Mental toughness in Golf 3 of 10 Concentration

Concentration, or the ability to focus on the task at hand while ignoring distractions, is crucial for success in golf. This is true because golf is a "stop-start" game in which at least 90% of your time on the course is spent doing something other than hitting the ball. And because there is a lot of walking and mental "down time" between your shots, a multitude of distractions can arise and divert your focus from the present moment. For example, a sudden noise or movement from a playing partner could upset your swing or you may find yourself thinking too far ahead as you face a putt. And like most players, you probably find it difficult to forget about a missed opportunity that occurred several holes back. Unfortunately, each of these distractions could prove costly to your score.

Contains 6 special tips to improve concentration in your game, and a short visualisation exercise involving a short putt.

Written by Professor Aidan Moran. Aidan is Director of the Psychology Research Laboratory in University College, Dublin. Aidan's work for the last twenty years has included one to one coaching on mental toughness with top players including Major winners. Narrated by Sara Dylan