MENTAL TUNE FOR A WINNING MATCH PLAY SEASON THIS YEAR

Match play is one of golf’s most fun formats. So, why do so many golfers turn it into a stressful event?   Of course, anytime we play a match we want to win. But it is exactly by focusing too much on winning that we create anxiety and pressure which interferes with our performance.

What can you do to win more match play events?    

·      If you play your usual game you have a good chance of winning most matches.That’s it.  All you have to do is play your usual game.  Too many players lose matches because they play worse than usual. almost completely a result of result of stress created by mental issues.  Golf is a paradox: The harder you try to control the result, the harder it becomes to achieve it.

·       Treat every match as just another round of golf.  Making too much of an event adds pressure.  Rory McIlroy says “I treat every tournament the same ..it's 72 holes, eighteen holes a day.  It's not about how I play in one round or tournament.  Most important is my mindset: this is a lifelong journey of trying to improve and learn and master my craft.”

·      Stay in the present!  Stress and anxiety emerge from thinking of the past or future: notice if you drift to the past (e.g., how well or poorly I played in the past); or to the future (e.g., I can just imagine how that trophy will look).     

o    2 practices to reliably get yourself into the present:  (1) Mindful breathing link?; (2)  Total engagement with your Pre-shot Routine.  Link?

·      Take care of body/brain basics:

o   The day(s) before:  Eat well, get enough sleep, limit alcohol.

o   During the match:  Hydrate and eat enough to stay fueled up.    

·      On The Morning of The Match

o   Don’t rush.  Take time to warm up - but not too much time. Stick to your usual routine. 

o   The morning of competition (or during the match) is no time to tinker with swing mechanics.

o   Don’t drive yourself crazy with “superstitions” like “I  won’t play well today unless I hit 3 good drives in a row, or sink 3 short putts in a row.  There’s no correlation between warm-up performance and how things will go on the course.

·      On The First Tee

o   Bob Rotella advises: Expect only two things: to have fun and to focus on your process on every shot

o   Immerse in your pre-shot routine right out of the gate.  Don’t wait to for trouble to start before you get “involved.” If you do, you can wake up a few holes down before you know it.

o   Be sociable … but you are not there to be friends.  Don’t get caught up in any crazy banter or gamesmanship.

§  Some Issues of Match Play Mentality

o   Control your aggression: Be conservative, especially early on. 

o   Have a game plan for every hole. 

o   Keep the ball in play and don’t go for pins (unless the match forces you to.)

o   Expect the unexpected so you’re not overly impacted by “daggers” like a holed bunker shot or a 50-foot putt. 

o    Don’t get ahead of yourself by thinking things like  “All we need to do is halve the next 2 to win.” 

o   Know, in advance, your team plan about giving putts.   If you give putts, don’t expect to get them in return.  Expect to putt everything out. 

§  Once The Match Starts

o   Don’t let do let winning or losing the first few holes determine your thinking for the rest of the match.

o    Competitors’ hot streaks usually come to an end.  Weather the storm and stay within yourself.

o   If you feel like you are with a “sandbagger,” think of it as their bad karma and stick to your routine.   The final overall outcome of a team match is rarely determined by one sandbagger.

o   When (not if) you hit a bad shot, accept it!

o   When your mind goes to negative places re-direct yourself from “What if I miss?” to “This is what I do now.”

o   When pressure gets you to rush, tighten up, over-swing, or get too mechanical, step back and re-compose yourself with a calming breath. 

o    Never give up on yourself. You never know what may happen to the other guys.  Stay patient and stay in every hole. 

o   If you’re not used to believing in yourself, try it (!) even if it feels strange.

o   Re-frame pressure as an opportunity to grow.

·      To make more of those short critical putts:

o   Avoid magnifying pressure by burdensome thoughts like “the whole match depends on this.”   

o   Stick to your putting routine and when putting poorly, focus on tempo and avoid second guessing your lines.   

o   Use some positive affirmation in your putting routine,  like “When I’m lined up and putt in tempo, these putts go in.”

·      Some final thoughts

o   Winning or losing a match is not a reflection of who you are.   

o   Strive to come out of every match a better player and person because you learned something. 

o   Finally, go out and enjoy yourself…. and be grateful for being able to play this great Game.    

These are highly condensed thoughts.  Hopefully readers will find something that resonates. 

If you want a more personalized arrange a Mental Golf Discovery Session with Dr Rich.  A few key mental changes may be what you need to start winning more matches.