how much of the game of golf is mental?

Question

I know of some guys who say golf is 80% mental and 20% physical when you get to a high level, and others who say the opposite.

If you can, please state how many years you have been playing or your handicap.

Answer 1

There is a relationship to Handicap and the Mental/Physical ratio. For most beginners it is 99% physical for advanced players, it is 85% mental. Once your handicap is down to low single digits, your swing mechanics are very good, it is the mental mistakes that cost you strokes. (i.e. Choosing the wrong club, allowing a bad swing thought in during takeway, misreading a putt) but if you are a 10 -20 handicapper there is probably a 50/50 balance of needing a better swing/grip and making better choices and learning to develop positive imagery of your shot... Hope that helps ;-)

BTW. I am a single digit handicapper..

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

My handicap is 6 and I have played for many,many years. Last year I played with a Scottish Pro who is on the 2nd tier Tour and I asked him the same question. His response was 70% mental and 30% skill which makes sense since once you have mastered the basics then hitting shots becomes 2nd nature. However, you do have to psyche yourself up for some shots and I am sure there are plenty questions you can ask yourself when you have failed to pull off a particular shot e.g. Water between you and the green. Do you look at the water and think dont put it in there or do you look at the green and wonder how close you can get to the pin. The old saying is Garbage in- Garbage out. The prime example of positive thinking is Tiger who has the ultimate belief in his ability and seeks only a way to do it e.g. he decided he couldn't win the Open with a Driver off the tee so he changed his game plan and accepted he would have to hit longer shots into the green. He also accepted that short shots into the green would not get him any closer to the Pin so that has to be a good example of having the basics then attuning the mind to enact them.

Answer 4

It's 100% mental mate one day I'm on top of the world the next I want to hang my self from the nearest tree. Bloddy game

P.s. Been playing for 15yrs
Handycap: Golf

Answer 5

i think golf is 90 percent mental. i am 15 years old and have been playing for my school for two years now. an example of how menal the game is this: i normally will shot in the low 40s on nine holes of golf. well, this one day i played against a girl i had never played before, she had the worst ettiquite ive ever seen. she wouldnt wait for you to hit, walk in your line. she tried to call me out on one hole(after i hit it in the hazard). anyway, the point is she pissed me off and i shot a 63-for 9 holes!!

Answer 6

The WHOLE game is mental! I mean, look at the clothes!

The only handicap is the one that stop golfers playing a proper sport like football!

Answer 7

Golf is 90% mental, and 10% mental.

Answer 8

I say 1% Percent Mental

Answer 9

All i can say, is that it is 100% mental. When your out on the course, think about how you take each shot. You have to visualize where ur gonna hit it. You also have to forget about bad shots and move onto the next, which is very hard for alot of people to do. You just have to tell yourself that you can do it and you will.

Answer 10

He might want to be comfortable by using self assurance he has in his sport. the game is about having relaxing. once you've been playing for years and also you nonetheless rigidity out, it truly is more effective then possibly because you've poor skills in calming your self earlier you hit. once you've a sparkling decrease easy earlier to hitting the shot you may actually wipe all adverse options out of your options. Visualize your shot route, take your prepare swings grooving your swing, line up your shot, then recreate your ingenious and prescient. yet another significant element of golfing is to take a go searching on the timber, the water, and ask your self of your surroundings to take your options off of a foul shot, then pass on with a sparkling options for yet another large shot that you're more effective then able to.