Have you imagined how your golf game might change if you possessed Zen-like focus and concentration? Just sit in a nice comfortable chair and read this! You may have the sense that it’s not going to improve anything. But what will happen is that you are going to develop mind power on your own and here’s how.

Read the following, and then read it again, and again and again. The more times you read it the better your Tee shot will become. Don't be surprised if your tee shot changes instantly.

The three dots mean…pause for a second or two.

Read this to yourself or have someone read it to you. You can also read it into a recorder and listen to it with headphones. (Please don't do this while driving)

Tee Shot

Sit back, relax, and just close your eyes. In a very few moments, you're going to be more relaxed than you've ever known yourself to be…Close your eyes and take a deep, full breath and exhale completely, all the way to the bottom of your lungs, all out. Do it again now. Just relax and let it all out. One more time, and this time hold your breath when you have filled your lungs with clean, refreshing, relaxing air. Hold it in, keep your eyes closed. Now let your breath out slowly and feel yourself relaxing all over. Focus your attention on your knees now and relax everything below your knees. Relax your calves. Relax your ankles. Relax your feet. And relax your toes. Relax your toes. Everything below your knees is now loose and relaxed. Now relax your thighs as completely as you can. Let your thighs just droop limp and loose and heavy into the chair. Relax your hips and relax your waist. Now relax your chest as completely as you can. Allow your breathing to be easier and deeper, more regular and more relaxed. Relax your shoulders now. Let the muscles in your shoulders be heavy and loose. More and more completely relaxed. Relax your neck and throat. Let your head just droop as all the muscles in your neck, just relax. Now relax your face as completely as you can. Allow your face to be smooth and loose, relaxed and easy, your jaws all loose and relaxed, and your teeth not quite touching. Everything smooth and loose and easy. Now relax as completely as you can all the little muscle around your eyelids. Feel your eyelids growing heavier and smoother. More and more deeply relaxed.

Now to deepen this comfortable state of relaxation and concentration imagine yourself at the top of a stairway that has ten steps leading down from where you stand… let it be any kind of stairway…one you've seen before or one you just make up…and take some time to observe it in detail…notice what the stairs are made of…how steep or shallow they are…how wide or how narrow…do they go straight down, do they spiral, or is there a landing halfway down?...

When your ready, begin to descend the staircase one step at a time, counting backward form ten to one as you go one number per step…allowing yourself to feel more deeply, more comfortably relaxed with each step you descend…let this imaginary staircase help you reach an even deeper, more comfortable level of body and mind with each step down…ten…nine…deeper and more comfortably relaxed…eight…each step takes you deeper…seven…and six…easily and naturally…five…halfway down…with nothing to worry…nothing to bother…four…deeper…more comfortably relaxed…three…no need to worry about exactly how deeply or how comfortably you go…two…and one…at the bottom of the stairs…very comfortable and deeply relaxed in body and mind..

Just imagine you are on the tee at the golf course. In front of you, you can notice the fairway, some trees and shrubs, perhaps a water hazard or a bunker and yes, even the pin off in the distance. Even if the pin is out of visual range on this particular hole, you can and do imagine where it might be.

You have faith that you have selected the right club for this hole.

No matter how far away the pin may be it seems as thought it is only an arm’s stroke away.

Before you hit the ball begin this mental process every time… Allow the water hazard to drain away from your thought and focus…imagine the sand from the bunker being carried away in the winds of your mind… the trees fade off in the distance, and all you are left with is an enormous fairway, the green and the pin.  It’s as if you are on the driving range with nothing in your way, and a feeling of comfort in knowing that wherever the ball flies it will be just fine.  You only see the positive target and you know you will sweep the ball with faith and certainty that it will land in just the right place.

Before you swing the club, imagine the most ideal shot. The ball is resting on the tee, and the tee is firmly rooted into the ground at just the right height for this particular shot. Imagine sweeping the ball with a relaxed power.  Hear the sound of the club sending the ball into flight, as it launches into the air; it creates a beautiful arc precisely in the direction you intended.  As it makes its way back to the grass it bounces, not once, not twice, but three times as it rolls to a perfect stop, exactly where you want it to go.

Knowing that the body does what the mind tells it to do; you are now prepared for your shot in the physical form.

You will see the shot, and execute the shot as you have imagined.

You will be relaxed and void of tension, feeling calm and centered.

Your muscles are free flowing, and fueled by confidence when you are at the tee.

You will only see the positive target.

You will accelerate through the ball feeling certain, feeling strong.

As quickly as the shot is complete you will give yourself permission to just forget about this shot, and focus your awareness and attention on the next shot in your game.

Your internal dialogue is becoming more positive with every shot.

You will focus on the best elements of every shot…every shot has them; you will find them…you are more willing now to focus on the best elements of every shot.

In those times when the ball is resting in a bunker, you will approach the shot with confidence and ease.

When shooting from a bunker, you will allow your body to swing the club in just the right way as to scoop the proper amount of sand before the ball to launch the ball cleanly and on target.

Bunker shots will be played with confidence and ease. You will have faith that you have selected the right club.

Now, count from one to five… and when you hear your self say five… you will feel alert…energized…and wonderful in every way…1…2…coming all the way back feeling positive…calm…3…4…your mind is clear and body is refreshed…5…wide awake and ready to have a great game

In the NEXT article I will provide clues to perfecting that “Approach Shot” or you can enjoy my sessions if waiting six months is beyond your scope of patience.  Just call me: Herman Johnson, CerebralSports LLC. Cell: 503-880-7846 or visit me: www.CerebralSports.Pro