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5 Keys to Mental Toughness for Junior Golfers
Jeff Troesch, MA, LMHC
If you have any interest in seeing first hand the impact that
mental toughness has on sport performance, go no further than
the PGA or LPGA Qualifying tournaments or "Q-School". Each
year for the past several years, I have worked with players
on site during this event. A great many of the conversations
that the players have are a rehashing of their performance
this past year on the PGA, LPGA, Nationwide, or mini-tour
circuits. What I have heard frequently are things that could
help the junior golfer get a head start in his or her career.
In attempting to describe why they hadn't reached their outcome
goals for the season I hear these professional players repeatedly
talk to one another about "trying too hard", "not letting
it happen out there", "playing tentative" and many other frequently
used mental game phrases. The challenge for many of these
professionals is not only to sharpen their swings and putting
strokes for this critical week, but to sharpen their mental
games as well. The players who do well in Q-School are the
ones that will follow some basic rules about the mental game.
Each of these also has application for the junior golfer:
1. Keep each shot in perspective. This is especially true
in a 108-hole tournament. Q-School, of all tournaments, is
understood to be a marathon and not a sprint. There is no
rational reason to be unnerved by a bad hole or two. Similarly,
the junior golfer has years and years of opportunities ahead.
There is no particular shot in any tournament that is "life
or death".
2. Focus on the task rather than the outcome. This is probably
the most difficult of the "basics" for players to follow.
It is natural to think about the result and then the consequences
of the result. This thinking will not help get the job done.
Whenever these thoughts come to mind, replace them with thoughts
of the immediate task at hand.
3. Breathe. Even the best in the world get tense in this type
of situation. That tension can increase a player's tendency
to hold his breath in anticipation of a shot or a putt. This
then impacts muscle tension even more, and potentially affects
his ability to swing the club smoothly. Deep breaths = slower
heart rate and less physiological tension. Creating a habit
of doing this as a junior player will be invaluable as your
golf career progresses.
4. Remember that you cannot control things. Anyone who plays
this game knows that something unexpected happens in nearly
every round. A great tee shot lands in a divot, a club you've
been hitting well all week suddenly starts getting shaky,
or a two-foot putt is missed. The successful players in Q-School
and elsewhere will recognize that they have control only over
their preparation and reactions, and not over anything else.
If they know they've prepared the best they could for each
shot, and know that they are capable of controlling their
reaction after each shot, they've done all they can possibly
do to achieve their goals. Move on to the next one.
5. Play to succeed. Nearly every year there is a player or
two held up at the end of Q-School as an example of a late
tournament collapse. In nearly all of those instances, the
player interviewed will speak of having thoughts of "trying
to hold on" or "trying not to make a big number". Many players
will have a tendency to play to avoid mistakes and/or prevent
something bad from happening. The players who are successful
are those who are confident in their abilities to go out and
get the job done, and will be playing to succeed rather than
to avert failure.
These mental game essentials will help you as a junior player
ingrain habits that can help you reach the ultimate golf goals
for which you strive!
Jeff Troesch, MA, LMHC is an internationally recognized
expert in the mental side of golf. As the former Director
of Sport Psychology for the David Leadbetter Golf Academies,
Jeff has worked with thousands of golfers nationwide and brings
a wealth of experience to seasoned golf professionals as well
as the recreational golf lover. You may contact Jeff directly
through his website, http://www.fitnessforgolf.com.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Troesch
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