Keeping Your Head

When you're playing in a big tournament or in any situation with a lot of pressure, things can go very wrong very quickly.  My problem is on the green or the first tee shot.  I get really shaky hands and it's hard to control the ball and have my relaxed swing.  The best things that I have found to cure this are some kind of drink and a couple of distractions.  I have found that if I have a nice cold drink to swig on just before I hit or even in between shots, I will be more relaxed when I get to the ball.  I really cannot explain why this is or how it happens, but it works for me.  I think it has something to do with anxiety, because I have read that caffeine makes anxiety worse so I try to stay away from that.  But also in that same article it said to try to stay very hydrated to avoid anxiety problems.  Using this information, I try to stay away from sodas before and during my round and stick to some water or Gatorade.  I think it simply gives me a feeling of refreshment, which helps me calm down before I get ready to hit the ball.

I also mentioned that it is useful to have a few distractions in your round, to get your mind off of the pressure surrounding you.  I have found that if someone tells a joke (someone like your caddy or playing partner) and I get a little laugh out of it, it will distract me enough to where I'm not that nervous anymore.  I even used to play games on my phone while I was walking down the fairway in some of my college tournaments.  It really all depends on who is playing in your group.  As soon as I meet my group, I try to make a few jokes and lighten the mood a little bit.  Usually, this will get some sort of response from your group members and your round will be full of funny jokes or just chatting about whatever.  If that doesn't work, then I try to stick to my games while walking down the fairway, because it keeps me in a good mood while I'm playing.  I challenge you to try to find something that will keep you in a happy mood while you are playing your round, because that is the key to keeping your head and staying relaxed under pressure.

Practice

Today I want to talk about having fun at practice.  Every golfer knows that practice makes perfect, because it builds muscle memory and confidence in yourself.  But it's how you practice that really matters.  A lot of people think of practice as simply going to the range and beating a bunch of balls towards the different flags.  No.  When you practice, you need to have an idea of what you want to practice.  If you're having trouble with making good contact, go to the range and hit some shorter shots first.  The most important part of practice is having fun.  You absolutely have to make your practice fun.  This way, you will enjoy practicing to the point where it doesn't even seem like practice anymore.  The best way I know how to do this is with a friend.  Yesterday, my buddy and I played a few holes together.  The entire time we talked about our swings and mostly about the mental side of the game (he confessed he's taken interest in some of these posts).  We hit three or four balls on every shot to work on things we didn't do correctly or to simply further discuss something we were talking about.  My point is we had a good time and got in some quality practice at the same time.  During the school year, when I played for my college team, I would get a buddy on the range and play games.  We would make up point games where we had to draw or fade the ball into a pin without crossing it, or take hula hoops and make rings to chip into where each was worth a different amount of points.  We would make chipping and putting games around the practice green as well.  All of these games made our practices go by quickly because we were having fun, and what's not more fun than a little friendly competition.  Who knows, you might learn something from each other.

Sometimes, you may simply not have anyone around to help you practice.  What I try to do when I'm alone at practice is the same thing I do when I have a friend, make a game.  If you can play a game with yourself and make it fun, practice will be worthwhile.  If you make practice fun, it won't even seem like you're practicing.  This, in turn, will make you better and also make you more confident when it comes time to show people what you have been practicing.  It will let you keep your love for the game, because you will actually want to practice.  So, every time you go to the golf course, try to take a friend with you that you will have fun with.  Try to play games on the range and on the putting green.  Challenge yourself and your buddy, for you will be rewarded with the quality practice you get.  And last of all, don't ever get down on yourself.  After all, it's just practice!