| Do you find less than perfect conditions | | | | An accomplished player maintains a positive |
| discouraging? | | | | attitude by seeing challenges as a way to improve |
| Players tend to judge their performance by their | | | | her game. The accomplished player also enjoys |
| most recent score, and spend a lot of time after | | | | competing against others, and finds that healthy |
| a round obsessing on an extra stroke from | | | | competition can boost motivation and goal setting. |
| landing in a divot, or by the wind affecting their lie | | | | Although player competition is a regular and |
| on a green. By focusing on what could have been | | | | enjoyable part of golf, it is important to remain |
| if the conditions were perfect, players end up | | | | performance oriented and to focus on your own |
| dwelling on the bogeys, rather than cherishing the | | | | game rather than thinking about keeping up with |
| birdies. A half empty glass rather than half full! | | | | or falling behind your opponent. Although you are |
| Circumstances will vary each time you play, | | | | playing against an opponent, it is advantageous to |
| weather and fairway conditions fluctuate even on | | | | keep in mind that you are really competing |
| the most meticulously maintained courses. It is | | | | against the golf course. Your main focus should be |
| how you perceive and manage these challenges | | | | to improve your personal score and not to beat |
| that make you a better player. Getting out of a | | | | your playing partner. Placing too much emphasis |
| tough position just once is all it takes to fuel your | | | | on your playing partner's performance will only |
| confidence and add to your level of experience. | | | | distract you from your own goals and will cause |
| Each time you hit the ball from a challenging lie, | | | | you to play differently than you normally would to |
| you have learned something about your technique | | | | try to match or surpass their skill level. |
| whether you hit a good shot or bad one. No | | | | Tips |
| matter what the result of your shot, you become | | | | 1. See challenges on the golf course as an |
| more skilled in assessing what to do the next | | | | opportunity to improve your game. |
| time you are in that situation. If you view a | | | | 2. Focus on playing your own game, not how well |
| challenging situation as a productive experience, | | | | your opponent is doing. You are playing against |
| you will not only avoid disappointment, you will | | | | the course, and your goal should be to improve |
| improve your judgment and technical skills. | | | | your own game, not to measure yourself against |
| Are you using competition to your advantage? | | | | others. |