Just like your swing, it takes time and effort to train your mind to perform in the heat of competition.

Read on to find out how to upgrade your mental game or put your current mental skills to the test on the practice tee.

Attitude post-shot differentiates players in competition. Put bad shots behind you and praise yourself for good shots. The strength of the emotion you attach to an outcome determines a memory’s strength.

Healthy reactions conjure up positive emotions when facing similar situations. Entrench positive memories by noting down your top-10 greatest shots of all time and the emotion attached to each, they’ll come in handy the next time you’re under pressure.

Resist the urge to analyse past shots or ponder those upcoming. Instead, take your mind off the game by thinking ABTP: Anything But The Performance. Whether it’s cracking a joke or humming a tune, conserve precious mental energy for the big moments to come.

Practice switching off between shots by unstrapping your glove. When you hear that velcro come together again you know it’s go time!

Remember, you control your mind, it doesn’t control you. Maintaining a strong mind-body connection is critical in pressure situations so practice blocking out all unnecessary distractions by making a slow motion practice swing and focusing only on the feeling of your left wrist on the club.

Practising isolating this sensation enough will ready you to block out the water or sand guarding the green because you’ll only have eyes for the target!

Adopt techniques that toughen you up for any competitive situation. Send us a message to get started.