Hypnosis For Golf Performance – Sports Performance Hypnotherapy in Ely and Newmarket

Recently I’ve been working with a golfer to help him to overcome issues and unhelpful habits with a certain part of his game. As anyone who takes part in a sport will know, there is always scope for tweaking, learning and improving, yet there can also be aspects where the improvement doesn’t seem to happen.

I know from my own running and training that sometimes a run or session just doesn’t go to plan. Maybe other aspects of life are getting in the way and affecting things, maybe you are tired, or it could just be an off occasion for some reason. It’s never great but you know it’s a blip and you expect things to be back on the usual positive track next time.

However, there can be aspects of your sport where things just seem to always be awry. It can be anxiety, self-doubt, a lack of belief in your own ability, worry what others think, the legacy of a previous poor performance, too much tension or overthinking. Each and all of these things drain energy and undermine your performance.

I’ve worked with golfers who get anxious and tense only when playing with certain other people or only when playing in a competition. There are those who overthink their actions and so don’t swing smoothly and strike the ball cleanly. And there may be certain shots or conditions where you expect to mess up and then you become tense and make it a reality (and having done so, you then expect to mess up again and anticipate happening again with similar shots in the future). As well as tackling the psychological aspects and unhelpful habits, there are also those golfers whose game is fine yet who want to use their mindset and sports psychology to improve their play and increase their level of performance.

In this article I’m covering some of the research and evidence that supports hypnosis for golf performance and which covers how to improve your game.

 

Hypnosis For Sports Performance

Research has demonstrated that hypnosis can be a very effective tool for helping you to enhance and improve your sports performance.

Hypnosis has been shown to be effective for improving performance in a variety of sports, with the strongest support for enhancement of basketball, golf, soccer and badminton skills. There is also evidence that hypnosis may be useful for enhancing performance in cricket and weight-lifting, as well as precision sports like archery and throwing accuracy (Milling & Randazzo, 2016).

Milling and Randazzo (2016) carried out a review of sports hypnosis. They presented a comprehensive and methodological review of controlled and single case design studies of the effectiveness of hypnosis for enhancing sports performance. In their paper they describe some of the common psychological interventions used to enhance sports performance. These include visualisation (or mental rehearsal), learning to modify and direct self-talk during training and competition, arousal regulation (e.g. to decrease anxiety and tension) and goal setting around improved performance.

In their review they found that ‘Hypnosis was shown to be effective for improving performance in a variety of sports, with the strongest support for enhancement of basketball, golf, soccer and badminton skills.‘ They also concluded that there was preliminary evidence that hypnosis may be useful for enhancing performance in cricket and weight-lifting, as well as precision sports like archery and throwing accuracy.

There’s more on this research here: Hypnosis For Sports Performance – Research and Evidence and Sports Psychology & Performance: Hypnosis For Peak Performance

Hypnosis for sports performance can also help you to build confidence and self-belief, reduce anxiety and stress and to develop motivation and focus in your training and in competition.

And so the research and evidence here demonstrates that hypnosis can certainly help your golf performance and so, with that in mind, let’s now delve deeper into some of that positive evidence.

 

Hypnosis For Golf Performance 

As mentioned, hypnosis has been shown to be effective for improving performance in golf.

Pates and Maynard (2000) examined the effects of a hypnotic intervention on flow states and golf chipping performance of three participants.  When we talk about flow states in sports psychology we are taking about things like enjoyment, peak performance and peak experience. It’s often called being ‘in the zone’ and it’s those things that support successful performance in golf or another sport. It’s that psychological place where things just flow for you and where your thoughts and feelings seem to be optimised.

When they are in this state of flow, people often describe elements such as focus, absorption, joy, freedom and power. Rather than anxiety, boredom or worry, when you are in the zone you enjoy the challenge in front of you and believe in your own capability and skill to achieve your goals. Because it is linked to successful performance, anything that enhances flow states is potentially beneficial in the field of sports psychology.

The hypnosis intervention in this study involved relaxation, imagery, hypnotic induction, hypnotic regression and trigger control procedures.  The results demonstrated that hypnosis can help improve golf chipping performance and increase feelings and thoughts associated with flow, such as confidence, relaxation, concentration and control.

“Present findings suggest that the intervention of relaxation, imagery, hypnotic induction, hypnotic regression, and triggers appeared to enhance flow and golf chipping performance in three players with high handicaps in golf. Also evidence suggested that hypnosis affected their emotions, thoughts, and perceptions” (Pates & Maynard, 2000).

A further study (Pates, Oliver and Maynard, 2001), examined the effects of hypnosis on flow states and golf-putting performance in five competitive golf players. As in the previous study, hypnosis was uses to help the golfers to remember a multi-sensory experience of their best competitive performance. They were asked to include visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory, and memory of their best performance from an internal perspective. Their best performance was then conditioned to be released by a trigger, in this case, the grip of the golf putter.

The results indicated that all five golfers increased their golf putting performance. They also all reported that the hypnosis intervention had helped to keep them relaxed, confident, and focused, and several reported experiencing reduced concerns about performing and more control over their putting stroke.

“In summary, the results of this study suggest that an intervention consisting of hypnotic induction, hypnotic regression, and triggers appeared to enhance flow and golf putting performance in high handicap golfers. This study also seems to provide evidence that hypnosis effects emotions, thoughts, and perceptions” (Pates, Oliver & Maynard, 2001).

In a 2013 study (Pates & Cowen, 2013), the effects of a hypnosis intervention on the performance and flow state experiences of an elite European Tour male golfer were studied. As in some of the studies above, the intervention consisted of a hypnotic induction phase designed to create a state of deep relaxation, a hypnotic regression phase designed to help the golfer relive an earlier life experience of their optimal performance, and a trigger control phase designed to bring their ideal performance state under the control of a stimulus.

The effect of the hypnosis was assessed during eleven competitive golf events and the results demonstrated that hypnosis interventions can have a positive effect on the performance and flow experiences of elite golfers.

“The results of the study indicate that a hypnosis intervention may be an effective way of preparing professional golfers for significant competitions” (Pates & Cowen, 2013).

In addition to the performance results, the results also suggest that hypnosis may help athletes to regulate their emotions. The golfer in this study was able to suppress negative emotions (such as anger), and elevate positive emotions such as confidence, optimism, enjoyment and fun.

A further single subject study by Pates (2013), looked at the effects of a hypnosis intervention on the performance and flow-state experiences of an elite senior European Tour golf professional during eleven Senior European Tour golf events. Using a similar hypnosis intervention once again demonstrated that hypnosis may have a positive effect on the performance and flow experiences of an elite Senior European Tour golfer.

Once again the player reported increased positive emotions, such as confidence and fun, and an increased feeling of mental relaxation resulting in feelings of calm and control. The hypnosis also appeared to improve the player’s ability to focus his attention and to cope with distractions as well as supporting positive thinking by suppressing thoughts such as judging.

 

Improving Golf Performance with Hypnosis

The final two, more recent. research studies that I’m covering here today relate to a mental state called the ‘Clutch’.

In sport, there is a strong link between the state of flow and athletic performance. Peak performances are often underpinned by intense positive feelings and a state of optimal joy (the mental state called flow). More recently it has also been suggested that peak performance is also associated with the mental state called the ‘Clutch’. This state occurs during moments of extreme pressure when the athlete must ‘make something happen’. It  involves deliberate concentration, intense effort, and a heightened awareness (in contrast to flow states that occur spontaneously in the absence of effort when you just let it happen).

Both Clutch and flow states share many similar characteristics, such as confidence, absorption, perceptions of control, enhanced motivation and enjoyment.

I’ve already covered research above suggesting hypnosis can help with enhancing flow states, and a 2019 study (Pates, In The Clutch) evaluated the effectiveness of a hypnosis based intervention on Clutch states and golf performance. As the author noted, golf is ideal to study here as it involves producing a Clutch state and a Clutch type performance on every hole that is played. This is particularly true in the professional game where low scores on every hole are required to compete for prize money and so professional players were chosen for this study.

Three elite European Tour Golfers took part in the hypnosis intervention, which was similar to the steps described above except that this time suggestions were given to help the athletes regress and remember a multisensory experience of a clutch situation where they had to make a putt or shot to win an important event. They were then asked to play a round of golf in their mind and include the multisensory image of holing all of their approach shots from the fairways, holing every chip shot from around the greens and holing all of their putts on the greens.

The results indicated that all three participants mean stroke average decreased from baseline to intervention. Each participant also reported they had felt the intervention had increased sensations they associated with Clutch states. These results support the effectiveness of hypnosis to help you to improve golf performance and increase feelings and cognitions that are associated with Clutch states.

“In conclusion, the results of the study suggest hypnosis based interventions are an effective way of preparing elite golfers for significant competitions” (Pates, 2019)

As well as the positive effect on the performance of elite golfers, the hypnosis intervention also enhanced aspects such as concentration, intensity and effort. It supported positive emotions such as excitement, confidence and fun, and helped enhance their self-confidence and self-belief that they were capable of producing exceptional performances, such as holing improbable shots.

As well as the wealth of evidence for hypnosis for improved golf performance that I’ve already covered here, we also have an even more recent piece of research that examined the effects of a clutch-based hypnotic intervention on the performance and experience of a senior PGA tour golfer (Pates, 2021).

Using a similar hypnotic intervention based upon remembering a clutch situation, there was a positive impact upon the athlete’s performance. The results also suggest that the hypnotic intervention may help golfers regulate emotions, thoughts, feelings, and perceptions associated with a clutch state experience.

“The present study demonstrated that a clutch-based hypnosis intervention encompassing hypnosis, regression, a trigger-control technique, and a pre-shot routine may have a positive effect on the performance elite golfers. The results are consistent with previous research that showed improved performances can be achieved with hypnosis techniques designed to activate mental states that are associated with optimal performance” (Pates, 2021)

Based upon all of this evidence, it seems evident that hypnosis can help you to improve your golf performance, as well as helping you to be more confident and in control of your thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions when you play.

 

Golf Performance Hypnosis

All of the research and evidence suggests that hypnosis can support you playing to your best and improving your golfing performance. Whether it’s chipping, driving, putting or other aspects of the game and competition, you can use hypnosis to positively help you to enhance your play. As well as boosting your performance, you can also increase psychological aspects and skills that support your play, such as focus, concentration, enjoyment, calmness and your confidence.

One of the interesting aspects of golf is how much time you may have between shots waiting to play. This creates the time and opportunity for you to be thinking in negative ways that undermine your play, or to be thinking in positive ways that put you in the best possible state for performing well. And, of course, the nature of golf means you get the chance to repeat your thoughts, feelings and behaviours multiple times during a round.

By using hypnosis and learning the skills and capability to constructively use your psychology and mindset, you can play to the best of your ability and potential, and you’ll experience a lot more fun and enjoyment each and every time you play.

To your golfing success,

Dan Regan

Hypnotherapy in Ely & Newmarket

 

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References:

Milling, L.S. and Randazzo, E.S., 2016. Enhancing sports performance with hypnosis: An ode for Tiger Woods. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, 3(1), p.45.

Pates, J. and Cowen, A., 2013. The effect of a hypnosis intervention on performance and flow state of an elite golfer: A single subject design. International journal of golf science, 2(1), pp.43-53.

Pates, J. and Maynard, I., 2000. Effects of hypnosis on flow states and golf performance. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 91(3_suppl), pp.1057-1075.

Pates, Oliver and Maynard (2001) The Effects of Hypnosis on Flow States and Golf-Putting Performance, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 13:4, 341-354, DOI: 10.1080/104132001753226238

Pates, J., 2013. The effects of hypnosis on an elite senior European tour golfer: A single-subject design. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 61(2), pp.193-204.

Pates, J., 2019. Hypnosis in the Clutch. Biomedical Journal of Scientific and Technical Research, 23(2).

Pates, J., 2021. Clutch-Based Hypnotic Intervention to Improve Golf Performance: A Case Study. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 69(2), pp.246-252.