Conquering Fear On The Golf Course - Self Improvement Lessons To Lower Your Handicap

Practice and talent can only get a golfer so far. No matter how proficient technically they are, a golfer will be under considerable pressure multiple times during a round. It's how they respond to their nerves when in pressure situations that separates the great golfers from the crowd. Learn the self improvement techniques that can help you conquer your nerves and play your best golf under pressure.

Nerves Are Your Bodies Way Of Telling You It's Excited

Standing on the first tee, in front of a group of players you have never played with can be a daunting experience for any golfer. No one likes the feeling of embarrassment that can come from a duffed first drive, especially in front of an audience who has never seen you play before. The dreaded butterflies in the stomach just make matters worse. But there is a simple and easy way to not only handle nerves but embrace them. Instead of thinking of all of those symptoms of nerves as a bad thing, consider them a sign that you are excited. This simple mind hack will change your first tee jitters forever. As you approach the tee and those familiar butterflies appear, remember that this is your body reminding you that you are excited to be here and that there is no other place that you would rather be than on the golf course. You will now feel calm and relaxed and can play your opening tee shot worry free.

Visualize The Result You Want To Happen

Let your subconscious mind help you play your best golf. Before every shot, visualize how you want the ball to travel in your mind's eye. When you stand over the ball, remember the feeling of hitting the visualized shot rather than thinking of the mechanics of your swing. By removing the conscious part of the brain from the equation will help calm your nerves and lead to more consistent results when you are under pressure.

Develop and Maintain a Consistent Pre-Shot Routine

The development and continued use of a pre-shot routine is the most important factor in producing consistent results under pressure. The mechanics of going through the exact same routine no matter if the shot is a relatively unimportant second shot on the 7^th hole during a practice round or a 6 foot putt on the 18^th to win your daily competition, undergoing the same routine will calm the body and mind, allowing you to forget the pressure and go through the standard process to make the shot instead of being trapped thinking about the result.

Learn From The Masters

The professionals who make their living on the PGA Tour have long realized that talent and practice can only get them so far. Sports psychologists are as integral to a player's entourage as their swing coach or 9 iron. Learn the proven techniques of the experts who look after the mental game of the worlds best players. Check out:

• Fearless Golf: Conquering The Mental Game by Dr Gio Valiante
• Golf: The Mental Game by Tom Dorsel PhD

and put the knowledge to practice to improve your game today.

Conclusion

These tips and books, coupled with practice will help you overcome your nerves and have you playing your best golf the next time you are under pressure.

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