| Is the fear of failure sabotaging your game? | | | | in front of a crowd. If you walk up to the first |
| A golfer who fears failure is incapable of | | | | tee fearing that you will make a fool of yourself |
| maintaining flow, which leads to inconsistent and | | | | with a poor shot, you’ve already set yourself |
| poor shots. In other words, if you are thinking | | | | up for failure before you’ve even made your |
| negatively about the outcome of the hole, you | | | | practice swing. This is a good time to use your |
| have already sabotaged your shot. Why? Because | | | | visualisation skills; imagine the perfect swing and |
| we attract what we fear. If all of your mental | | | | visualise where that swing will put your ball. |
| energy is centred on imagining the worst possible | | | | Narrow your focus to a specific target and ignore |
| scenario, you’ll leave yourself with no choice | | | | everything that may interfere with your image. |
| but to surrender to the fated outcome that has | | | | Everybody has at one time or another |
| been programmed in your mind. Fear is an | | | | experienced the first tee jitters, and although it |
| interesting thing. A lot of people have fear on the | | | | may feel like everyone’s attention is centred |
| golf course and many associate fear with a | | | | on you, the majority of the crowd will be thinking |
| certain hole, or with familiar, but challenging | | | | about their own shots. Just remember, if you do |
| situations. Because fear is established by a | | | | hit a bad shot off the first tee, those who notice |
| negative reaction to past events, conventional | | | | will only empathise – it has happened to every |
| challenges on the golf course are often met with | | | | golfer, and it’s certainly not the end of the |
| fear before players even attempt to overcome | | | | world. The key is to remove your focus from |
| them. You may tell yourself that you don’t | | | | your audience and transfer it to your target. Keep |
| like a certain hole, and that you always struggle to | | | | in mind that you’re playing for yourself, not |
| get through it. By invoking negative suggestions, | | | | for the crowd. |
| you have instantly created a chain of events, a | | | | Tips |
| chemical reaction in your brain that causes you to | | | | 1. Reduce anxiety at the first tee by focusing |
| do things differently in your body before you | | | | solely on your shot, and disregarding anyone who |
| have even placed your tee in the ground. So, in | | | | may be watching. Remember, they’re thinking |
| order to break this chain reaction, it is paramount | | | | about their upcoming shot, not yours. |
| to imagine that you really like every hole, and that | | | | 2. Let go of the outcome, and concentrate on |
| every hole is a good hole. Try not to dwell on the | | | | your present shot. Play the game one shot at a |
| poor shots you’ve made in the past and | | | | time, rather than thinking too far ahead. |
| focus on the present moment, as if it is a new | | | | 3. Fear hinders your ability to perform. Tell |
| and exciting challenge. By altering your attitude | | | | yourself that you like every hole on the golf |
| when faced with obstacles, you’ll be in a | | | | course; one is not better or worse than the |
| better position to conquer them. | | | | other. Replace your negative emotions with |
| Do you dread teeing off in front of a crowd? | | | | positive ones and you will become more relaxed |
| An all too familiar situation that generates anxiety | | | | and confident on the golf course. |
| in many players, not just beginners, is teeing off | | | | |