The trouble with making tentative swings is
that regularly the shot ends up creating a
poor result. Here is how the best players in
the world handle this problem.
There are basically two ways to approach a
shot, each with two basic results. A swing
can either be committed or uncommitted, and
the result of any swing can have a positive
result or a negative result. This is
graphically depicted below.
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1.
Commitment with Positive
Result
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2. Commitment
with Negative Result
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3. Lack of
Commitment with Positive
Result
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4. Lack of
Commitment with Negative
Result
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Situation 4 is the absolute worst
feeling in golf. Swinging the club or
executing a putt tentatively and/or without
commitment and getting a poor result is a
double whammy. Here the player is trying to
protect against a feared consequence, hasn’t
really given himself a chance for something
good to happen, and had the feared outcome
happen anyway. This scenario scores a direct
hit on the confidence because of the lack of
courage and the poor result.
Situation 3 is only slightly better.
In this instance, the player doesn’t
really “go after it”, but gets a positive
result anyway. Most golfers in their heart
of hearts know when they’ve “gotten away with
one” as opposed to when they’ve
actually “gone after it”. Most players don’t
feel very good even when they have hit a
timid shot or made an unsure putt and had the
ball go where they were hoping. Essentially,
this feels good in the moment, but it has a
negative impact on most players’
confidence.
For the most part a lack of commitment,
irrespective of result, sets up situations
that ultimately hurt a player’s confidence.
On the other hand, commitment inescapably
does the opposite.
Situation 2 where a player makes a
fully committed swing or putt and doesn’t get
the result he’d like, creates mild
disappointment. While this is true,
competitive golfers know that they’ve at
least given themselves a chance for something
good to happen, and have done what they could
to create a positive golf shot. Most live
well with this, knowing that over time these
types of swings and putts will produce the
rewards they seek. This is a net positive to
the confidence.
Situation 1 is the best feeling in
golf. It is the situation where one makes a
fully dedicated pass at the ball and gets
exactly what one was looking for. These are
the moments which generate – even for the
casual golfer- the kind of internal response
that connect with one’s love of the game.
Getting a positive result in a situation
where a challenge was confronted head on is
high on the list of confidence boosters.
Confidence can be built one shot at a time if
swings and putts are made with steadfast
commitment!
After taking lessons and/or attempting to
make changes in one’s swing, many players
have a difficult time fully committing to
executing the new swing on the golf course.
There are a variety of reasons for this.
Some are concerned because of a fear of
hitting the ball in a “bad” place- into a
hazard, bunker, OB, etc. Others don’t swing
the club with full commitment because of a
lack of faith in their ability to swing it
well, and instead end up trying to guide the
ball.
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