GolfPlus May 2018 Digital Edition (May 2018) | Page 41

,QVWUXFWLRQ
35,257272851$0(17
ost
good
golfers try to
practice
how
they play. This
means a couple
of different things. First, they
practice with a purpose. They
put themselves in a realistic game
time situation. It is important
to get your mind used to some
pressure. Use games or compete
against a friend. Take it seriously
and get used to “grinding”. This
will not only help your game,
but it will get you ready for
tournament golf. The second
thing to remember is to develop
a repeatable pre-shot routine. The
same pre-shot routine should be
done on each shot during practice
rounds - not
just each shot during tournament
rounds. This will help you get in
a groove and repeat your swing.
72851$0(17'$<
n tournament days,
get your mind
ready to play. First
of all, get to the
event with plenty
of time to spare. The last thing you
want to do is rush to the À rst tee.
Secondly, start your tournament
on the practice tee and NOT the
À rst tee. After stretching and
warming up, visualize the À rst
hole on the range. If the À rst hole
is a par-4 that for you is a driver
and a 7-iron, play the hole on the
range. Go through your pre-shot
routine, see the shot and hit your
drive. Then do the same with the
7-iron. Go through a number of
holes until you feel comfortable.
Take this as seriously as possible.
Your goal is to get in a groove
and createconÀ dence. Remember,
you can do the same thing around
the putting green. Work on
different ways to get the ball up
and down before you head to the
À rst tee. In most events you have
a few minutes after you get your
scorecard and meet the fellow
competitors, to wait to get on the
tee. All players are different. Some
like to get mentally prepared by
seeing the last few putts going
in the hole on the putting green.
Others like to look down the À rst
hole and see their À rst shot. This
is a good time for you to get ready
for your À rst shot and calm down
a bit.
A lot of stress can be controlled
by your breathing techniques.
Deep breaths reduce stress by
oxygenating your body. Always
take a couple of deep breaths
before you go to the À rst tee or
even incorporate it into your pre-
shot routine. When you get tight,
your arms and shoulders get
tense. Taking deep breaths will
relax your upper body. Remember
to concentrate on the exhale part
of your breath and push it all the
way out. You will feel the tension
leave your body.
Realize that everyone feels nerves.
If you don’t feel nervous, you’re
not ready to play. The best way
to truly be mentally prepared for
tournaments is to play in a lot of
them. Play as much competitive
golf as you can and eventually
you’ll learnwhat works for you.
Lastly, choose to have fun.
The opposite of stress is fun.
Golf can be tough. Many
players get caught up in one
bad shot and that leads to a
bad round. Not every shot is
going to be perfect. It’s how
you react to those less-than-perfect
shots that will determine your
À nal score. Try to lose yourself
in the game and enjoy your time
on the course. Remember these
four things: be on time, visualize,
breath and choose to have fun.
Using these tips will help you
prepare for your next big event
and lead to lower scores.
GolfPlus
MAY
2018
51