Week 35: Overcoming the obstacle course

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Rival Marketing

You can conquer any obstacle on the golf course with these simple tips.

We have all played on courses where there was one obstacle that seemed insurmountable. You just can't clear that body of water with your drive. That bunker near the green is a magnet for your ball. That lowered green never holds your approach shot. Before you know it, that obstacle helps unravel a perfectly good round. Here are a few tips on how to conquer any obstacle that creates a mental block in your game.

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Don't look at the obstacle -- In auto racing, drivers are trained to look where they want their car to go. If they look at an accident unfolding in front of them, their car inevitably steers toward the accident -- exactly where they do not want to go. The same is true when you are trying to avoid a bunker or a body of water. Focus your sight on where you want the ball to go and you will have far greater success.

Simulate the obstacle conditions and practice -- One of the main reasons a difficult hole can seem impossible is that you do not play it enough to get better. Because all courses are unique, the only time you really get to face the challenge is when you are actually on that specific course. Try simulating your troublesome hole in other ways. If your trying to stay out of the lake, draw an imaginary line on the driving range and see how many balls you can keep within that line. Pretend the yardage marker is the bunker and try to clear it. If you can consistently hit the ball with the proper distance and direction when the obstacle is not there, you will be able to do it when it is.

Turn your round into a practice round -- The scorecard need not determine the success of every round. Be forthright with your playing partners that you want to use this round as a practice round to work on a few things. This will alleviate any pressure you have to make flawless swings near your obstacle. It will also allow you to experiment with your swing to find confidence and a better feel. Since you will not be a competitor, your partners will probably even cheer you on to succeed.

Face the obstacle head on -- Once you have prepared to face the obstacle, when it comes time to play it in a competitive round, play confidently. Do not create catastrophe in your mind before the result. You have now hit the ball many times where it needs to be hit. It is just another stroke in the game.

Now that you have conquered the mental blocks you may have on the course, do not let knee pain conquer you. 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.