As a mental game coach, one of the most common questions I get asked is:
“How can I move past a bad shot and not let it affect the rest of the round?"
In this context, most players I coach are referring to having a bad hole, thinking about how much that has impacted their chances of a good score, and then being swamped with negative thoughts. This can make it very hard to bounce back.
This concern is something that golfers of all abilities face, from beginners to seasoned pros. A single bad shot can spiral into a chain reaction of negative thoughts that can derail your entire round. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In this post I'll explain why it's useful to let negative thoughts pass by without reacting to them, and what practical methods you can try.
The Negativity Spiral
Remember this chain: thoughts - emotions - actions - results.
It is impossible to stop random thoughts popping into your mind (good or bad). However you are in control of how much attention you give to them. When a thought enters your mind, it doesn’t have the ability to affect your performance on its own. However, the more attention and time you give that thought, the more power it gains, eventually affecting your emotions which in turn affect your actions and results.
Following a poor shot hit out of bounds, picture the chain in this example:
Thoughts: What if I hit this shot out of bounds like the last one
Emotions: Fear, anxiety, nervousness
Actions: Elevated tension and increased tempo leading to a poor swing
Results: A poor strike - possibly leading to another poor shot outcome.
3 Ways to Bounce Back from an undesirable shot or hole.
Here are three strategies to move through negative thoughts
1. Awareness & Countering
Building your awareness is a key component for developing a strong mental game. If you can become aware of a negative thought, understand the potential impact it could have, and then immediately counter it with a more positive thought, it can have profoundly positive effects. For example, if you miss a short putt, it’s natural for a negative thought to pop into your head. Notice this thought and smile. Then counter the thought with something along the lines of "I'm going to sink the next putt like I've done so many times before."
2. Breathe
It maybe sounds too simple but sometimes taking a big breath can work wonders! The key to this activity is to include some imagery and mindfulness techniques. Try to imagine when you release that big breath you're letting all of the emotion, tension, frustration out with it. Do it a couple of times and with each exhale, let it out. Counting your exhale to 5-6 seconds can be a great way to break the negative chain because your thoughts become distracted.
3. Mentally reset
Sometimes, all you need is a quick mental reset. Here are a few simple techniques:
Count out ten steps before committing to focus on the next shot.
Gratitude reframe - it's difficult to feel two emotions at once so if you feel frustrated, throw you attention out by listing 3 things you're most grateful for outside of golf.
Find 8 colours - look for 8 objects in a different colour (again distracting and breaking the negative cycle.
State one positive to the shot you just hit. Perhaps your planning of the shot, or your pre-shot routine. Even if you feel this might be a sarcastic comment, it will still hopefully bring a smile to your face and break the cycle.
The first hole, or any hole for that matter, doesn’t have to set the tone for your entire round. Many great rounds have started with a bogey or worse. If you can learn to mentally rest and stay committed to your process throughout a round, you will elevate your performances.
If you enjoyed this post and wonder if performance coaching could help you (in golf or in life), you can now take advantage of our September Offer of over 30% off your first 1-1 performance coaching session - use discount code INTRO40 at checkout.
Remember, the strongest part of your game isn’t your swing - it’s your mind. Let’s work together to strengthen it, on and off the golf course.
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