As we move into the summer season, the height of tournament golf, I would like to clear up a notion that hitting shots that are not to your liking is not by any means saying you are satisfied with the result. However, you need to learn to be accepting of them, learn from the attempt and move on.
Playing “poor” golf is not satisfying, but understanding the difference between being upset about a bad shot that you have never tried before and being satisfied is crucial for development. Remember, for as long as we play golf, we will never hit the same shot twice! Even though we may practice many different shots and yardages, being able to pull off shots in a round of golf that count is a completely different animal. I will go as far to say that the more significance we give to the circumstance, the more rare the chances are we have hit a similar shot. Again, I am not trying to say you should be satisfied with a mediocre shot, but you do need to put it into perspective, be accepting.
Golf can be an emotional game and it should be played with emotion, but play with tenacity. This means you have taken every detail into consideration and given your best effort. If it doesn’t work out then you need to accept that you did everything you could to tip the scale in your favor to execute the challenge at hand. These are what we call “learnable moments” for the developing golfer. Some researchers would call this performance feedback, the last rung in making lasting improvements.
When you are thinking about playing your next round of golf or a tournament, ask yourself why you are going to do this? Are you doing this to get better or do you feel you skills are good enough to be satisfied with mediocre results? If the later, accept your results and enjoy the game! If you are playing to develop into your best self as a competitive golfer, then be aware of what happens during your shots and rounds. Use the feedback to plan your next practice sessions and give yourself positive and negative feedback.
Here are 3 Positive Thoughts and 1 Negative,
Positive-1-I set up properly aiming at my target. 2-I stuck with my process. 3-I am working on keeping my hands in front of me, I know the difference and I could feel the difference on the course.
Negative-1-I didn’t stick to my process!
Unless you are playing golf for a living, accepting your good and bad shots will certainly help you to enjoy the game, and if you are trying to do this for a living, don’t be satisfied with mediocre results. Strive to be your best, but understand that by being accepting you will be able to move to the next shot with better focus and less stress, helping you to yield better results.
As always,
Enjoy Your Journey!
