A round of golf is long…
…and can become frustrating, even demoralising. Even when things have been going well it’s weirdly difficult to stay positive. Disaster can seem just around the corner.
Note: This post is a work in progress. It’ll be honed this week as I try some things out in competition and edit the text!
What’s the problem?
It’s easy to get tired during a round. It’s a long way to walk and you need to assess where you are and make decisions every time you arrive at the ball. Both your brain and body are working hard.
Where is it particularly difficult?
- The first tee
- At the turn (the move from the first to the second nine holes)
- If you’re familiar with the course then some holes or specific places on holes may get in your head (not in a good way)
On course practice can help with this. You can stand on the first tee and hit some drives late one afternoon. You can choose to start on the back nine rather than the front to switch up the turn. You can use on course practice to build confidence on sections of the course you find challenging.
When is it particularly difficult?
- After one or a few shots where you didn’t execute what you planned
It’s easy to lose trust in your decisions and ability to make swings. You can quickly begin to feel pessimistic not optimistic, body slumped not intentional.
Taking a positive stance
Over the last few months I’ve been much more aware when I’m losing body form on course. I get tired in the heat and downcast by poor shots. I feel slumped.
To conserve energy, it’s important to relax between each decision-making and shot-taking moment. Walk easy. Look at the trees. Listen to the birds.
If I do that then when I get to the ball it’s easier to straighten myself up, make a decision and stand balanced, ready to swing
But, that isn’t always enough. You need to stay mentally positive, something I’m still finding difficult.
FEAR and the move from negative to positive thinking
When you lose trust in your ability to play it’s very difficult to make clear decisions.
You find you’re:
- Not seeing any shot you want to take clearly
- Unable to make a definite decision over what to do
Which makes it:
- Impossible to commit to action
You might get away with it… but you’re more likely to end up somewhere you don’t want to be for the next shot!
How to play in face of FEAR
Realise:
- Something went wrong… doesn’t mean the next thing will
Think:
- Where are you? Here
- When? Now
Because:
- You’re not back there or then, so what are you worrying about?
- What you face now is different from what you fucked up!
FEAR in this context means:
- False
- Evidence
- Appearing
- Real
Standing at the ball
- Don’t worry about what might go wrong
- Visualise how you want it to go
- Play
- Then deal with whatever actually happens
This is more than thinking:
- Next shot - moving on at the moment where something has gone wrong.
It’s about when you are at the new point and being positive there and then.
A golf shot is an action taken after deliberation of available data.
To play a shot you must act on every decision as though it is correct - and make it correct.
