I have just begun to read the best-selling book, Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game by Dr. Joseph Parent, and after just the first few pages, I am excited by what I have read.

Although I have been playing golf for a number of years, I still struggle to lower my handicap and making par on most of the holes at my home golf course, is still something to only wish for. After playing a round of “bogey-golf” I can get discouraged. But Dr. Parent has some advice that I intend to use in my next round, and I share with you here.

Before setting out to play your next round of golf, get a copy of the course score card and check out which holes are considered hardest to par. Each hole will be designated a number 1 – 18 in the line called “handicap.” Using your own personal handicap check off the holes where you would most likely have trouble. Cross off the par listed on the card and write in what you would consider to be your own “personal par” for each hole. Take into consideration the course conditions and weather as well. If it’s a difficult hole, allow yourself 2 strokes, a hole of medium difficulty, allow yourself an extra 1 stroke. Write the new numbers right on the card, and as you play each hole, acknowledge that you have made your “personal par” if you do, or a “bogey” based on those new numbers.

The reason is simple. Making actual par on a golf course is very difficult. And only 1% of players can do it consistently. Most of us will never accomplish this, though we work hard towards that goal. But creating and playing to your own “personal par” is doable and reaching this realistic goal can be very rewarding – and encouraging.

Try this system the next time you play a round of golf, and let us know what happened.

May your next round be fabulous!

Click here to order this book from amazon.com Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game