Tired of choking on the golf course, even though your practice shots have been great? Try these simple techniques to help keep your cool on the fairway.
How to Calm Nerves Before Golf
Practice Mindfulness
Practicing simple mindfulness before you start playing can calm your mind so that you can relax during your round of golf. You can try this simple breathing technique: Take a deep breath and count to five, then pause for two counts. Exhale slowly for eight seconds. Pay attention to your breath and keep counting. Do this three times at least. This helps you center yourself, slows down your breathing, and lets you be completely in the present moment.
Check out our post on mindfulness for golfers to learn more!
Arrive Early & Practice a Bit
Sometimes those golf nerves just need to be shaken out by getting into the rhythm of playing golf. However, that can take a little while and you might start off with a few stinker shots. Get those out of the way before you start your game by arriving at the course early and practicing a little. This can help you settle your nerves, warm up, and feel more confident going into the first hole.
How to Calm Nerves During Golf
Breathe Deeply
A lot of the time when you’re nervous, your heart rate goes up and you start breathing faster and more shallowly. Taking a deep, slow breath sets off your body’s relaxation response, slowing your heart rate and relaxing your muscles. When you notice yourself feeling nervous during your golf game, take some deep, slow breaths, then take your shot.
Develop a Pre-Shot Routine
Developing a pre-shot routine – and sticking with it – can be surprisingly helpful when it comes to quelling golf nerves. Everyone’s pre-shot routine looks different. Maybe, for example, you take a moment to take a few deep breaths, prepare your stance and grip, and do a practice swing. Doing this same routine before every shot will create a pattern and signal to your brain that it’s time to focus on your game–not on your nerves.
Use Visualization
Taking a moment to visualize a successful shot can help you knock back nerves and focus on your game. This is because visualizing success forces you to slow down and focus on a potential positive outcome as opposed to worrying about a potential negative outcome. Take a few seconds before each hole to visualize yourself hitting the ball with your best swing, and the ball landing exactly where you want it to.
The more you practice golf, the easier it will get to work through nerves and stop choking on the course. Grab yourself some inexpensive balls and do some low-stakes practice on the driving range, work on your short game, and try the above techniques to calm your nerves.
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