| February 15, 2019 - Issue 19
Stinkin' Thinkin' Produces More Bad Golf Shots Than Positive Thinking Ever Helps!
 In his book, Golf is not a Game of Perfect, Dr. Bob Rotella states that “The correlation between thinking well and making a good shot is not 100% BUT the correlation between thinking badly and unsuccessful shots is much higher.”
Simply put. Positive thinking and visualization does not necessarily create a good shot but thinking badly almost guarantees producing a bad shot.
Unfortunately this truism plays out numerous times times in the course of a round. There are far more opportunities to expect the worst rather than the best.
For Example:
I’ll use a real life example of this. The sixteenth hole on the golf course that I play which is a 170 yard par three. It’s uphill with sand bunkers left and right as well as out of bounds on the right and over the green. There is even a little pond 90 yards short of the green which really never comes into play unless the shot is mis-hit badly. It’s simply there as yet another reminder of what could go wrong.
Most golfers gazing out at this hole are not thinking about the beautiful high fade shot they are going to hit that will travel the perfect distance land gently on the green in between the two traps and leave a putt for possible birdie. As we have learned, even if they are it does not guarantee a quality shot.
More likely they are thinking some thoughts like the real ones I actually have had which I’ll share below.
“What if I pull it left into the bunker, it’s such a hard chip shot with the green sloping away, I’ll never save a par.” “What if I push it right. There is not much room between the green and out of bounds plus it might hit the cart path on the right side of the green and bounce out.” “What if choose the wrong club and go long. It could go out of bounds or leave an impossibly difficult chip shot to an elevated green.” “What if heaven forbid, I flub the shot and knock it in the pond. Not only is it a penalty but it is embarrassing.”
More Things Wrong Than Right
There are four things that can go wrong and one can go right. Simple math says the odds are four to one that one of he negative thoughts will dominate. Since that is our thinking tendency anyway the odds increase even more.
A major benefit of EFT is that it is not based on positive thinking which we have already seen does not predict a good shot anyway. EFT actually encourages you to bring the negative fear or emotion to the forefront of your mind so it can be addressed using the tapping procedure to eliminate the negative charge creating static in your energy system when these thoughts pop into your head. By eliminating this static and fear that accompanies it we will be able to take a smoother, stress free swing with a nice follow through rather than a frantic, hurried, choppy swing. The tension free swing has a much better chance of success compared to the scared, choppy swing.
Sample Tapping Phrases to Use in the Tapping Protocol
I’m afraid of pulling the ball left.
I’m afraid of pushing it right.
I hate this hole.
Why does this hole have to ruin a good round.
I’ve been out of bounds the last three times I played this hole.
I haven’t made par on this hole the last three times I played it.
I dread this hole.
Need an update on the tapping points - view below.
Want to learn more - visit www.eftgolf.com.
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