Every player with whom I’ve worked – from
junior players through PGA and LPGA players-
has found themselves in golf-related
situations in which they felt fearful. For
some it involves situations where there is a
large crowd. For others it is certain types
of shots or hole configurations that bring on
stress or fear. Still others are most
fearful when the consequences of their round
is “big” in their minds- such as when a
college coach is watching, when attempting to
qualify for a U.S. Open, or during Q-School.
One thing that I’ve found helps players is
for them to recognize their tendencies when
they find themselves under “pressure” or in
situations in which they think fearfully.
Basically there are two major tendencies-
Which one is most true for you?
Tendency #1 is to become tentative, overly
conservative, and/or indecisive. This
tendency regularly leads to players
attempting to guide the ball, or steer their
swing- often with less than favorable
results. For this type of player, it is
important that they permit themselves to
stick to the game plan and make sure that
they are fully committed to “going after”
after each shot that they hit. This, of
course, doesn’t mean to swing as hard as you
can, but rather to make sure that once a
decision is made, that there isn’t a change
in thought or intention while standing over
the ball or in mid-swing or mid-stroke.
Tendency #2 is the inclination to “try too
hard. This type of player will lose their
poise, attempt to force shots, and take on
too much. With this tendency, I’ll see a
player go off of their game plan to hit to
the middle of a green by pin-seeking, or
watch a game plan change from 3 wood off the
tee to driver- because he/she feels like they
have to make up for something that they’ve
done wrong or because they simply forget to
adhere to their previously determined game
plan and course strategy.
Lesser players either do not recognize their
tendencies thus they make no adjustment,
and/or they allow the situation that they are
in to affect their internal environment.
Better players adjust their internal
environment so that it affects the situation.
Overall, if you become more aware of your
tendencies, then you will take in the
information on any given shot, make an
adjustment to get back to a quality decision,
and then create a more optimal internal
environment from which to play. This will
give you a greater chance to play with
assertiveness, with wisdom, and with
confidence!
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