Jeff Troesch, MA, LMHC
Mental Golf Expert
The Mental Game is devoted to golf
sport psychology topics and issues.
On a regular basis, we will select a topic
pertaining to Sport Psychology and offer
insights, research findings, information and
answer questions from our readers. Whether you
are a junior golfer looking to learn how to
stay
more relaxed and focused during a round, a
parent
seeking useful information on supporting and
helping your golfer, or a coach exploring new
and
innovative practice techniques, this page is
for
you.
For more information on Jeff's programs,
contact him at: jefftroesch@sbcglobal.net
or 760-408-8480
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Playing at the "Next Level"
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Play the course, not the competition |
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| by Jeff Troesch |
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| About the Author |
| Email
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For every player there are many times
throughout your career where you feel as
though you are being asked to take your game
to the “next level”. For the younger ones
among you this summer, that might mean playing
18-hole tournaments instead of 9 for the first
time. For others it might mean playing up an
age group. Still more may be playing in
national tournaments such as the AJGA for the
first time. In any of these instances- and
the many more that players face as they
progress to college and into the pros- there
is a tendency to think that you as a player
have to do something “more” or do
something “special” in order to compete and in
order to belong. What this typically does is
create a sense that a lot is being demanded of
you, and you’re not sure if you have what it
takes to meet the demand.
It’s important to remember that these thoughts
about the increase in demand on you can be the
cause of competitive anxiety, fear, and
feelings of insecurity and/or inadequacy. The
antidote to this toxic thinking is to ALWAYS
remember that golf is about you playing
against the golf course. It is true that as
you grow older you may have to move back and
play the course a little longer. It is also
true that as you play in events on a more
national scale or into college, the courses
are often set up with longer rough and faster
greens. The point is that if you focus on
developing your game and minimize worrying
about your fellow competitors and what your
result will be, you will likely be prepared to
do well on the “test” of stepping it up into
more challenging competition.
The most obvious example of this happens all
the time. I have had literally hundreds of
clients who, when first coming into my
practice, spoke about how they could play a
practice or casual round on a course and shoot
relatively low numbers but they would
inevitably score higher in competitive rounds
on the same course. The key to beating this
is to recognize that it only feels different
in the competition because you choose to THINK
differently about it! The course is still 18
holes, you still get to use 14 clubs, and the
hole is still the same size. It’s just that
because you choose to think of it being a “big
deal” or “more difficult because of the
competition” or “scary because it’s an AJGA
event”, that you may feel nervous and anxious
and you may be less likely to be successful.
Bottom line to this month’s column: remember
that you are playing the course and not your
competition. Keep your focus on the tasks that
will help you manage your way around the
course most efficiently. That’s what the best
players in the world are concentrating on when
they’re playing great, not the fact that they
have to do something special or “big” in order
to play well.
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Archive |
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Be Emotional on the Golf Course
6/4/2009 |
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Full-Time Junior Golf Academies
5/7/2009 |
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Create a Mental Checklist
4/8/2009 |
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Line or No Line?
3/19/2009 |
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Identify Your Tendencies
3/4/2009 |
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How To Keep The Past From Repeating Itself
1/7/2009 |
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Have a Play for Slow Play
12/4/2008 |
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5 Keys to Mental Toughness for Junior Golfers
11/12/2008 |
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Alternate Shot Mentality
10/23/2008 |
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Perseverance - The Fifth
9/11/2008 |
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You Can Achieve Anything You Want
8/13/2008 |
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Pre-Shot Routine
7/16/2008 |
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Confidence in Competition
6/3/2008 |
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Are You Mentally Tough Enough?
4/3/2008 |
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Match Play Thoughts in Stroke Play
3/10/2008 |
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Where Do You Want the Ball to Go?
2/20/2008 |
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Mental Exercise for Winter
1/29/2008 |
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4 Easy Ways to Take your Golf Practice to the Course
12/5/2007 |
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Are You Taking Enough Risk with Golf… You Won’t Believe the Reward
10/24/2007 |
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Assess, Don't Guess
9/17/2007 |
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Anticipate or Expect?
8/9/2007 |
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Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should
7/9/2007 |
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Tolerance for Frustration
6/6/2007 |
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Golf Course Mental Preparation for Junior Golfers
4/6/2007 |
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Think about Where not How to Hit the Ball
3/27/2007 |
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How Do You Define Success?
2/8/2007 |
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Getting the Most Out of Your Golf Lesson
1/17/2007 |
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Good Mental Warm-Up is Essential for Peak Performance
12/11/2006 |
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Challenges for Junior Golfers
11/27/2006 |
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Helping Junior Players Take Responsibility
10/5/2006 |
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Post-Shot Tip for Juniors
9/13/2006 |
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Build a Callous
8/28/2006 |
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Go for a Solid ACE
7/18/2006 |
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Maintain Patience – The Fourth “P”
6/13/2006 |
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Be Positive - The Third "P"
5/4/2006 |
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Prepare for the Future - The Second "P"
4/13/2006 |
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Be Present – The First “P”
3/7/2006 |
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You Play Like You Think
2/1/2006 |
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Go For What You Want
1/10/2006 |
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Junior Golfers Should Shift Their Attention
12/6/2005 |
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Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable
11/1/2005 |
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How Do You Respond?
9/30/2005 |
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Are You a Scientist or a Judge When it Comes to Evaluating Your Golf Performance?
8/31/2005 |
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Do You Have Passion for the Game?
7/30/2005 |
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Remember Your Permanent Golf Traits
7/13/2005 |
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How Does a Junior Golfer Learn Best?
5/25/2005 |
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Stay Motivated to Play Your Best Golf
4/29/2005 |
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Are You Fully Committed?
3/30/2005 |
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