English Major Golfer

This past summer, Michelle and I rented a car during our stay in Portugal. If you have ever driven in a foreign country, you might agree that driving in a new environment recreates the feelings of when we first began to drive. Everything is unfamiliar- different cars; new traffic patterns; different road signs; different drivers. 

Suddenly, you find yourself gripping the steering wheel and driving like a 15 year old student driver. It is stressful: don’t go the wrong way in the roundabout; don’t miss your exit; what is the speed limit in KPH?; don’t crash into that guy; where did that tractor come from?? 😵‍💫

I wrote about process and connected it with driving a car in a previous blog here. And to take this topic further – I have been considering the concept of “pressure” ever since Rory missed the 3-footer to extend the US Open. 

At our best, I believe hitting a golf ball is on the same level as unconsciously driving a car. If we get our conscious mind doing something else and allow our unconscious mind to hit the golf ball, the results will be ideal, whatever the situation. And yet you add a dash of pressure into that equation and suddenly, we are driving like that 15 year old student again — and perhaps what happened to Rory?

I began to be aware of this as I tried to get more comfortable driving around Portugal, in all kinds of new situations. Why am I so anxious? It’s JUST driving? Why do I feel so much pressure?

So what IS pressure? 

At it’s core, “pressure” is a made up perception tied to the possible consequences of a particular action. That’s obviously an English Major interpretation of the actual Psychological definition. Meaning pressure is made up – not real – doesn’t’ exist until WE consider the various outcomes based on our actions.

• If I miss this putt, I have lost the US Open;
• If I don’t’ hit this drive well, I won’t carry the water to the fairway;
• If I hit this shot fat, my buddies are going to make fun of me.

Every consequence we can think of on the golf course is simply “self-inflicted” pressure. It’s made up – not real…until it is.

It’s my belief — and personal goal — that the best golfers do two core things well:

1. They continuously play “without thinking about it” – like driving while daydreaming;
2. They negate pressure. 

Consider this: what’s the difference between a three-foot putt to win $50 in your Saturday 4-some vs a three-foot putt on Sunday on the 18th hole at Augusta to win the Masters. NOTHING. There IS NO DIFFERENCE. Both situations are simply three-foot putts. PERIOD.

Yep – argue with me…yep…and everything you are thinking is made up pressure. It’s just a 3 foot putt – regardless of all conditions and situations. It is a ball, literally 3 feet from the cup…that is all. 

I began exploring this concept further the longer I drove in Portugal. While familiarity with roundabouts and road signs came with time behind the wheel, there was always a new adventure with a new element added, like a Great Aunt giving directions in Portuguese translated by your wife to a cousin’s house: “no, no, don’t turn here – turn there!” 

I had to develop a strong sense of calm and remove the pressure of taking a wrong turn. I kept reminding myself that this is “just driving” and there is no pressure — despite the sometimes loud commands in Portuguese. (A key element here is “perception” which I will develop in another blog). The more I removed my perception of pressure – the calmer I felt behind the wheel no matter the situation. I am striving to bring that same idea into my golf game.

I am not there yet! I want to believe that it is just a putt. And I find that when I negate all the consequences — if you miss this, you just three putted from 8 feet; if you miss, it’s a triple bogey and you are done for this tournament; if you miss, you are going to look ridiculous to your competitors “CHOKE” — when I can block all that noise out and just remember my process; concentrate on my word cadence and SEE the ball go into the hole, pressure isn’t a factor because it’s doesn’t exist. It’s just a ball rolling three feet into a cup.

”There is NO spoon.” 😉

How can this help you?

Because golf is such a mental game, becoming more self-aware is a key element to getting better. Start noticing your thoughts and reactions to different situations. Are you applying pressure to yourself without realizing it? Are you thinking about what everyone else must be thinking? How do you react when the results are not what you wanted or not ideal? 

All these things are insight into the blocks between you and your best golf. 

Here’s couple more blogs that focus on the mental game:

• TedEX and Dog Food
• Negative Talk: Things We Tell Ourselves
• Process: Why Routine is so Important
• Hidden Expectations