Have you ever stood over the golf ball to hit a shot and hear a thousand thougths running through your head? "Keep your eye on the ball," "remember to keep your left arm straight," "have a smooth takeaway," "don't slice it," "follow through," "swing easy." Does this type of golf anxiety sound familiar?



Everyone gets these thoughts sometimes, but if you want to play better golf and make the game fun instead of stressful, you need to have only a couple solid swing tips to think about.

Remember this mental tip at all times - golf is a very difficult game, probably one of the most, if not the most, difficult game on earth. You are going to hit good shots, bad shots, and even shanks sometime.

It is okay and a part of the game. Much of the obsessive thinking on the golf course comes from expecting too much from yourself. Just try to stay positive, have fun and only think about the following five swing tips when you are on the course. Your anxiety and shaking knees will probably decrease, resulting in you swinging better.

Golf Swing Tip #1

Keep your head still. I can't emphasize this swing tip enough. Nobody can keep their head absolutely still, but if you watch the pros their heads move very little. When you move your head your body moves with it, pulling your swing off line.

Golf Swing Tip #2

Have a pre-shot routine, and stick to it on every shot. Whether you take your stance and just hit the ball or if you take twenty waggles like Sergio used to do, do whatever is comfortable for you and be consistent with it, especially in tournament play. A proper routine also includes checking your alignment to make sure you are aimed where you want the ball to go.

Golf Swing Tip #3

Visualize the shot you are going to hit. Think about a very specific target, and only focus on that spot. Block out any negative thoughts, picture, and feel in your mind a good rhythmic swing.

Golf Swing Tip # 4

Take your time. Many people are in a rush when it is there turn to hit. This results in swings and strokes that are off tempo. Take your time and relax yourself. I am not asking you to slow down your foursome, but you need to be calm on the golf course in order to play well consistently.

Golf Swing Tip #5

Forget about the last shot. Play every shot like it is the first of the day. I can't stress enough how important this swing tip is. Most of the mental mishaps on the golf course happen because you are emotionally charged about the last shot or the triple bogey you made four holes ago. Once a shot is done it is over with and you can't change it, so "hit it and forget about it."

When you are playing a round of golf you just can't afford to obsess over various swing thoughts. Most people have a million things running through their head as they stand over the ball, which causes most of the bad shots they stress over.

Most of golf is mental confidence, which is instilled by using consistent and simple swing tips to remember out on the course, no matter how well you are or aren't playing that day. If you follow the above swing tips, I bet you will shoot better scores.