I get really nervous on the golf course. My first tee jitters start way before I stick that first tee into the ground and then follow me past the green. A little nervous energy can benefit you in sports, but when my hands are shaking before I need to make a short putt, particularly in a competition or when people are watching me play, that level of nerves is detrimental in golf. Old, bad habits re-emerge and more importantly, my round is way less enjoyable. And once I start to spiral, it’s hard for me to climb out.
As a non-golfing friend sarcastically asked me, “Why do you care so much? Are you planning on joining the LPGA?”
Um… well…no, obviously not (me, readjusting expectations). I’m joking, but it did make me think about the root cause of my nerves. Why am I so affected when a score comes into play, but can swing freely (and play much better) when I’m out having fun with friends or my husband? Is it performance anxiety? Fear of failure? Why am I putting so much pressure on myself?
Golf has two components, the technical part where you learn how to swing a golf club, and the mental aspect, where you remain calm, focused and resilient for the entirety of your round.
I didn’t know it was possible to practice the mental side of golf, but after speaking to a sports psychologist and a PGA professional who help golfers work through their nerves, it was clear that I wasn’t giving enough attention to improving my mental toughness. Here are 5 ways I plan to change that:
Focus Less On The Outcome
Being outcome-focused, meaning thinking of your final score or about who will win or lose, is generally a main cause of anxiety in golf, says Dr. Ethan Bregman, with West Coast Counseling and Sport Psychology in Northern California. And if you’re thinking about your score, then you aren’t focusing on the current hole and your current shot, he explains.
When someone is competitive, the score matters, and it’s OK to care about it, but the key is not letting those thoughts take away from my focus on each swing – a thought pattern that typically ends up affecting the outcome negatively, anyway.
(Image credit: Lauren Katims)
Customize A Pre-Shot Routine
It’s easy to take a few practice swings, but if they aren’t intentional swings, they most likely…
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