The Master and the Well Trained Dog:

Remember that your body's greatest desire is to serve the subconscious mind. An analogy might be that your mind is the master and your body is like a well-trained dog. A master tells the well-trained dog to do something and the dog immediately obeys. When the master says, "Sit," the dog sits. The same will happen when you play golf. If you confidently say to yourself, "hit the ball to the center of the green." Your body will do its very best to obey the command.

But it is very important to remember that the body doesn't understand negative commands. When the master tells the dog, "Don't Sit." The dog still sits. That's what happens when you say to yourself, "don't leave the putt short." Your body "hears" the command (without the don't), and inevitably, the ball winds up short of the hole.

How to Hit Great Shot Thoughts

In order to get rid of bad thoughts and self-doubt on the course, you must learn to think only about great shots. Remember that the mind is able to think of only one thought at a time. So when you have a negative thought, you must train yourself to immediately create a wanted thought--a great shot thought.

A way of mastering this skill is to wear a wristwatch with an elastic metal band. Every time you have a negative thought...snap the watchband...and think about hitting a great shot.

For example, you come to a tough par four with water on the right, and you say, "Don't hit it right." You must snap the rubber band, and then tell yourself what to do, "Smooth stroke to the left center stripe in the fairway." It may take time and awareness before all your thoughts become great shot thoughts. But if you practice you will have a weapon that few players possess.

Keys to Great Shot Thoughts:

* Always have a target, and expect to hit that target. No doubts can be tolerated.

* As you wait to play, focus all your attention to the target. See your ball flying there. Feel the swing you need to hit the ball there.

* Whenever you have a negative thought...snap yourself back to thinking only about great shot thoughts.

* Trust you subconscious mind and the muscle memory you've developed through your hard work and practice