Week 24: Banning your inner critic on the course

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Too much thinking about your stance, your grip, your backswing, and everything else can paralyze you on the course.

Can thinking too much be bad for a golfer? In a word: yes. A little self-analysis on the course can be a good thing. But too much thinking about your stance, your grip, your backswing, and everything else can paralyze you. Follow these suggestions and you can leave your inner critic in the clubhouse.

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Practice a few swings without thinking
Before you start your round, head over to the practice tee and take a few swings without thinking about anything. Try to get a feel for your natural swing. You will soon discover that you can hit the ball well without constantly worrying about the depth of your backswing, the position of you hands, and the various other features of your swing that occupy your mind. Do not judge your mistakes in practice. Just let it flow. Once you have a feel for striking the ball well, any corrections you need to make in your swing will seem minor in comparison.

Bring a positive attitude to the tee
More often that not, thinking breeds doubt. The next time you find yourself thinking on the course, how is your self-dialogue unfolding? Are you assured in your thoughts? (The ball is perfectly placed off my heel. My grip is fine. My backswing is a perfect speed.) Or are you filled with apprehension? (Are my feet well placed? Did I bring my club back too far in the backswing?) Ban the critic from your mind. Focusing on the negative generally brings negative results.

Let go of perfection
In the history of golf, no one has shot an 18. While we all strive to be perfect, sometimes we let the fear of not being perfect paralyze our efforts. Do not think about hitting the ball perfectly. Just try to hit the ball well. If you put a good swing on it, and hit it square, chances are good that the ball will go where you want. If it does not, the beauty of golf is that you get another chance to swing.

Define success
In every round of golf, you will inevitably hit several bad shots. Define your success to breed more success. Did you strike the ball well? Did it go in the right direction? Do you have a playable lie and a good location for the next shot? It is fine to aim at a specific target, but realize that golf is not darts. The shot does not have to hit the bull's eye to be successful. You cannot hit every shot farther and straighter than the one before. Take comfort in the steady progression you are making toward the hole.

Even the mentally toughest golfer cannot overcome knee pain on the course. If knee pain is preventing you from performing at your best, you might be suffering from osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Various treatments for OA do exist, such as ORTHOVISC®, which provides up to six months of knee pain relief. Made from ultra-pure natural hyaluronan, which is found in healthy joints, ORTHOVISC® is injected into the knee joint where it acts to replace your natural joint fluid, to help cushion, protect, and lubricate your knee.

ORTHOVISC® is a proud sponsor of PGATOUR.com. Talk to your doctor to see if ORTHOVISC® is right for you. Or visit our Web site at www.orthovisc.com for more information on how to maintain your knee health to help you keep playing the game you love.

Follow us on Twitter for up-to-date information on maintaining joint health and the prevention/treatment of knee pain due to sports-related injuries or the early symptoms of osteoarthritis.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

ORTHOVISC® is for patients who do not get adequate pain relief from simple pain relievers like acetaminophen or from exercise and physical therapy. ORTHOVISC® is not for use in people with known allergy to hyaluronate preparations, to gram bacterial proteins, with infections or skin diseases in the area of the injection site or joint. Common side effects include joint pain, back pain, headaches and pain or redness at the injection site.

This is a paid placement by DePuy Mitek, Inc. The opinions expressed above are those of DePuy Mitek, Inc. and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the PGA TOUR.