| the golf course can come in many shapes and | | | | first coach and someone I also knew. I was a bit |
| sizes and it can result in a multitude of problems | | | | nervous plying with two pros I'd watched playing |
| ranging from lack of enjoyment, through poor | | | | in the Agfa tournament at Stoke Poges, but I |
| scoring and frustration to outright anger. Most | | | | knew them both and felt I could handle it. |
| golfers will have experienced fear on the golf | | | | The next day, I got to the club and as I joined |
| course, either personally or from watching a | | | | my playing partner Colin walking to the first tee, I |
| playing partner. | | | | noticed that there was quite a crowd of my |
| As an amateur golfer, although my golf is very | | | | fellow club members behind the tee. I nearly |
| important to me, my livelihood does not depend | | | | collapsed when I walked through the crowd and |
| directly on my ability to score well. However, I | | | | Colin introduced me to our other opponent. It was |
| can think of many times, especially in my younger | | | | Tony Jacklin, back in the UK to prepare for the |
| days, when I was uncomfortable, nervous, scared | | | | British Open after winning the US Open a few |
| and downright terrified on the golf course. | | | | weeks earlier. I was terrified and it took a lot of |
| You may have read on another of my articles. | | | | quiet calming words from Colin to get me through |
| entitled Channel Your First Tee Nerves into | | | | the first nine holes. I started to enjoy the |
| Unconscious Golf Resources for Better Golf, | | | | experience as I loosened up on the second nine. |
| about my nerves on the first tee in the Golf | | | | Like most people back in the early 70s, I had no |
| Illustrated Junior Vase at Hexham in the early 70s. | | | | knowledge of golf psychology and the best advice |
| When the starter announced on the loudspeaker | | | | available was to pull yourself together and get on |
| system that they were expecting great things | | | | with it. That was difficult and the effect didn't last! |
| from me after my hole in one there the previous | | | | I'm sure that I would still be very nervous if I |
| day, I could hardly stand up, let alone hit a good | | | | found myself unexpectedly playing with a US |
| drive down the middle. | | | | Open Champion. The difference is now that I |
| I've experienced similar feelings when I've arrived | | | | have the means to relax myself using a variety |
| on the first tee and found I was playing with | | | | of golf psychology techniques and really get the |
| some or other golfing celebrity. I'll never forget Bill | | | | most from the experience. I'd probably play my |
| Shankland, my then golf coach, asking me to | | | | normal game. |
| stand in for him in a game in late-June of 1970. Bill | | | | So what techniques would I use? Well the |
| explained that he was injured and could I take his | | | | quickest technique would be to use my |
| place in a friendly fourball the following day. He | | | | finger-thumb NLP Resource Anchor that would |
| went on to explain that there'd be no pressure as | | | | both relax me and get me into a confident and |
| I was playing at my home club and partnering the | | | | resourceful state. If I was still nervous, I could |
| club pro, Colin Christison, a man I'd played with | | | | use self-hypnosis, some simple deep breathing |
| many times before. Bill also mentioned that one of | | | | exercises or, even better, the Balance Your Golf |
| our opponents would be Ian Connelly from | | | | Mind and Body for Better Golf — Focus on |
| Welwyn Garden City, later to become Nick Faldo's | | | | your Hara technique from another of my articles. |