If left unobserved, the DISTRACTIONS can turn into INTERRUPTIONS. They stifle our talent and smother our ability to swing and play with freedom.  The hindrance then becomes an OBSTACLE.  

There are plenty of EXTERNAL DISTRACTIONS in golf.  The course presents us with bunkers, canyons, bad lies, slow play, weather and more.  And then there are the more subtle INNER DISTRACTIONS:

-Injuries: The golf swing can only be supported by what the body can do.
-Doubt: What club do I hit?
-Laziness (Physical and Mental): Not putting in the time and effort needed to get better.
-Negligence: Undisciplined mindset such as the “Hit it anyway”
-Attachment to outcome: Lusting for a better swing, score and more distance.
-Delusion: (See upcoming post on 12/1/17)
-Plateau-ing: Stuck shooting the same score and continuing to make the same mistakes.
-Backsliding: Playing great one day and then relapsing into old habits.

An antidote is to create a one pointed focus; Distract the distractor.  Yes, there is a canyon in front of you, but your target is the pin:

• Choose your TARGET.
• Take a DEEP BREATH.
• and COMMIT.

It’s not a matter of IF the obstacles will arise, but WHEN.  How we choose to relate to the distractions will determine if they bounce us into the rough, or if we continue to plod down the center of the fairway.

More to come. . .

Dodie Mazzuca is the founder of Golf PROformance and teaches golf and mindset programs in Santa Cruz, CA.