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Golfers need physical and technical skills to do well at their sport. But mental skills are just as critical—without them, it's easy to let their game get you down! Here are our 5 most important mental skills for golfers… Add “mental practice” to your golfing routine as well as hitting the driving range, and see how your game changes!
#1. Resilience: Embrace the Challenge, Not the Pressure
Every golfer knows the feeling of those moments before a big shot. You might get butterflies in your stomach, your mind may start to race, and a slight hint of fear sets in as you worry about hitting a bad shot.
This is where you need resilience. Resilience helps you to focus on the challenge but set aside the pressure that weighs on your shoulders. Challenges can be excellent opportunities for growth… But only if your mindset is working for you, not against you. Here's how to use it:
Stay Present
Resist the urge to worry about your last shot, work projects, or the argument you had with your friend. Focus on the shot at hand and clear your mind of other things that could affect this shot negatively.
Banish Negativity
Negativity can ruin your shot! Find yourself thinking things like “I hope I don't mess this up?” Do a “mindful redirect”—consciously swap them out with positive ones, like “I've got this”, or “I'm a great golfer.”
Connect With Your Body
Do a quick body scan before you swing. Consciously relax your shoulders, let go of tension in your jaw, and plant your feet. Take a couple of deep breaths (down to the belly), and imagine yourself being a single unit from head to toe.
Be Your Own Cheerleader
If you were cheering on a friend or family member, you wouldn't beat them up if they hit a poor shot, would you? So why do it to yourself?
Treat yourself like you're your own cheerleader. If you make a mistake, don't bash yourself for it—talk to yourself like you would that friend, and be gently encouraging about how it'll go better next time.
#2. Visualization: Picture Your Best Shot
Don't negate visualization! It's not just for monks and meditators—Olympic athletes do it too! Work on it during practice, when you're messing around on the golf simulator, or even while you're lying in bed at night. Here are some tips:
Mental Movie
Before each shot, take a few moments to create a “mental movie”. Set the scene! Imagine your perfect stance, the ideal swing, and an excellent follow-through. Then, watch the ball soar towards the green, landing where you want it to be. See the shot play out from start to finish.
Engage Your Senses
Engage all your senses! Feel yourself gripping the club, hear the impact of the ball on the club, imagine the feeling of your follow-through, and anything else you can think of. You can also put your mind to how your muscles feel as you're hitting the shot.
Celebrate!
Don't forget to celebrate! Imagine the joy, excitement, and relief when you hit an amazing shot. Feeling those emotions is an excellent way of embedding that feeling in your psyche and bringing it right back when you're really playing.
#3. Adaptability: Conquer the Unexpected
Every golfer understands that you're at the mercy of nature when you're on the golf course! Wind changes, a rogue rain storm, unexpected hazards, and other things that have happened during your day can all make a difference.
Learning to be adaptable is a superpower on the course! When something doesn't go your way, you can adapt and change up the way you're doing things… Or you can lose your temper and ruin your game. Here's how to be adaptable.
Have a Flexible Game Plan
Be ready to change your club selection if necessary, adjust your strategy on the fly, or change your whole game plan if the weather changes! No need to stick to your original plan if it's not working for you—be brave enough to change it up if something's not working!
See Obstacles As Opportunities
Don't let obstacles get you down! See each one as an opportunity to analyze, strategize, and get creative with solving problems. A puzzle to solve and a chance to learn something new!
Move On
Don't dwell on those poor shots (they WILL happen!) Laugh it off or simply accept it as a new challenge. Move onto the next shot with a fresh slate.
#4. Unshakable Confidence: Believe in Your Abilities
Confidence is a mental skill you can develop! It's not about arrogance—it's about having a deep-seated belief in your own skills. It might sound more like a personality trait, but here's how you can cultivate it in yourself.
Recall Your Wins
Keep a mental folder of your victories. It doesn't matter if they were on the driving range, on the golf simulator, or on the actual course—a win is a win. Remember your best shots, your best scores, and anything that stands out to you about your own game. You've done this before—there's no reason you can't do it again.
Talk Yourself Up
Become your own biggest supporter. Banish negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones—change “I hope I can…” with “I know I can, I've done this before” or things like “My golfing skills are improving every day!”
Preparation is Key
Practice = preparedness. Confidence isn't all about building yourself up with positive talk and remembering the awesome things you've done. It's also about knowing that you've put in the hours and built up the skills you need to be a great golfer. Keep practicing!
#5. Healthy Competition: Fuel Your Improvement, Not Your Anxiety
Whether in a friendly round or a high-pressure tournament, competition can be both motivating if you view it through the right lens. The key is to harness its energy without comparing yourself harshly to others. Here are our tips:
Be Your Own Competition
Aiming to beat your own best scores is the best way to go. Measure your success against yourself, and it's always easy to see your progress.
Learn From Others
Comparing yourself too closely to others can lead to demotivation. But your companions can be an amazing source of opportunities to learn! Watch, analyze, learn, and use competition to inspire you rather than bring you down.
Be a Good Loser
Being a gracious loser is all about understanding that in every loss, there's an opportunity to learn and come back better than before. Acknowledge other golfers' great performance and make mental notes of things to work on next time.
Make Mental Toughness a Daily Practice
Just like your physical skills, mental skills take consistent practice. You'll need to make an effort to start integrating these practices into your everyday life—but trust us, it could be the best gift you ever give yourself!
Create a pre-round ritual to focus your mind before you start and reflect on your game after each round to acknowledge your great and not-so-great moments. Celebrate the good, take note of the bad, and use his info to get better next time.
Don't forget, that building a tough mindset doesn't only happen on the golf course! Just a few minutes of meditation every day can help you focus your mind and cultivate a skill that'll help you really hone your attention on the golf course.
About the Author
Jordan Fuller is a retired golfer and businessman. When he's not on the course working on his own game or mentoring young golfers, he writes in-depth articles for his website, Golf Influence.
