How To Play Good Golf Under Pressure - The Paradox Of Golf

Do you ever feel under pressure on the course?

Do you ever feel pressure before you even get onto the course?

Plenty of other players you and I know feel pressure all the time when they are golfing.

Here are some examples when players perceive pressure:

On the range, before a round

The night before

On missing a couple of short practice putts in warm up

After making a couple of short practice putts in warm up

On the first tee

On the eighteenth tee

Stood over a three footer for bogey

Stood over a three footer for birdie

Facing a 140 yard shot to the green, with water in front

Playing with strangers

Playing with friends

Playing with a spouse

Playing for a pint

Playing for your livelihood

If you've experienced any of these are pressure times, then ask yourself this

"Where is the pressure coming from?"

And the only honest answer is "from me"

So unless you think these pressures help you play better, (which of course they don't), you need to learn a new way of thinking.

What's the problem with pressure?

You and I have both heard players talking about "thriving on pressure". But as you'll see, they've figured out golf greatest paradox, and use it to their advantage. And actually it then isn't pressure they are feeling; it is the far better cousin of pressure - Excitement!

Let me explain…

The reason that pressure is so unhelpful to you is because it'll most often come to you in the form of a voice, and it tells of the negative consequences of missing the shot. This will cause a negative reaction in your physiology, distract your focus from what you want to achieve and reduce your chances of success.

I'll give you an example; let's take a three foot putt, a nice easy flat three footer. The elements involved are, ball, hole, and three foot of green, you and your putter. It's the type of putt you can make 9 out of 10 times in practice or on your own playing nine holes after work. But if I tell you it's for a birdie - how do you feel? Or it's stay in the match of the club knock out - how does it feel now?

The putt is the same, it's the consequences you attach to failing that is the pressure, the greater importance you attach, the greater the pressure.

Try this: accept any result, and here I mean you must get ready to play the shot ready to accept missing, while at the same time confident you'll make it.

The Paradox Of Golf

This is what I call The Paradox Of Golf…

Expect you will make it; know you can accept a miss.

All pressure in golf comes from not being able to do one or both sides of this paradox, and the most stressed players don't do either! They doubt they can make it and then get upset when they miss.

Next time you play, say to yourself as you set up over each shot, "I can make this shot just like I want to, and if I don't then I can accept whatever result I do get"

The reason this will work for you is twofold, firstly, your confident attitude will focus you, without distraction on good results, and the ability to accept a different outcome, allows you to swing or putt much more relaxed, and this is where great golf comes from.

Finally, if you are an adrenaline junkie, and you think you thrive on the pressure, still try this out. But you will be replacing "pressure" with "excitement" and a type of excitement that will work in your favour.

Remember, all pressure is self inflicted, and a result of an imbalance in the paradox.

Expect you'll make it, know you can accept a miss.

Have a great time out on the course and Keep Your Feet On The Short Grass.