Golf Mental Game: Stop Aiming at the Ball!

PGA Teacher of the Year Adam Bazalgette from Scratch Golf Academy addresses a fundamental mental mistake: focusing entirely on hitting the ball rather than swinging toward the target. By shifting your mental target downrange, you reduce swing tension and create a smoother, more continuous swing motion. This practical mental adjustment leads to better contact and more consistent ball striking.

• Stop viewing the ball as the final target; treat it as an object on the way to your target.
• Shift your mental focus downrange toward a specific target before initiating your swing.
• Focusing on swinging through impact to the target promotes better swing tempo and dynamic movement.
• Incorporate clear target visualization into every pre-shot routine on the range and course.

Go deeper

• Wild swings — Causes, drills and coaches for this miss
• Visualization — The lesson, across every coach
• Scratch Golf Academy — Every video, sorted by what it teaches