5 Golf Mental Tips

Looking for five golf mental tips? Golf is first and foremost a mental game. With a sport that is frustrating and maddening as often it is fun and exhilarating, keeping your head in the game is important. There are five golf mental tips that can help you keep things under control.

1. Forgot the last shot. Getting psyched out about a bad shot will only have you tense and distracted as you prepare for the next one. Golf is a game that requires exact precision, and since you’re not Tiger Woods you’re bound to be off by just a bit, sending your ball off in the wrong direction. It can happen to anyone, and even happens to Woods on occasion too. One of golf’s mental tips is to just put that bad shot of your head and move forward.
2. Shut out the rest of the world. A golf course is a bit like a theme park in that your closed off from the outside world and only see the landscaping and architecture that the course designer wants you to see. You’re on the course to unwind and have fun, so put the job, the bills, the leaky faucet, whatever, out of your head. Follow this golf mental tip and find that you’ll enjoy your round much more.
3. Don’t try to make every putt. It’s not practical to spend ten minutes over a 60-foot putt. Just like you wouldn’t expect to make a half-court shot in basketball, your key on long putts is to get them close enough that you can walk away with a two-putt for the hole. A good golf mental tip is to just get those long putts close. Don’t sweat over trying to make them or you’ll end up well off the mark.
4. Get competitive. If you’re out with your buddies and you don’t already talk a little trash, try to get in their heads, and maybe put a little money on the line. You’ll find that when you’re not just playing for a good score you will be much more focused. Follow this golf mental tip and every great shot will be that much more invigorating, helping you enjoy your time on the course more and sending you to that next shot with confidence.
5. Don’t worry about making par. You shouldn’t come to the hole thinking that you need a par, or that a double bogey will completely destroy your round. This puts a lot of pressure on every shot. Follow the golf mental tip of just taking one shot at a time, and hitting each shot as well as you can. Pretty soon you’ll be stringing together several good shots in a row, and making par without even thinking about it.

Resources:

Dorsel, Thomas.  Golf: The Mental Game.  2008.  Cumberland House Publishing.