The Mental Art of Putting: Using Your Mind to Putt Your Best : The Psychology of Great Putting

by Cohn, Patrick

• ISBN13: 9780878332823
• ISBN10: 0878332820
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-11-01
• Publisher: Natl Book Network

Summary

With this book every golfer can putt with greater confidence, composure, and consistency in between those elusive holes-in one!

Table of Contents

Foreword	xiii
Preface	xv
Acknowledgments	xix
Introduction	xxi
Lagman or Charger? Determining Your Putting Style	1	(6)
Two Different Styles of Putting	1	(1)
Do you Lag or Charge?	2	(1)
The Importance of Speed	3	(1)
What Is Your Attitude about Putting?	4	(1)
Finding Your Style	5	(2)
Try This!	5	(2)
The Best of the Best: Qualities of Great Putters	7	(10)
Do You Think of Yourself as a Good Putter?	8	(1)
Are You Confident in Your Ability?	9	(1)
Are You a Doubter?	10	(1)
Do You Believe in Your Method?	10	(1)
Do You Practice for Touch?	11	(1)
Can You See the Line?	12	(1)
Do You Love to Putt?	12	(1)
Do You Give Your Best Effort?	13	(1)
Do You Know That You're Not Perfect?	13	(1)
Do You Practice to Make Putts?	14	(3)
Mind Matters	14	(1)
Try This!	15	(2)
A Healthy Start: Choosing the I-Can-Make-Everything Attitude	17	(10)
Choosing a Good Attitude	17	(2)
A Study in Attitude	19	(1)
Making the Right Choice	19	(1)
The Golden Attitude	20	(2)
The Power of Words	22	(1)
The Little Engine: A Relevant Children's Story	23	(1)
Developing the I-Can-Make-Everything Attitude	24	(3)
Try This!	25	(2)
The One-Putt Mindset: The Only Way to Think	27	(8)
Confidence: The Name of the Game	28	(1)
Competence and the Putting Cycle: It Works Both Ways!	29	(1)
The Positive Putting Cycle	30	(2)
The Negative Putting Cycle	32	(1)
Finding ``IT'' on the Green	33	(2)
Try This!	34	(1)
Confidence: The Key to Giving It Your Best Stroke	35	(10)
Competence: The Foundation for Confidence	36	(1)
Confidence from Your Practice	36	(1)
Confidence from Your Preputt Routine	37	(1)
Confidence from Experience and Competition	37	(1)
Confidence from Your Commitment	38	(1)
Confidence from Your Preround Warm-up	39	(1)
Confidence from Your Putter	39	(1)
How to Regain Confidence When You're Leaking Oil	40	(5)
Mind Matters	42	(1)
Try This!	43	(2)
Line, Speed, and Target: Focus for Making Putts	45	(12)
Understanding Concentration	46	(4)
What Are the Important Cues?	46	(1)
What Is Relevant and Irrelevant to Putting?	47	(1)
Don't Reflect, React	47	(1)
Focus on Execution, Not Result	48	(1)
Focus In and Focus Out	48	(1)
Getting Back on Track	49	(1)
Stop the Wandering	49	(1)
Attention Killers	50	(2)
Outside Distractions	50	(1)
The Blank Out	50	(1)
Negative Thoughts	50	(1)
Anxiety	51	(1)
Boredom	51	(1)
Low Self-Confidence	51	(1)
Running Out of Steam	51	(1)
Off-Course Exercises to Improve Your Focus	52	(1)
Exercise 1: Holding Your Focus	52	(1)
Exercise 2: Focusing on Breathing	52	(1)
Exercise 3: Mental Rehearsal	52	(1)
Exercise 4: Practice Refocusing Attention	53	(1)
On-Course Tips for Better Concentration	53	(2)
No Past, No Future, Only the Present	53	(1)
Think One Shot at a Time	54	(1)
Focus on Your Preparation	54	(1)
Relax While You Wait Your Turn	54	(1)
Use a Warm-Up Routine	54	(1)
Practice Like You Play	55	(1)
Cue Yourself to Concentrate	55	(1)
Rehearse Your Putt while You Wait	55	(2)
Try This!	56	(1)
Now You See It: Vision and Imagination in Putting	57	(12)
Differences in Vision between Great and Poor Putters	58	(1)
Vision and Your Putting Routine	58	(1)
Surveying the Green: Getting a Read	59	(1)
Watch Other Putts: Your Best Clue	60	(1)
The Dominant Eye in Putting	60	(1)
The Million-Dollar Look	61	(1)
Developing an Eye for the Line	62	(1)
The Big Picture: Soft Focus or Hard Focus?	63	(1)
Focus on a Small Target	64	(1)
Are You Really Square?	65	(1)
Visual Shift and Image Decay during Putting	65	(1)
Keep Putting Simple	66	(3)
Try These Exercises for Improving Vision!	66	(3)
The 30-Second Mindset: Establishing a Putting Routine	69	(10)
What's All the Fuss about a Preshot Routine?	69	(1)
Take It from the Pros	70	(1)
The Six Essentials: Qualities of a Good Routine	71	(2)
Example Preshot Routine for Putting	73	(1)
Maintain Your Line	74	(1)
Regroup When Distracted	74	(1)
Develop Your Own Preshot Routine	75	(1)
Should Your Routine Be Routine?	76	(1)
Make Your Routine Simple to Follow	76	(3)
Try This!	77	(2)
The Child Within: Generating a Fearless Mindset	79	(14)
What's So Scary?	80	(1)
Stress on the Green	81	(1)
A Golfer's Biggest Enemy: The Fear of Missing	82	(1)
The Fear of Looking Stupid and Incompetent	83	(1)
Do You Protect Your Ego?	83	(1)
The Fear of Choking	84	(1)
The Yips and Freezing	85	(1)
Dealing with Fear on the Green	86	(3)
Eliminate the Past	87	(1)
Putt Like a Little Kid Again	87	(2)
Think of Your Putt as a ``Second'' Attempt	89	(1)
Reality Check on the Green	89	(1)
Be Your Own Coach	90	(1)
Focus on the Task	90	(3)
Try This!	91	(2)
Preparing Your Mind to Putt Your Best	93	(8)
Instilling Confidence: A Never-Ending Project	94	(1)
The Positive Coach Inside You	94	(1)
Pictures Are Worth a Thousand Putts	95	(1)
Don't Expect to Putt Perfectly	96	(1)
Preparing to Putt Well in Tournaments	96	(1)
Coping with Poor Putting	97	(2)
What Are Your Goals?	99	(2)
Try This!	99	(2)
Productive Putting Practice: Taking It to the Course	101	(10)
The Difference between Practicing and Playing	102	(1)
Transferring Your Putting to the Course	103	(2)
Make It Automatic	105	(1)
Practice for Touch and Feel	105	(3)
Improving Confidence with Short Putts	108	(1)
Taking It to the Course	108	(2)
The Use of Visual Aids during Practice	110	(1)
Try This!	110	(1)
The Golden Touch: Warming Up Your Putter	111	(6)
Generate Your Feel on the Green	112	(1)
Validate Your Confidence	112	(1)
More Is Not Always Better	113	(1)
Go with What You Have	113	(1)
One- Two- or Three-Ball Warm-Up?	114	(1)
Remember, It's Only a Warm-Up	115	(2)
Try This!	115	(2)
Putting Rx: Remedies for Common Problems	117	(10)
A Summary of Great Putting: Six Important Keys	127	(6)
Positive Attitude	128	(1)
Putting Confidence	128	(1)
Touch and Feel	129	(1)
Total Focus	130	(1)
Imagination and Vision	130	(1)
Trusting Your Stroke	131	(1)
Monitoring Your Progress	132	(1)
Player Progress Questionnaire	133	(2)
References	135	(2)
About Patrick J. Cohn, Ph.D.	137	(2)
About Robert K. Winters, Ph.D., Sports Psychologist and Performance Consultant	139	(2)
Peak Performance Sports Mental Game of Golf Library	141