rural hideaway, we all understand the concept of a map don’t we?

But we also know that EVERY map ever made, is a huge distortion of the real world. A map of Rochester, home to this blog, can never contain everything in Rochester. To do that, it would literally have to be exactly the same size, which kind of defeats the purpose of a map doesn’t it! So when a map is made, a huge amount of information is left off and we’re left with the basic data, enough to help us navigate our way around.

Which got me thinking about our golfing maps and how players follow them; How accurate are they and in constructing yours, do you have ENOUGH data on it to get around the course?

Just as a map of Rochester can never contain all that is Rochester, so our golfing map cannot contain everything about our game. So what does it contain and how can you assess whether it’s the right amount of data?

Well, for me the purpose of a map is to help you set a destination and then plot the best way to get there. You go to your map, discover EXACTLY where you ARE, and then plot the best route to WHERE you WANT to end up. Simple, the concept of a map works beautifully every time.

Enter the world of the golfer’s map, if only it were that simple! But hang on, maps are simple AREN’T THEY, if you use them correctly. So what’s gone wrong with golfer’s maps?

Consider this; If I rang you up today and asked you to come over for a coaching session, imagine your response if I offered you this.

Okay, first up, BEFORE you start out, I don’t want you to go left (or right) (or left again) because there’s lots of trouble over there, I’ve been there loads of time and it’s not a good place to end up. As you travel, you really need to talk to yourself non-stop because otherwise you’ll forget how to drive okay! Remember when you drove really poorly before, as if you could forget THAT!! When you get closer to me, be sure to worry about all the other streets you may end up in, lots of trouble down there too…..I should know, I’ve been there in the past. I do hope you don’t end up there today.  I know I’ve not told you where I live, but I still expect you to arrive a little later. Oh, before I forget, even though you know you’re on the right road, it probably pays to stop and ask someone else for reassurance too, just to double check. You can’t be too careful! Doesn’t even matter that they can’t drive, ask anyway. See you soon. Lots of love Andy.

Effective map to follow; I guess not but how many golfing maps are exactly that?

Now of course, if you lived on one side of Rochester and I lived on the other, the roadmap would contain none of that description. Why, because it’s totally irrelevant in getting from A to B.

But in a golfing context, does it sound familiar, is it part of YOUR map? So often in my coaching sessions, players start off telling me, often in fantastic detail, all about where they don’t want to go, how they don’t want to swing,  how they don’t want to appear to others watching. Ironically, it represents a map which excludes the most important ingredient; it doesn’t contain instructions on where you want to get to in the most effective way.

So I refer you back to the original question. Is your compass set in the correct direction taking you smoothly from A to B or is it A to B via part of H ,T and a little glance at K !

Revisit the idea of maps and ask why you use the. If you followed one and you ended up going way out of your way or even lost, would you continue to follow the same route? No, you’d probably look at the map again, see where you made a wrong turn and plan another way. You may even ask someone who’s made that journey before for advice as to a better route. Or you may even decide never to go there again because it’s too much trouble. Reality is, the map contains all the data you need, you just need to know how to read it!

Have a look at your golfing map. If the tee is ‘A’ and the green ‘B’, how much data are you using which is relevant to getting there? If your map contains data that is largely irrelevant to that task, time to ditch it and follow a new one. You may even be following a map which was printed before that new super highway was built. No need to continue to use that small dark backstreet route now that the well lit highway has replaced it. Maps get updated every now and again because new things get added, new data is presented and we find more efficient ways to get from A to B. Ensure your golfing map is bang up to date and aids you in the right direction.

I love making maps; I also love looking back on older maps because they are a reminder of how far I’ve travelled so far. I’m also really excited to discover where new maps will take me, just imagine where I’ll end up when new destinations present themselves.

View your golfing maps as a work in progress, ever changing and in need of constant updating. That way, you won’t be left following a map which is way out of date and preventing you from visiting new destinations. The map is not the territory , it’s just a guide.

As always, enjoy your golfing journey, thank you for your attention.

For more insights and discoveries which can be used in your golf game, get in touch soon

Andy Morrison. ProGolfMindCoach.

info@progolfmindcoach.co.uk