For more than 30 years, Dr. Joe Parent has been coaching, teaching, and writing about performance psychology in business, life — and golf.
His premise: How to get out of your own way to get the most out of your abilities.
According to Dr. Parent, mental toughness is essential to playing high-quality golf. To be mentally tough is to rise to the occasion, to perform when it matters most, to confront pressure while feeling comfortable in the moment.
This is no small task. To adapt to pressure, you must embrace it. Put yourself under it. Even when someone behind you is waiting anxiously, work hard to make every putt. Act like every shot matters. It will make you better when one really does.
Don't grouse. Accept situations as they occur. Take it from a pro, Vijay Singh, at Augusta one year. Asked if he was bothered by a heavy rain, he said, "Only if it's just raining on me."
Ever think why "One shot at a time" and "Stay in the moment" are tiresome cliches? Because they work. Refusing to get too excited or depressed over circumstances is the essence of mental poise.
During every round, keep track of the times you dwell on what's happened and what may. Then add up the times your mind drifted from the present. Get that number down to zero.
Playing badly? Don't fire madly at pins to make birdies. Performing well? Don't play to defend your score. These decisions lead to trouble, which leads to stress that robs you of the mental stamina you need to play your best.
If you're a gregarious person off the golf course, be gregarious on it. If you're an up-tempo person off it, play quickly. If you're not, don't.
Relax, and just try not to overthink.
