Golf is a game for a lifetime! At The Golf Academy we teach people of all ages to play this great game of golf! One of the most important things that people must learn is how to stay cool on the golf course. In Florida most people think I am talking about the weather and how to stay cool, however I am talking about your attitude on the golf course.
Yes, it is important when you are out playing to drink plenty of water and always wear sunscreen. Just as important to playing the game of golf is your attitude! Stay cool under pressure, how can you stay calm when you hit a bad shot? It is very difficult to stay in a positive frame of mind even when you are playing bad.
Golf is a mental game that requires the right frame of mind to play your best golf. When I was at The First Tee we taught kids the 4 R’s. Replay, Relax, Ready and Redo! After you hit a shot good or bad you can use the 4 R’s to help you around the golf course!
Replay-think about your last shot by replaying it in your mind. Ask yourself what did I do to cause that shot?
Relax-take a deep breathe and calm down.
Ready- think about what you did and how you can improve the next time that shot occurs.
Redo- is to imagine the shot in your head and redo do it the correct way!
Some of the key points I take from this is to always breathe when you are on the golf course. Deep breaths will help you calm your nerves on the golf course. The next point I really like about the 4 R’s is to imagine the shot before you hit it. The mind is a powerful tool and if you can see the shot before you hit it helps! Tiger Woods learned from his dad to take a picture before each putt, which helped him see the putt before he hit it!
I would encourage everyone to take deep breaths before and after shots to help calm the nerves and I would use your imagination to hit the shot before you swing!
Good Luck on the golf course and remember, ½ as easy…twice as far!
