Creating Visual Cues to Improve Focus

Distractions on the golf course are normal but visual cues remind you to focus or refocus on the course and in life.

Original post by Sara Robinson

Getting distracted on the course is normal—you’re dealing with a lot! There are internal distractions like your thoughts or noticing that your heart is beating faster than normal, and there are external distractions like other players, weather, and bunkers.

o deal with distractions, you might tell yourself to focus, or say things like “eye on the ball” or “don’t worry about the bunkers,” and while these reminders are great, they’re not always enough to help you refocus. Sometimes, you don’t even notice you’re distracted, so you don’t realize you need to try and refocus!

To regain focus, you first need to notice that your focus has been lost in the first place. Visual cues and reminders can help you stay focused and remember to do so, even when there are challenging distractions around and especially within you.

Step 1: Be aware of the distractions

Some distractions are obvious—bunkers, bad weather, chatty people—but others will sneak up on you or initially go unnoticed. For example, you might not immediately notice the tension in your grip, your negative thoughts, or your slightly raised shoulders that eventually will lead to a headache.

Take the time to reflect on the distractions you face—internal and external—by writing them down. Being aware is the first step to change. If you can, work to minimize any of the distractions. Can you nicely ask members of your foursome not to chat (not everyone knows golf etiquette!) or use Progressive Relaxation to deal with muscle relaxation. You might not be able to minimize every distraction, but it’s helpful to try.

Step 2: Create visual cues…

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