Concentration: Learning to Focus
The Inner Game of Tennis and Focusing the Mind
I recently talked to my dad, who had just finished playing a round in Florida. He played okay but said he needed to improve his focus. Too many times, he lost focus or rushed, resulting in some bad shots.
That got me thinking. How can we concentrate better? How do we maintain focus for 18 holes?
In the classic sports psychology book The Inner Game of Tennis, author Timothy Gallwey writes about mastering the mental game through improving focus. The book is dedicated to the mental side of tennis, but it applies to life and golf just as well.
In the chapter titled Concentration: Learning to Focus, Gallwey notes:
“My experience over the years is that the best way to quiet the mind is not by telling it to shut up, or by arguing with it, or criticizing it for criticizing you. Fighting the mind does not work. What works best is learning to focus it.”
This is almost precisely what Novak Djokovic said on 60 Minutes, which we detailed in Edition #26:
“You have your doubts and fears. I feel it every single match. I don’t like this kind of mindset I see alot in sports, like, just think positive thoughts, be optimistic, there’s no room for failure, there’s no room for doubts. It’s impossible. You are a human being.”
So, how do we focus the mind?
SEEING THE BALL
Gallwey first suggests focusing on something subtle that’s not easy to see, for example, looking at the seams of the tennis ball instead of the ball.
“I have found that the most effective way to deepen concentration through sight is to focus on something subtle, not easily perceived. It’s easy to see the ball, but not so easy to notice the exact pattern made by the seams as it spins.”
Gawley describes this as SEEING the ball vs just WATCHING the ball.
For us golfers, maybe we look at the dimples on the golf ball, or a leaf on a tree in the distance as our target, or a blemish on the green as our putting aim. How often are we just WATCHING our target? Or maybe we don’t have a target at all.
The subtleness of the target tends to engross our minds completely because it is trying to watch the pattern, which helps us avoid overthinking. Our brains are preoccupied with the target, letting our bodies move naturally without interference.
As golfers, I think we’ve all experienced this. We have no thoughts except the target, and we execute. Conversely, when we have multiple swing thoughts or are thinking about our score, we tend to hit a poor shot.
Gawley says furthermore that focusing on the seams puts the player in the here and now, which keeps us from thinking about the past or future. AKA that double bogey on the last hole or your score on the front nine is not what you wanted.
Ask yourself, how often are you in the present when golfing? How often are you thinking about the last shot? Or the next shot? Or your score? I’d venture to say for most of us, it’s all too often.
BOUNCE-HIT
Gallwey suggests another method for tennis players where you say “BOUNCE-HIT” aloud (or in your head). When the ball hits the ground, you say BOUNCE; when it hits the racket, you say HIT.
By saying BOUNCE-HIT, players hold their attention longer and stay focused. This helped clear their minds of distractions or worrying about the score.
This is another method that effectively translates to golf. I’ve seen this advice from golf coaches before. I might say ONE on the backswing and TWO on the downswing. Or “1,2,3”. Or a motto, if you prefer, such as “HIT-THE-BALL.”
*A 3 to 1-tempo in golf is ideal, but do what works for you.
Give this a try next time you're over the ball. Not only might it help your tempo, but it can help you focus on the task instead of thinking about the technique.
BREATHE
Breathe. Gallwey says focusing on your breath can help, especially during times of inaction, like between shots or during the setup of your next shot.
Gallwey says, “Anxiety is fear about what may happen in the future. But when your attention is on the here and now, the actions which need to be done in the present have their best chance of being successfully accomplished.”
Basically, breathing can help you get out of your head and turn your focus into the present, aka your shot right now.
For further detail on breathing techniques, we discussed the benefits of your golf game in our Deep Dive Conscious Breathing.
Wrap Up
“Most of our poor play takes place when we allow our minds to imagine the future or mull over the past.”
The above statement was me for many years. It still is. The difference is I’m maybe 20% better at focusing on the present, which can be the difference between an 85 and a 79. Or 105 and a 94. By shifting our thought processes through these techniques, we can concentrate better and lose focus less. Remember, it’s not about avoiding negative thoughts but refocusing your mind.
We are human, and totally overcoming our biases will never happen. We’re still going to have blowups. We’re still going to make dumb decisions. But we can get 10% better at focusing, maybe even 50%. That can dramatically improve your score and make golf more enjoyable.
TLDR
Focus on Something Subtle (dimples on the ball)
Create a Motto to Say During Your Swing (“1, 2, 3” or “Hit The Ball”)
Breathe
Don’t Fight or Try to Avoid Negative Thoughts, Instead Refocus
Hope you have a great weekend.
Gallwey wrote another book called, "The Inner Game of Golf," and followed it with a revised edition in the 1980's. He does a terrific job of applying the same principles of Inner Tennis to the golf game. Check it out!