Page 63 - The Golf Guide, Fall 2017

Pro’s Corner

These Three Words

David Johns, PGA Professional
Heritage Oaks Golf Course, Harrisonburg Virginia

In golf, three words can mean the difference
between shooting the round of a lifetime and
having one of your worst days on the course.
These words are doubt, fear, and trust.
Throughout my years as a golf professional, I
have seen a number of players struggle with
their golf games because they are either afraid
of what could happen with an errant shot or
because they doubt their ability. Often, players
face a tee shot over water and instantly grab an
older, well-used golf ball out of their bags to hit
what appears to be a golf shot doomed to fail.
Doubt creeps in to their minds as they set up to
hit a tee shot that seems to be a mile long over
water. When this doubt enters our minds, we
typically swing tentatively and, as a result, don’t hit a good golf shot. Our mental
state can greatly affect the outcome of our golf shots not because we can’t do it,
but because we doubt whether we can do it even though we have hit that same shot
well a hundred times when there was no hazard in front of us.
I often hear people say “I hit it great on the range; but when I get to the course,
I can’t hit anything well.” Why does this happen? Often the simple answer to that
question is that on the range we don’t worry about a bad shot because we expect
no consequence of hitting a bad shot. On the golf course, fear can set in because
we worry about a perceived “consequence.” The truth of the matter is, that even
on the course, there is no real consequence to a bad shot. I have often told my high
school students and college students that “You are the same great person after you
hit that shot as you were before you hit the shot. That shot does not define who you
are.” Despite the fact that we often think that the world will come crashing down
after a bad shot, it won’t. We all must learn to accept our good shots and our bad
shots and realize that golf is a game, and that anything can happen in this game.
Rather than look at each shot or each situation as a daunting task, look at each
as a challenge that we can overcome. We must learn to trust our own ability and
know that if we maintain our confidence, we will hit better golf shots and enjoy the
game much more.
Our mental approach toward our golf game can have such a great influence in
our overall performance. If we trust our golf swings, we are more likely to swing
aggressively and hit good shots, or putt with confidence and make more putts.
Eliminate the fear and doubt in your golf game and learn to trust that you can play
well. When you do, you will enjoy this great game of golf much more!
Enjoy the game!

FALL 2017 61