The Mental Side of Golf

Golf, by nature, is 90% mental. Perhaps the only sport that rivals it with regards to failure vs. success is baseball. It’s a game where being off by 1/10 of a degree can be the difference
between a perfect shot and utter disaster. Because of the razor thin margins, golfers need to develop a strong sense of resilience and try their best to maintain their composure on the
golf course.

For me, this was always extremely difficult. I always considered myself an emotional player, and I would ride the emotional waves as the round would progress. However, my scorecard
would very much be emblematic of these violent mood swings as well. I knew that to be a good player, I would have to learn how to approach my game from a calmer standpoint.

The first thing I did was pick up a sports psychology book, Golf is Not a Game of Perfect by Dr. Bob Rotella. The book itself placed a major emphasis on living in the moment and trying
as hard as possible to execute your strategy by maintaining self-awareness and positive thought. The book was groundbreaking for me. Although it took me lots of time, I eventually
figured out how to execute this strategy in a successful manner.

Another major factor in me learning how to stay composed was my trainer/surrogate dad Coach Joe Yager. Coach Yager really helped me perspectivisme how meaningless each
individual shot and tournament is in the scheme of my life. I learned how to detach my self-worth from the game, which at the time was extremely difficult for me. That ultimately
helped me become a much more composed player.

The final part of my newfound composure was simply my maturity as a player. As I got older I gradually became less petulant, and the blow ups occurred less and less. Needless to say
my scorecard was also thankful for my newfound maturity. As you can clearly see, golf is an extremely mental game. Although I am not quite done with my maturation yet, I hope that process
will continue in the future.