Golf – fitting at Calloway today

Yes, you heard it right, I found myself at Calloway Golf in London at 8am for my special golf outfitting session, something I would never have imagined I would ever do, yet all brought about in the nicest way.

The outfitting shop at Calloway is set up with cameras and you hit at a soft wall screen.  Firstly you use your own No.6 club and your normal style is recorded.  Next your height is taken and the right shaft selected.  Different heads are screwed onto it and you hit some more  balls.

You watch the path of your ball, the height and the accuracy. The data of your entire shot is displayed on this screen,  from ball speed to carry length and many details in between.  It is so interesting and gives you a really clear view of your stroke.

Details between your own club and the new one are monitored looking for improvement, and it surely happens. The main reason is because they select and set it up right, and there is a massive sweet spot, and this selected  product is the best. (this is where you realise good equipment does help, and try to divorce yourself from the £’s)

Not only did we check irons but I trialled a hybrid and some woods.  The data  showed my present No 5 wood was more accurate than theirs and also that I am not ready for a driver yet.  My own No. 5 will do the job until I have had more lessons.

A very nice brochure was presented to me with all the details of my stroke and the recommendations from the morning.  This not only includes a full set of clubs but encompasses my idea of starting with a few and building up to a full set as I progress, and as I can afford.   There was no hard sell because they do not sell clubs at the head office.  It was suggested I go off and price these clubs to find the best deal.

All in all a really good morning and I would recommend anyone to go and do it prior to getting new clubs.

Martin Giblin of Travel Momentum improves his golf

Martin Giblin organises great  travel experiences for people wanting something special and bespoke.  A round the world trip, travel to a certain country with interesting and exciting things to do is exactly what I mean.  He also arranges corporate travel and events for companies wanting to reward employees, or do group bonding work.  He has many years of experience here and takes care of every detail making sure everyone enjoys themselves while away.  He is very organised and calm, with a lovely smile.  He just knows how to do his job well!

A few months ago Martin came to see me for some help with his golf.  He reports back here.

‘As a golfer, I am often plagued, during a game with a lack of confidence on certain shots.  Using Marilyns excellent techniques has helped me overcome these problems and to enjoy my golf even more. I am producing the best scores I have had in ages. As most golfers know the game is more in the mind than in the technique.’

Thank you, Martin.

Frustrations on the golf course? Learn EFT

After watching that little video it is worth applying the EFT technique to something closer to home.

Frustrations are emotional. Something or someone bothers you, you get cross. You may blame your equipment, the weather, the course condition, the groundsman, your partner, often yourself. Perhaps you didnt consciously or intentionally play your bad shot but you let it rattle you.

Unfortunately when you get cross your emotions take over and build up, this part you are responsible for. Negative emotions cause a vicious circle and makes your game get worse, the worse it gets the more frustrated you get. Your score, and enjoyment of your day, suffer.

Time to learn EFT (emotional freedom technique)!

Working on the meridian system this tapping technique quickly releases the negative emotion and allows you to settle down and get on with playing the game. EFT is simple to do yet effective. It is a good way of putting a bad stroke behind you so you can play your next shot well.

Basically it involves tapping on a few meridian points and tuning into your problem, allowing its intensity to reduce to zero. Very satisfactory! A session of EFT accompanies my ‘Play better golf‘ mindset programme. It annuls past bad performances allowing you, the player, to focus on what counts.

If you have bigger issues, relationship, work, or others, then it works on those as well. Of course it is all dependent on having someone help you get started who is thoroughly trained and knows what they are doing. It is worthwhile doing.

New Years resolution – Golf improvement?

You want to play a better game of golf this year? …. I wonder what you need to do to improve?

If your technique needs looking at go for some lessons. But perhaps you want to work on the mental side of your game? Perhaps playing consistently to your handicap. Perhaps improving it? Well, why not. You can do it.

Of course, if it is winter where you are, maybe you are thinking you can’t do much? Wrong!

Golf mindset improvement sessions with me come with recordings. This means you can improve your golf all through the winter, as often as you want, relaxing back in your own home, rain, hail or shine!

The beauty is that I am available by phone as well, and even one session could really make a difference for you. Numerous people have done just that – had one session, and be so pleased with the results in their game, that that’s all they needed. Others have done my 6 session programme covering goals, hindrances, confidence, calmness, concentration and consistency. You should see their progress! (read down the blog further)

What a way to get an edge on the others by the next round and improve your handicap into the bargain!

Have decided to put my articles up here

Every month I write articles for local magasines. These are full of interest to many people on all aspects of hypnotherapy and EFT.  It seems a shame not to share them with you so,  from now on I will include them.  They will add to what I presently write here.  Happy reading!

Deborah Pottinger of Eye Media Publications runs them in her Potters Bar Eye and Welham Green, Essendon and Brookmans Park magasines. Melanie Saavedra has them in her Hitchin Village Directory and Vicky Tomkinson runs them in the Stevenage and Great Ashby magasine.

Good golfing news this week!

Alex is in my ‘Play Better Golf‘ mindset programme.

Six months ago he was playing such frustrating golf he wouldn’t put his card in, nor enter any competitions.   He came and sorted the frustrations out with me and organised some more lessons with his PGA.  His golf and confidence improved in leaps and bounds and he has even entered competitions and found that he can do well.

On Wednesday I got a call. He is first in his club competition after the second day!  This is extremely good news for him as he was ill for some weeks and is only  just getting back into his golf.

If he can play like this now then his mates had better watch out!

41 points for Peter!

Peter was beaming when I met him on Thursday. He had played golf on Sunday and hit par on every one of the back 9. To cap it off he said his putts were very short, easy ones. His total score was 41 points!

Peter had seen me three days prior.  He is on my ‘Play Better Golf‘  mindset programme and this was only  his second session.  We had done some special work around confidence.  Peter has a vivid imagination in trance and that day I invited him to imagine playing golf with his golf heroes.  He just happened to have Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus, and Greg Norman there and they helped him with his game.

This had amazing results. He was on a high when he left the therapy room and it obviously played out on the course.  He said he was ‘in the zone’.

Congratulations!

Are you getting fed up with your golf?

Golfers do get frustrated when they continually have bad rounds.  They know they can do better or they wouldn’t put up with it. Unfortunately bad rounds can become too habitual

Habits are formed when you do something often. Then, when you are in a similar situation your mind thinks how did I do this before, and replicates it.  Now, if on one particular hole, you played a ‘duff’ shot then your mind accesses this and it is likely you will do the same next time. Then you tell  yourself, and often anyone else around,  ‘I always do a ‘duff’ shot on this hole’ and, lo and behold, you talk yourself into it.

Does this ring a bell? Your mindset has formed a bad habit and you are adding fuel to the fire.  You then get frustrated, and anticipate it, and soon, unbeknown to you, the shots prior to this hole, and after it,  could become worse as you tense yourself up with anger and frustration without even realising it.

Some golfers do get to this stage. I have heard it many times,  ‘My scores are embarrassing.  I am letting my partners down.  I don’t enjoy golf anymore.  I am thinking of giving it away ‘

All that needs to be done is to get the negativity around the bad habit collapsed. Release the frustration and release the memory.

When I work with someone I remind them that they can play well and allow the confidence to flow again.  EFT helps, as does hypnotherapy, especially the part where they play great golf in their mind. It makes a big difference.

Sometimes people need technical help as well, and a lesson could make a difference because you are now in the right frame of mind.

There is a great sense of satisfaction to go out and play a good round of golf.  To be on a par with your mates and to go into the club afterwards knowing you played ok, or even better than ok.  You deserve it!

And so to Chris and our mutual golf help

Cousins Pen and Chris stayed last weekend prior to returning to New Zealand.

When Chris mentioned he had played golf for more than 40 years, my ears pricked up! His handicap had been a 7 until his chipping had gone down the tube recently. He was not happy with it at all. He was having trouble lifting the ball and gauging the distance.  He said he was not enjoying his game much at all.

So, what did we do while he was here?  Yes, we worked on improving his golf mindset.

Firstly we did EFT, the tapping technique, to rid him of snide comments made one time he had over chipped which were continuing to make him feel he would stuff up.

Then he had some relaxing hypnotherapy, which I recorded so he can listen at home. This focused on slowing down, flowing, letting his mind remember how good he used to be and bringing that back into his present game. He played some holes in his mind putting in good scores.  This visualisation technique is brilliant.

It will be interesting to hear how it all works for him.

We went into the back garden and he taught me how to chip with a pitching wedge. I must say it feels good when you lift that ball and get it near the little tree.

I will be practicing lots now, thank you, Chris. I will remember to keep my hands well to the left, my weight on that left foot, and say ‘ladies and gentlemen’ as I slowly swing the club with my shoulders.

My golf background

I should point out here that at this point I have never played on a course with anyone except my husband, who is learning too. On two separate occasions we did 6 holes on a short course in August.  They were a total beginner’s mess!  We decided then and there we needed more lessons, he gave up, I am continuing.

The sessions recorded here are genuinely what I have had since July. I have my own business so do not get out to practice much at all.  I have been to the range 4 times now and fiddled about on the practice green on a couple of occasions. I have had one lesson in putting, and a short one on chipping which I promptly forgot as I was concentrating on fairway hitting at the time.

There is much to learn!