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.

Strategy

Sometimes, it is appropriate to think of golf when you aren't on the golf course.  Whenever I think about golf off the course, I try to think about strategy.  Most of the time I end up thinking about something I'm not happy with in my swing, which is not a bad thing to try.  I've figured out problems with my swing while I was laying in bed; it works.  What I'm trying to suggest is to think of how you play the game when you don't have the golf course to obscure your thinking.

Strategy can make or break your round.  If you play smart, you can be victorious over people who execute shots better than you do.  You have to try to use everything possible to play better, even your brain.  If you think about it, you cannot exceed in golf once you get past a certain point with your physical swing.  The rest is all mental.  If you watch the pros play, you will notice they do not hit a driver on every par 4 and par 5.  This is because they are trying to play to their own advantages by hitting their drives to the widest part of the fairway.  Working the ball from left to right or right to left also comes into play when planning a round.  If you have a hole where trouble is to the left, you may want to start the ball right and work it back left.  This way you stay away from trouble as long as possible, even if you don't execute the shot perfectly.  The pros put all of this into consideration, especially when hitting into a well protected green.  This strategy also comes in to effect around the greens.  If you have a lot of green to work with, pull out that 8-iron and hit the bump and run.  I don't know how many times I have seen people have a whole green to work with and still chip with their 56 degree wedge.  You don't need it!  It's the same thing as hitting a driver on a par 4 where your landing zone is the smallest part of the fairway.  It is unnecessary!

All I'm trying to say is this, play your smartest and you will play better.  If you stay away from trouble and use everything the course offers you to use, you will see the strokes falling off your scores.  You can still take risks (don't be too conservative, for it can hurt you).  If you have the confidence in hitting a risky shot and you're not in the lead by a few strokes, go ahead and hit it.  Most of the time you will be able to execute when you are confident in yourself.  So have fun, plan your next round appropriately, stick to your plans, and watch the strokes disappear!