The Fourth Step:
How to keep your players evolving until they can play in the zone.

There is a huge difference between knowing how to do something and being able to do it. The knowing is the easy part. The doing is the hard part because most golfers don't want to do the work required to develop a strong mental game that holds up under intense competition.

Many players lie to themselves about their ability to remain totally focused during competition because they are use to getting away with it and don't know what a strong mental game is. It is up to you, as their coach, to hold your players accountable and motivate them to continue working on improving their mental games.

The end goal is reached when your players can play golf one shot at a time totally in the present while focused on the target without any thoughts or concerns about the outcome. By achieving this mindset they will optimize their chemistry and play in the zone on instinct when it counts the most.

If your players are honest, they will all admit that they have more work to do to reach the end goal. As great as he is, I bet Tiger Woods would honestly admit that he has more work to do to perfect his mental game.

If you want a stop watch like a swim coach has to keep your team honest, make it mandatory that your players memorize the Daily Affirmation below and reflect on it every night before going to sleep.

I
AM
ALWAYS
TRUTHFUL,
POSITIVE
AND
HELPING
OTHERS

If your players make this Daily Affirmation a part of their lives, it will be very hard for them to lie to you and more importantly to themselves. This affirmation will increase their awareness of what is going on their tapes. It will help them to gain control of their emotions and master their tapes.

Once your players agree to always do their best to tell the truth, all you have to do is ask them questions that require a 'yes' or 'no' answer to monitor their progress. Here are some questions you can ask them on a regular basis to see if they are working on improving their tapes and mental game.

• Did you read TMK this season?
• Do you listen to parts one and two of the CD before and after tournaments?
• Do you reflect on the Daily Affirmation every night?
• Do you tell your tape what adjustments to make before going to sleep?
• Are you helping the team by working hard to improve your mental game?
• Do you have written goals on index cards?
• Do you read your goal cards twice a day?
• Are you doing the work to reach your goals?
• Do you know the 4-step routine?
• Do you use the 4-step routine after every shot?
• Do you use the 4-step routine at least 90% of the time?
• Do you use the 4-step routine at least 80% of the time?
• Are you doing your best to use the 4-step routine after every shot?
• Do you ever have fear when you play?
• Are you doing your best to play in the present?
• Do you have first-tee jitters?
• Do you get angry when play?
• Do you get rid of your anger in 10 seconds or less?
• Do you recover quickly from bad shots?
• Do you have negative thoughts before you hit the ball?
• Do you always expect success if everything goes right?
• Are you doing your best to improve your tape?
• Do you reread TMK on your own from time to time?
• Do you receive Michael's mental tip newsletter?
• Do you read Michael's mental tip newsletters when you receive them?
• Did you read all the mental tips in his private tip archive?
• Do you want to improve your mental game?
• Are you doing your best to improve your mental game?
• Are you helping your teammates to improve their mental games?
• Do you listen to the CD at least once a week?
• Are your answers 100% true?

I'm sure that you are getting the picture how powerful the Daily Affirmation can be in keeping your players honest and working on improving their mental games. It can be just as effective as a stop watch if you use it. All you have to do is keep asking your players 'yes' and 'no' questions and monitor their progress by their answers.

If your team earnestly uses the Daily Affirmation and the 4-Step Routine to learn from the feedback that each golf shot provides, it will be just a matter of time until all of your players' mental games get better and better and their scores get lower and lower. I guarantee it!

To keep your players evolving towards reaching the end goal of playing Relaxed and Poised, I recommend putting the above questions on a sheet of paper. Pass out this question sheet to your players occasionally at team meetings. Have them write down their answers, sign it and return it to you. This simple assignment, will give you valuable feedback and help keep your players working on improving their mental games. If you have any doubts about a player's answers, you can always ask him or her the questions face to face.

You probably have your own questions to ask your players. Since it takes time as well as effort to change one's tape, be patient and understanding with your players as long as they are honest and moving forward in the right direction. Always give them the right to remain silent if they don't want to answer any questions. Become their friend and teacher as well as their coach.

Follow Lao-Tzu's advice:
"A good man is a bad man's teacher, and
"A bad man is a good man's job."

TMK is not a quick fix. It's a long-term program that will yield great results if you use it. It may take you a couple of years to whip your team's mental game into shape. Once you do, your team will be a force to be reckoned with. Plus, future prospects with talent and high character will welcome the opportunity to become a member of your team.

If you feel awkward about making it mandatory that your players become 100% honest with you and more importantly with themselves, that's OK because Old Man Golf will do it for you :-)

Continue to The Fifth Step

Note: It is very important that you and all of your players sign up for and read my free mental golf tip newsletter. These tips will reinforce and enhance your players understanding of "The Mental Keys". Plus, they will remind you and your players on a regular basis to keep polishing the wheel:)

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