Learn to turn performance pressure into a positive experience.
Whether you’re competing in the Colorado Open or the E Flight of the club championship, playing in a tournament is very different from playing with your friends. For most players, the biggest variance comes from the pressure of competing in a tournament environment. But where does that pressure come from? Some of it may derive from external sources like coaches, parents and sponsors, yet for the most part the pressure seems to come from the golfers themselves.
What if the difference between playing social golf and playing in a tournament is mostly a matter of your perception? By that I mean that golfers tend to attach extra meaning or personal significance to how they play in a tournament, which results in greater performance anxiety and muscle tension. Simply put, if you believe there is more at stake than just playing a game, it often leads to poor results.
Mental. When I work with golfers, I often ask about the beliefs and expectations they have for themselves and help them make sure they are appropriate and realistic. A common theme for someone new to tournament play is believing that he or she doesn’t really belong with other people in the field. A good example: One of my golfers refers to himself as being a “donor,” meaning that he donates his entrance fees to the purse and doesn’t see himself as a contender. Other common tendencies are to start thinking too much and take longer over your shots, and to get easily distracted because others are watching you play.
Emotional and Physiological. It is normal to feel nervous or to have “butterflies” before a tournament. Even the pros feel “keyed up” before a round. These sensations may come from feeling nervous or worried about playing well or from being eager and ready to compete. One important distinction the pros make is that they feel confident in their abilities and are eager and excited to compete. They invite these feelings as a normal part of competition.
Remember, the feeling of arousal produced by nervousness and fear can feel very similar to the feeling of being “pumped up” and excited to play. Again, how you perceive the source of your arousal (e.g., heart racing, shallow breathing, “butterflies”) in terms of fear vs. excitement can make a difference in how confident you feel going into a round.
One of the most important things you can do to be ready to play your best in a tournament is to be mentally, emotionally and physiologically prepared.
The following tips can help you be better-prepared for tournament play:
• Play a practice round on the course to familiarize yourself with the layout.
• Add some pressure to your practice time, such as imagining you need to make the putt to win the tournament.
• Visualize yourself playing the course exactly like you want to. Visit getinthezone.net to download an MP3 file designed to help you visualize your optimal performance during a tournament.
• Stay focused on what you can control, such as your grip pressure, tempo and focused breathing.
• Focus on the present shot.
• Stay consistent with your pre- and post- shot routines. These routines will allow you to feel confident and more comfortable while playing under pressure.
• Make sure your beliefs and expectations are positive and realistic.
• Find your optimal arousal level on a 1-10 scale, with 1 equaling very little arousal or being relaxed and 10 being the most “keyed up.” Your goal is to be in that state prior to the start of your round and to return to that state throughout the round.
• Stay aware of your level of muscle tension.
• Use focused breathing (5-second inhalation and 5-second exhalation) to bring your arousal level down and to release muscle tension.
• Stretch prior to your round to warm up your body and loosen tight muscles.
By Denise McGuire
Denise McGuire, Ph.D., founder of Get In the Zone, uses mind-body techniques to train golfers of all levels. She is on staff at the McGetrick Golf Academy. Contact her at denise@ getinthezone.net or 303-902-5008.