Every season, albeit as short time, I take some time off to recharge and prepare for the final push of golf before my long winter’s nap. This year, I just finished 10 days away from playing to enjoy some time with my family. It is a yearly tradition and one I really enjoy. But now it is time go get back into the swing of things and to sharpen my game before some upcoming tournaments. The question is how and how much time do I dedicate to my game and still enjoy doing other things with my darling wife. Well, that is easy or at least I think it is.
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Outcome Versus Process of a Golf Shot
The amazing aspect of golf that is often overlooked is the plethora of methods to achieve a specific outcome. Whether you subscribe to pure process or pure feel (or somewhere in between) the number of ways to play a shot can be countless. Personally, gravitate towards process especially as I gain in experience and knowledge. Process, for me, removes many of the ‘what ifs’ when deciding how to play a shot. Following a process helps me narrow all the stressors of a shot by improving my focus on what I can achieve. Yet, I feel this is more to this way of playing golf!
Continue readingThree Golf Tournaments In Three Days
Today starts the day of three (potentially four) rounds of golf in tournaments. It will be a very busy week, but great fun as well. Unfortunately the three booked are scrambles with the potential of the potentially fourth round being match play. The rounds will all be a different courses and with different players. So, lots of golf with great friends is in my future starting today. Being matched with a variety of players, it will be challenging to keep my strategy in check because each player brings something different to the table.
Continue readingLetting Go Of FEAR In Your Golf Game
When playing golf are there shots that cause you anxiety? Is there a situation you hate to find yourself because success seems impossible. How about putting that three foot downhill breaker for par, does that cause you angst? The emotional responses to all of these challenges are rooted in one thing: FEAR: False Evidence Appearing Real. When shoots that increase the pressure on our ability to perform arise, I had a tendency to think of all the wrong possible outcomes. Yup, I was so focused on missing, I actually forgot to believe that I could make the shot….is that not the definition of crazy for any golfer!
Continue readingCompeting In Golf Tournaments
Golf tournaments show what kind of golfer your are and could be. The pressure of playing in a competition will accentuate our strengths and more importantly or weaknesses of our game. The area that I notice the most challenge for amateur golfers competing is on the mental side of the game. They are more concerned with what other players are doing, that they let it overshadow their game. For full disclosure, I have fell into this trap in my early years. As I mature as a player and developed my game, I found that what other players were doing was less a factor as what I am doing on the course. I am not sure there is a simple solution to the mental challenge of ignoring what other players are doing, but I seem to have know I turned the corner to success many years ago.
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The Grateful Golfer 