What Conditions Affect your Golf Game the Most?
Have you worked to improve your play under these conditions?
Many golfers know their most challenging circumstances, such as playing in breezy conditions, on slow greens or a soaked course, playing late in the day, dealing with spectator noise, or handling pressure late in a round.
Every golfer has particular areas that they find more challenging than others.
In our Golf Mental Game Survey, a collegiate golfer asked the following:
“I get so frustrated when I feel confident and totally prepared for a tournament, then by the start of the tournament, the wind kicks up, or it starts to drizzle. I instantly lose my focus and can’t seem to rebound mentally. What can I do to stay positive?”
Frustration is the most unproductive emotion; it combines anger with despair.
Three aspects are at play with this situation.
First, the belief that you cannot play productively in adverse conditions.
Second, the inability to control your circumstances. For example, you have no control over the weather.
The last component is a lack of preparation. We are not inferring you don’t work intently on your game. Rather, you are not prepared to deal with adverse conditions.
Mental preparation can help you overcome these challenges…
If you were better prepared for challenging conditions, you would have more confidence that you could still compete despite your circumstances.
In other words, preparation leads to improved confidence. With this preparation for adverse circumstances, you will be more focused on what you can control (how you play each shot) and less concerned with what you cannot control (weather or course conditions).
The question is: How can you prepare for challenging circumstances, especially since you cannot replicate certain conditions during a practice round?
There are many techniques, such as visualizing playing in windy conditions, learning to manage stress through relaxation, or improving focus on aspects of performance you can control.
Developing these mental skills will prepare you for adverse conditions and help you play more confidently.
At the 2023 Aramco Saudi Ladies International, Gaby Lopez shot a 66 in windy conditions.
When asked how she was able to shoot a low score despite the conditions, Lopez gave an insightful answer that can be applied during every round of golf.
GABY LOPEZ: “A lot of committed shots and a lot of acceptance out there because it gets tough out there, and it also gets tough internally, so being able to remain calm and be very committed to the shots.”
Lopez commented that working with a sport psychologist helped her maintain her poise despite course conditions.
GABY LOPEZ: “Yeah, I mean, I think just going to remain calm. Been working with my psychologist about just being — just kind of preparation and just being very calm before every shot.”
Preparation is the number one strategy for improved confidence. The better you are prepared for challenging areas on the golf course, the better you will play in those conditions.
Write down the challenges that negatively impact your play. For each challenge, identify three ways you can work on your mental or physical game to counter these circumstances. Identifying your problem areas is only the first step.
Next is the action step. What will you DO to work on these aspects of your game? Improvement only results from action!
Related Golf Psychology Articles
- What is Mental Toughness in Golf?
- How to Focus in Harsh Conditions
- Mental Preparation and Playing Golf in Poor Conditions
- Subscribe to The Golf Psychology Podcast on iTunes
- Subscribe to The Golf Psychology Podcast on Spotify
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