What do you think about when addressing the ball?

In one of my previous posts I mentioned that over the last couple of months I had developed a problem whereby I would get 'stuck' when addressing the ball - I couldn't move the club back. It was a version of the 'yips' but with my irons and woods and not the putter.

I read an article on somebody who had overcome putting 'yips' by focussing on his breathing. Breathe in slowly on the backswing and breathe out slowly on the downswing. The logic being that by concentrating on your breathing you would not have any other thoughts to distract you. Also, by breathing slowly it helped your muscles to relax. I tried this method out and had some success with it.

Anybody out there with similar problems should give this method a try.

What do you guys think about when addressing the ball ?

qassim,

This is quite common among golfers, this is related to your brain giving your body a trigger to 'GO' there are several way you can help to eliminate this 'if it's becoming a problem'.

You need to work on a pre-shot routine that involves you addressing the ball and bang, maybe two taps of the club head on the ground, Monty is a perfect example of this type of routine. He addresses the ball and lifts and drops the head twice then hits, wasting no time at all over the ball.


Please give it a try.


Ian.

__________________
Once you learn the swing, your next step is mastering golf psychology................

My followthrough.
This may sound as if i am being flippant , but its true. by focusing on my followthrough it blocks out all images of takeaways, backswings, and being in the right position at impact and leads to a more relaxed , smoother swing.
cheers

Aftford,

Ditto.

That's all my coach wants me to think of when I pull the trigger. Having said this though and after reading Bob's book, I'm working hard on only thinking of my target at address.

Hi nicole.

I think both schools of thought can exist side by side. Yes you should have a target in your mind, ie distant tree or rooftop etc, but you should also have a swing KEY, something possitive in your swing that kickstarts the whole thing.My pre-shot routine begins the second i put my hand onto my selected club, while it is still in the golfbag.

cheers nicole

I think of the target. Of an exact spot in my head of where I want the ball to land. Nothing else. Then I swing

I used to think of all sorts of swing thoughts and honestly it ruins your game

I think of sex.

Wait ... is this a trick question?