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How to Let Go of Tension in Golf
Like other sports, tension will cause all kinds of trouble in golf. Especially in golf, we have lots of time to think between shots.
Lots of golfers wonder how they can get rid of tension.
But if you ask professional athletes in other sports, they will tell you that there is no way to get rid of tension completely. However, they might tell you that some tension is necessary for better performance.
In big sports events such as the Olympic Games, lots of world records are created. That's the proof that the tension is helping those athletes for better performance.
So tension is not a bad thing. It can help you play better golf. But you want to avoid too much tension.
A lot of times, too much tension comes from people trying to get rid of it when they felt tension in the first place.
However, like I mentioned earlier, you can't get rid of tension completely.
All you can do is to accept it and play with it. By trying to deny it, you get more nervous. But if you accept it, you can ease your tension.
It's funny, but that's how tension works.
Forget about What that Putt would Mean
Padraig Harrington won the British Open in 2007 and 2008. He also won the PGA Championship in 2008.
When he won the Open for the first time, he played against Sergio Garcia in a four-hole playoff. He later told his mental coach, Bob Rotella, about what he was thinking as he was putting.
He said he didn't think about the situation. He didn't think about what sinking the putt would mean. He didn't think about the mechanics of his putting stroke.
He was only focusing on his routine.
A lot of times, we tend to think what this putt would mean or how this first shot affects the score of the day. We are putting extra pressure on ourselves by doing this.
That's why we make all kind of mistakes in a big situation.
Instead of thinking what this shot would mean, try to enjoy each shot or each putt.
When Padraig hit his last putt, he said "there were only the ball and the hole."
This may be the real mental strength.