Golf was an Olympic sport again this year. Unfortunately, I was unable to see any of the rounds and had to rely on updates through the event. I was not surprised to see that Scottie Scheffler toke home the gold for the USA or to see Tommy Fleetwood or Hideki Matsuyama standing next to him on the podium. Congrats to all the players on their Olympic participation.
As a Canadian, I had to show an almost ace by Corey Connors. So close!
Olympic golf is over for another 4 years. Now it is time to get back to grind for most professionals.
The past two days I played an early bird round at my home course of Mattawa Golf and Ski Resort. Each round I focused on different aspects of my game in order to prepare for a scramble tournament on Wednesday. Although Wednesday’s event will be mostly a fun round, I like to be ready nonetheless. As I worked on various aspects of my game, a mental fault kept cropping up that would cost me strokes if I was keeping score. It is a lesson I continue to relearn and one I would have thought I mastered by now…..I guess not! The reason I call it mental is because it my actual stroke is fine, but my tentative nature while chipping is forcing me to either make long putts or to chip again!
The golf swing is a complicated maneuver that incorporates many minor movements. When I first started playing, I tried to manage as many of positive swing factors as a could just prior to starting my swing. It is something that most, if not all, amateurs find overwhelming. The number of thoughts that would bounce around in my head during my entire swing process seemed uncountable. I fixed this common error after I talked to my mentor Bob Fortune, who explained that I needed to find a way to stop overthinking. Never accursed of thinking too much in the past 😉 I decided to take his advice to heart. Now, I have very little to no swing thoughts and it has helped my improve my ball striking and aim effectiveness. You can as well if you start to eliminate as many swing thoughts as you can prior to and during your golf swing.
The scramble format is a fun. It helps erase poor shots and accentuates good shots by players. Last night, I played in a 9 hole scramble format for Men’s Night. It was our usual team of Mike, Barry, Charlie and I. We normally shoot six under or less, but last night we shot better. As I look back at he match, I wondered what the difference was that allowed us to record a lower than normal score. It was not anything out of the norm, we seemed to make more putts than normal……but why?
The smallest margins have a tremendous impact on our golf results. That certain par can turn into a quick double through a missed putt that causes us to mentally break down. That sudden appearance of a shank instantly makes us worry about our next shot. Hitting something on the fairway that shoots our ball into the rough or worse is not uncommon. Hitting the top of a cart post in front of the green and finishing 25 feet from the pin with a putt for eagle happens. The above examples of how inches make a difference in our score are some of the many real life scenarios I experience on the links over the years. It is crazy how such small margins, good or bad, can happen at anytime. I have often wondered if their is a way to prevent the unknowns from having an influence in my game…..have you?
Golf is a mental game!
Golf is considered a game of inches including the six inches of real estate between our ears. Regardless of what is happening on the course, the thoughts generated while on the links is by far the most important aspect of our game that we need to control. Everyone experiences a good or poor bounce from time to time. It is how we react that makes the greatest impact on our score.
After experiencing many highs and lows while chasing a little white ball for a few hours, I can say without hesitation that how I mentally react to each shot is important. I do allow myself to be relish the good shots longer than poor ones, but that is one of my keys to success. I try to build on a great shot or lucky bounce in order to sustain a positive attitude. A poor shot or bounce receives a different response.
I try very hard to immediately forget a poor bounce or shot. I find that when the inches are against me, I need to focus on playing well and the next shot. I try to forget (notice I said the word try 😉 ) the poor result and work on how I can change my fortune. Most of the time I hit a solid next shot and carry on. I try not to let my past performance affect my future results. It really is a mental challenge sometimes, but one that all good golfers face while on the links.
Good golf is as much a mental exercise as physical. Over the years, many experiences (on and off the links) have shaped my mental approach to golf. I feel that I am mentally strong when playing and very few things affect how I think. This does not mean that I do not experience frustration from time to time, but it rarely stays in my mind for long. This approach is a learned thing, but it all starts with a decision to not let my mind be bogged down with negative thoughts. Golf really is a game of inches.
The Grateful Golfer 