Tame Your Inner Puppy Mind

“The mind is like an untrained puppy running after it’s favorite toys.”  -Donald Altman

Can you think of an example of a golf shot in which your inability to focus or think clearly sabotaged the execution?  The mind does not always play fair.  We need to find out what’s rattling around in there.

Drill: Puppy Mind Training
Step 1.  For three minutes hit balls without any particular goal in mind. Simply pay attention to the thoughts that show up.
Step 2.  Using a pad of paper or scorecard, write down all of the places your puppy mind visited when you let it run free on the range.

• Thoughts about the future.
• Mechanics and/or swing thoughts.
• Fear of the shots outcome.
• Past golf shots
• Lunch. . . Bacon treats

Step 3. Distinguish the pattern.  There is usually a “favorite toy” to chase after.
Step 4.  The next time you play, on your scorecard for each hole give yourself a score between 1-10 on how well you trained the mental puppy to pay attention.  Sit, stay, focus and swing. . . and then have a bacon treat.

Dodie Mazzuca is the Director of Instruction at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, AZ (November-April).  She also teaches golf in Santa Cruz, CA (May-October.)