Overcoming the Fear of Losing in Golf: 6 Tips and Techniques to Improve Your Game

Overcoming the Fear of Losing in Golf: 6 Tips and Techniques to Improve Your Game

By Bradley Turner Keiser University College of Golf Director of Online Golf Instruction – MBA, PGA

The great Bobby Jones, who won 13 major championships from 1922-1930, believed that the average player totally misunderstood what is meant by concentration. Jones said, “Many golfers think they are concentrating when they are merely worrying. Worrying and fear are the culprits for poor play.” Fear on the golf course has been around for centuries and will likely endure for as long as golf is played. Why do golfers get so worried about a golf shot or an upcoming round of golf that their emotions manifest into physical symptoms of fear? This article will identify some tips and techniques for overcoming the fear of losing in golf.

1. Identify Your Fears

Understanding the source of your fear of losing on the golf course is essential in making positive changes. Golfers tend to avoid critically thinking about their mental fears and simply hope they disappear. A pragmatic approach to these challenges is the best course of action if you want to overcome these fears. There are numerous examples of specific golf shots or on-course situations that can paralyze a golfer’s ability to execute a golf shot. One of the most cited sources of fear is the short three-foot putt. Other examples include hitting a ball over a water hazard, fear of a bunker shot, or the dreaded first tee jitters of an important round of golf. Whatever your fear is on the golf course, identify the issue and then commit to doing something about it.

2. Remember Your Training and Preparation

It is vital that you are realistic about your game and keep your expectations in line with your ability. How much time and effort have you committed to training and preparing? Have you aligned with a good golf coach to help you navigate the challenges of the game? The more work you put into overcoming fear on the golf course, the more you can expect from your performance. For most amateurs, there is not enough time in the day to practice, train, and play the game and expect outstanding results. However, you need to put in effort if you expect to make positive changes.

Let’s assume you fear the short putts and lack the confidence to consistently make them. Hoping you get better is not an improvement plan. You will need to do something about it. Here is my suggestion in this situation. Take five balls and place them one foot from the cup in a five-point star pattern. How many in a row can you make?  Once you reach 20 in a row, move back to two feet. You likely will be able to handle this distance without a problem. But as you progress out to three feet, you may begin to miss. Once you miss, start over, and challenge yourself to make 20 in a row. Every time you complete this drill, start with 20 in a row from one foot, then two feet, etc. Before you know it, you will have put in the time to train and prepare for success. The fear of a short putt will be replaced with true confidence in your trained ability to make short putts!

3. Process Goals, Not Your Golf Score

Process goals are the key to improvement. Too many golfers will create a golf goal for the year and then fail to write out the process goals needed to make the golf goal a reality. For example, many golfers will set their goals around typical golf milestones, such as breaking a scoring barrier of 100, 90, or 80. The other typical golf milestone is lowering the handicap. Both can be a great goal to establish, but only if the player creates the accompanying process goals. What does a process goal look like on the golf course?

The next time you play, try to keep score of the process of hitting a golf shot.  For every shot you hit, you must perform two tasks. First, see and/or feel the golf shot and commit to the desired ball flight. For example, on the first tee, you must be able to describe to your playing partners the desired start line and curve of the golf ball. If you are hitting an approach shot to the green, you should be able to verbalize the yardage and landing spot on the green. Second, you must trust your swing through the impact zone by eliminating any concern of a potentially negative outcome. We all have struggled to overcome fear on the golf course, such as “don’t hit it in the water” or “don’t hit it left out of bounds.” Focusing on these two important process steps in hitting a golf shot can dramatically reduce the negative feelings and fear of hitting certain golf shots.

4. Positive Images Before Taking Your Shots

The ability to visualize is a skill that needs to be practiced and developed over time.  Learning to shoot a basketball takes time and effort.  Learning to understand and apply math problems takes time and effort.  For some reason, many golfers believe that the skill of visualizing should be relatively easy compared to calculus or making a free throw under pressure. The ability to concentrate and imagine a good golf shot is a mental skill that can take many years to hone to the point of competence under pressure.

Ultimately, the ability to imagine a good golf shot prepares the mind for performance. In Dr. T.J. Tomasi’s excellent book, The 30-Second Golf Swing, he writes, “You may not be comfortable trying to visualize the shot if your primary processing system is kinesthetic (feel) or auditory (hearing, rhythm, cadence).  In this case, don’t force yourself to visualize.  Instead, preview the shot with the sense that is most natural to you.” Tiger Woods is an excellent example of someone who struggled with visualization and preferred to feel the shot in his body and hands. The great ones always seem to figure out the best way to mentally process an upcoming golf shot.

5. Speak Kindly to Yourself

Have you ever reflected on the thoughts that go through your mind while playing golf? What do you say to yourself? Now imagine the person inside your head as your caddy on the links. Do you like your caddy? Is the caddy supportive and encouraging? Does your caddy help you think through the shot and help you commit to the shot? Positive self-talk is one of the most important attributes of high-performing athletes in any sport. The ability to be a positive “caddy” to yourself is a primary tool to use to overcome those worrisome shots on the golf course.  Golf is simply too difficult when you talk poorly to yourself. Self-talk is something we all do, so good advice is to speak kindly to yourself.

6. Practice Meditation

The next time you play, the first suggestion I have is for you to utilize the time in the car to improve clarity and, ultimately, your performance on the course. Turn off the radio and quietly rehearse the key swing thought you plan on using during the round. Remind yourself that you will commit and trust every shot during the round. Pay special attention to some dangerous shots on the golf course that may generate fear or concern. Rehearse your plan for how you should best play the hole. Identify these worrisome shots that you will face on the golf course and visualize your best strike—taking some time to quiet your mind before the round can significantly reduce anxiety and replace the fear of losing on the golf course with a feeling of confidence.

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Want more tips? If you want to take your game to the next level, contact our team at Keiser University’s College of Golf & Sport Management today. With our dedication and experience, together, we can elevate your game to new heights. Give us a call today at 888-355-4465.