Words are powerful. Let’s use them.

If you’ve ever watched golf, you’ve seen players and caddies conversing before each shot (caddies don’t just carry the bag). Or you’ve seen players muttering to themselves walking from one shot to the next. What in the world are they saying? And why?

Peak performance comes from strengthening the mind-body connection and narrowing focus solely on what we are trying to accomplish in any given moment. Whether it’s a swing thought or motivational quote (“Smooth tempo” or “You’ve got this”), speaking has the two-fold effect of priming our body to execute our actual intention while quieting the competing thoughts of doubt, uncertainty, and nervousness that will only get in the way. Interesting. Is this like a brain hack thing?

Yes! And for my nerds out there who must know, here is a very simplified explanation: Thousands of stimuli seek our brain’s attention every second. Only a few can be consciously observed at a time and most come and go quickly. But, when a thought turns into words, it means we’ve decided an idea is truly important and it suddenly gains our full attention. The thought is now anchored to reality through speech and it becomes actionable, not just another thought that arises then fades in our endless stream of consciousness. Okay great. But how does this help me play better? Glad you asked. Here’s an example.

You face a 150-yd par 3 over water. It’s a tournament so people are watching. As you step into the shot the following thoughts occur: “Don’t hit the water”, “Don’t mess up”, “My friends are watching”, “8-iron might not be enough club”. You pause and then say out loud: “8-iron is my 150-club, it’s perfect. Good tempo, center-green, solid contact, let’s goooo”! You have to try it for yourself but the small act of speaking just a few reassuring words boosts confidence and commitment and makes a world of difference, especially under pressure.

If you’re still unsure, I encourage you to find some mic’d up conversations of Tour Pros and their caddies. At a minimum, you’ll hear any combination of the following: distance, target, start line, landing zone, wind, hazards, carry yardages, cover yardages, club selection, personal mantras, and key words or phrases that provide motivation, inspiration, reassurance, confidence, and affirmation. It might feel silly at first, but as your scores drop I have a feeling you’ll get over it.