How Does Your Swing Hold Up Under Pressure? Here Is Some Info to Help You
That Pressure to Perform on the Golf Course
We all get it! It is that pressure to play your best game when you are out on the course. And in particular it is the pressure you feel which effects your golf swing. It can be such an issue for all golfers. And one that we are all working on to overcome. I have been working on this a lot lately and I am going to share with you what I have found that has helped me. Maybe it can help you too! At least you will know that you are not the only one.
I Feel Golf Swing Stress – All The Time
So just to share – this happens to me a lot. It even happened today. I was out playing socially with some other guys, and every single par putt I had was one to one and a half metres. They are the worst. I feel the pressure from them every single time.
What Does Golf Swing Pressure Feel Like
The First Bit of Pressure
For me the pressure can feel quite consuming. It feels like everything my body gets tight and harder. That is the first thing I feel.
Needing to Perform When Playing With Your Golf Buddies
You know that feeling to perform when you are playing with some other great golfers and it feels like the stakes are higher. It is an absolute killer for everyone’s swing.
Well, for me, this adds extra pressure again. I find that in these situations, my golf swing shortens and it also loses speed. And it always makes me go slower on my stroke than I normally would.
When I am nervous because I am watching someone else play golf or I have a tougher tee shot, I grip the club tighter and loose hands is so important in golf. I can feel myself doing it instantly.
How To Deal With Golf Swing Pressure?
I haven’t overcome it myself yet and I am not sure that I ever will. However, I have been working on it solidly. And I am slowly improving. Which is great news! It also means that you can start to feel less pressured about your golf swing too! Here is what I am doing that may also work for you.
Before the Golf Game
Whilst you may just be going out for a low key game of golf with friends, you still want to be warmed up and ready to play your best.
The sooner you can be in the best frame of mind for your game of golf – the better. So even before you get on the golf course you can prepare yourself. This is what I do that you can consider trying:
- You should always try and hit a couple of balls – aim for 20 to 30 balls before your game
- I know you don’t always have the opportunity to hit balls so make sure that you stretch and swing the club a lot. This helps to make your body loose and flexible
PreShot Routine
I have been having some golf lessons lately with a professional. This pro, who is spot on with his golf education, says that a pre-shot routine is the number one task for all golfers to focus on. And because of this, I am really trying hard to work on mine.
Let me walk you through my what my pre-shot routine looks like.
Here is My PreShot Routine
1. Visualisation is really important
2. Then I stand behind the ball and look to where I want to hit it
3. I walk up to the ball
4. I pick a spot 8 inches (20 cm) in front of the ball in the direction that I want the ball to go
5. I then line up the club face first on that spot and
6. Finally I line up the rest of my body
The visualisation is definitely a big part of my pre-shot routine and I will go into this a bit more.
When you know you are about to take a shot, the pressure to perform really builds. So when I am standing over a crucial shot I start to prepare mentally.
I am sure you have felt it too, there is so much that goes through your mind. Which is crazy as the number one thing we all practice as golfers is to make sure that we don’t have to think of all those things that make a good swing.
I know in my head, I have about 10 -15 different thoughts about playing the shot. (I have even been known to be out somewhere and I suddenly have thought about my golf game and I start writing down notes about what to try next time). The top two things I try to think of are: my alignment with the direction I want the ball to go and the tempo I want to be swinging the club at.
During the Game
During the game, I am trying to keep my focus on how I am progressing and how I can keep up my energy up. To do this, I am continually monitoring how my body is feeling and specifically I am watching out for physical cues that indicate I am feeling a bit nervous. My overall aim during a game is to maintain my composure so I don’t get to the stage of letting any stress affect my game.
I tell myself to just think of the next shot only. And I keep reminding myself that it is a friendly game and everyone is out there is trying to improve.
Once You Are Off Track
Have you felt that feeling before where you are in the middle of a golf game and it is all going south?
Everyone knows the feeling of having rounds of golf ruined or playing badly. You start to feel like you can’t get back any controI over how you are playing? I know, from lots of experience, that when I am in the middle of a game and the pressure has gotten the better of me, it shows up in my swing. So what do you do?
This is by far the hardest question for any amateur golfer to answer – because it is so difficult. I can share the key to overcoming this is to reset! It is the one solution that works for me everytime to get my game back on track.
To help me reset I use some very simple exercises.
This will help you to get to the point where you will just relax, and then they start playing well again.
What About the Elephant on the Golf Course?
Playing With Other Golfers Who Are Better Than You
It can be a tricky to play with people who are better or more competitive than you. Of course, this can definitely put pressure on your golf swing.
This Is What I Find In This Situation
II think people that are better golfers than you are usually less competitive. They are usually more supportive. Personally, I always love that challenge. I find that I lift my game when playing with someone better than me. Now when you are playing competitively, it is difficult. So once again, my advise would be just stick to your own game plan.
What About Golf Banter?
Some golfers also like to include some playful comments and banter when on the golf course.
Generally I find it doesn’t impact my golf swing, but if I am already nervous about a shot then a comment can definitely make playing the shot harder. I think people that are better golfers than you are usually less competitive. They are usually more supportive.
Personally, I always love that challenge. I find that I lift my game when playing with someone better than me. Now when you are playing competitively, it is difficult. So once again, my advise would be just stick to your own game plan.
Getting Tired on the Golf Course
For some people, as their round of golf progresses they can start to feel a bit tired. The tiredness can impact their swing towards the end of playing 18 holes. It is natural for everyone to have dips in their game. You can’t guarantee over 18 holes you won’t have a few bad patches. I usually find my energy is pretty good. If you do sometimes get a bit tired, you can always have a high-energy snack, drink lots of water (don’t wait to refresh yourself at the 19th hole).
My Go To Golf Training Aid
My approach to golf equipment and training aids is that less is more. I know that there is lots of different types of equipment and tools for every single golf issue. So when it comes to taking the pressure off your golf swing I go for the basics. The main one for anyone wanting to improve their golf swing is alignment sticks. Having the ability to line up your feet, your shoulders, your club and have everything in line with where you want the ball to go time and time again is so important. So for me alignment sticks are definitely the way to go and here are some well priced ones.
The One Most Important Thing To Do
If from reading this, you walk away with just one important piece of information, it is this. Just keep going through your routine and continually trying to reset and refocus on every shot and forget about the last shot if it was a bad one. That for me is the best thing I can do to help me with my golf swing.