Tiger's Mental Conditioning

[TRev1911]

As Tiger is rejoining the PGA I have noticed some comments from "experts" on how he mentally prepares for a match. I feel that there is some correlation to our sport.

First, When Tiger was in a play off at a major match his competator mentioned that he thought he could beat Tiger. Tiger's reply was that he already had the advantage because he was focusing on beating the golf course.

Second, he has had the same preshot routine since he was 14 years old. He finds great comfort and strength is this routine and it enables him to forget a bad shot and soley focus on the shot at hand.

Third, He spends hours fine tuning the even smallest aspects of his game.

Conclusion, I need to change my mindset from "I hope I do well" on this stage to a mindset that if I shoot each course of fire to the best of my ability - I can beat anyone in my class. I need to develop and visualize a more in depth pre stage routine that I focus on every aspect of the course of fire. Hopefully then my plan won't go to hell when the buzzer goes off. Finally, I need to keep up with a regular dry fire routine.

[Jake Di Vita]

Very true. He has a phenomenal mental game.

It goes back to thinking about only what you can control.

Moderator hat on.

Let's keep this discussion on course. A bunch of posts about how much people love or hate him will get this thread closed quickly.

[AlamoShooter]

Or you could just get four or five girl friends

[Jadeslade]

Tiger's mental game interests me not.

[benos]

I didn't care about beating anyone, or winning. All of my focus was on performing to the best of my ability.

be

[Alan Meek]

Years ago when I first got started in USPSA I made the following comment to one of our local top shooters and friend: "I am looking forward to the day I beat you." And his reply was simple. "I will never beat him I will only beat myself". I have remembered that reply and have since focused on my performance only and try to shoot the best of my ability.

[buckaroo45]

As a 60 something fat guy that's only been doing this a couple of years, I have no illusions of superior performance. I do think Trev1911 has hit a prime nugget of performing well at anything. That is the ability to delete an error from the mind and focus only on the next execution. The score only matters when the smoke clears. Ah that I were young enough to have that focus now that I see the use of it.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

"I have the Power thing down, it's the Speed and Accuracy that give me problems"

[j1b]

As Tiger is rejoining the PGA I have noticed some comments from "experts" on how he mentally prepares for a match. I feel that there is some correlation to our sport.

First, When Tiger was in a play off at a major match his competator mentioned that he thought he could beat Tiger. Tiger's reply was that he already had the advantage because he was focusing on beating the golf course.

Second, he has had the same preshot routine since he was 14 years old. He finds great comfort and strength is this routine and it enables him to forget a bad shot and soley focus on the shot at hand.

Third, He spends hours fine tuning the even smallest aspects of his game.

Conclusion, I need to change my mindset from "I hope I do well" on this stage to a mindset that if I shoot each course of fire to the best of my ability - I can beat anyone in my class. I need to develop and visualize a more in depth pre stage routine that I focus on every aspect of the course of fire. Hopefully then my plan won't go to hell when the buzzer goes off. Finally, I need to keep up with a regular dry fire routine.

GOod observations. He definitely has the "perform at your peak when performing at your peak matters most" thing down pat. I'd have to say, pre-November (we'll see how he does going forward) that he had/has the best mental game of any athlete I've seen perform.

Tiger's mental game interests me not.

I get this. I was a huge fan. Today, not so much. I don't know where I stand with the guy, but I do know that in terms of a person who has learned to step up and execute when stepping up and executing is important - he is the man. I don't forgive his indiscrecions. And I do judge him for them - right, wrong or indifferent. But as a performing athlete - he has done remarkable things and I'll always believe there are things to be learned there.

J

[LPatterson]

Judge not, least yee be judged. There are damn few people out there man or woman who has not had at least a minor indiscretion.

Personally I see it week after week where a shooter is trying to beat something instead of just shooting like they did in practice. Shoot that classifier at the ragged edge in practice then shoot it at a known ability in the match. Is a .8 draw to a charlie better than 1.0 to an alpha it you lose a .1 on every transition and have a mike or no shot along the way. At the level III matches look at the top 10 and see what they did to get there.

[Micah]

This is why I never look at who is shooting the same match, or preliminary stage results during a match. I cannot magically make myself a better shooter during a match. I am only as good as I am for each stage.

[slip knot]

I like the four or five girls idea..............

[rtr]

During his Master's presser he alluded to the idea that he may not have been performing up to the level he is capable of over the last 5 years or so because of the double life he was leading.

Pretty amazing given how many golf tournaments he has won over that time to think that he may be able to perform even better in the future.

[T.McDevitt]

Years ago when I first got started in USPSA I made the following comment to one of our local top shooters and friend: "I am looking forward to the day I beat you." And his reply was simple. "I will never beat him I will only beat myself". I have remembered that reply and have since focused on my performance only and try to shoot the best of my ability.

OK OK...But did you ever beat your local top shooter friend

[Jadeslade]

That's funny.