How to Break Through on the Golf Course
We as golfers are always looking to score better on the course. We are looking for that breakthrough moment, only to be stymied. But then it happens.
We as golfers are in a constant battle with ourselves to score better on the golf courses. We are always looking for that breakthrough moment, only to be stymied. But then, boom a breakthrough.
This “breakthrough” will vary greatly depending on the golfer. For one person, a breakthrough could be their first round under 100. Another might be to shoot under par or even win their first golf tournament.
Each golfer will have a wide range of expectations and hopes for their game. That is normal and is precisely why you should never compare yourself to other people. After all, there will always be a better golfer than you (unless you are Tiger Woods).
But how exactly do these breakthroughs occur? Do you just show up at the golf course and all of a sudden you conquer your goal?
The answer is yes and no.
If you have a golf goal, the only way to achieve it is by being on the course as much as possible. Most importantly, you need to learn how to embrace failure as you work towards your goal. The reality is you are going to fail while working toward your goal, a LOT.
For example, maybe you have a goal of making your first birdie. That is admirable. But it is going to be stressful.
I remember when I was in my teens trying to make my first birdie. Let me tell you, there were some stressful moments. The first one I ever made was an 8-foot putt. That putt felt like it was 100 feet.
I sat there analyzing every angle for seemingly forever. My hands were shaking and my heart was racing. Then it finally dropped. A weight was lifted off my shoulders.
Since that moment, I have made more birdies than I can remember. I made 8 birdies in a single 3-day tournament earlier this year. I even had one round this year where I made 4 birdies and an eagle.
However, none of these would have been possible without making that first birdie and then another and another. Each one makes the next one easier to achieve.
That is what it is like when you are trying to achieve anything for the first time. The first time you do it, it will feel like a daunting task. It's almost like it is unachievable but once it happens it makes the next one a little easier.
All of that said, what are some things you can do to help you with these mental blocks to reach your goals?
Know Your Weaknesses and Practice with Intent
Let’s say you are struggling to break 90. You have come close to it only to fall apart at the end. Have you ever stopped and critically and objectively evaluated that round to figure out why you can’t get over the hump? What about your strokes gained stats?
Do you have problems putting, driving, or with irons?
To break through your stuck points, you need to be able to answer this question. Maybe you 3-putt too many times and struggle to make putts from 3 to 10 feet away. Or perhaps you struggle to keep the ball in play with your driver and you lose 3-4 strokes by hitting the ball into a hazard.
If this is the case, you need to attack that area of your game through practice with intent.
For example, if putting is your issue, you can do something like the ladder drill where you practice a lot from 3 to 8 feet from the hole. By focusing the majority of your putting practice in this area you can be almost certain that you will be able to perform with a greater level of confidence on the course.
Taking the time to focus on your weaknesses during practice will all but guarantee you will break through on the golf course. Of course, you will still fail a lot which we will discuss next.
Embracing Failure Along the Way
Every failure is an opportunity to learn. Although, you need to learn how to accept these failures and be conscious of what you can learn from them. After each failed attempt, take a moment to reflect.
Preferably you would physically write down exactly what happened and how you were feeling in each moment.
For example, maybe you are stepping up to the 18th tee with an opportunity to make par on the hole and shoot an 89 for the first time. But then you block the ball way to the right into some trees because you were nervous about the hazard on the left side of the fairway. All of a sudden you are scrambling and make a bad double bogey to shoot a 91.
Reflective writing allows you to dig deeper into your psychology to figure out what happened at that exact moment. You will realize that you were clearly nervous and you didn’t allow yourself to swing freely. Then you tried to do too much to recover from a bad situation and things went south fast.
By writing down and reflecting you can better prepare yourself for the next time you have to make a par to shoot under 90. After all, you have been in this situation before. You know exactly what to expect on the tee. Most importantly, you know exactly what you need to do to bring yourself back into the present moment and execute the shot at hand.
By giving yourself chances again and again you will eventually break through and achieve your goals. That is how all goals in golf and life are achieved.