It’s July, and we’re going through quite a heat wave here in Southwestern Ontario. It was a humid day ringing in at 34 degrees Celsius (93 Fahrenheit). I was rushing around the house trying to get out of the door to make it to my tee time on time. I made it, but I was flustered and didn’t have time to do any warming up before I hit my first drive off the tee box. The first shot was terrible and most of the other shots after that were the same. I definitely didn’t have it all together today, but when I got home I found myself considering my day and it inspired me to write about some of the more important things you can do to set yourself up for success in golf.
- Time Management – Making sure you’re not running late for your tee time will give you a head start! You won’t be rushing and flustered when you arrive and it will allow you to keep calm and focused.
- Pre-shot Ritual – Doing the same thing prior to taking a swing at the ball will help you to be more consistent. Maybe it’s lining yourself up a certain way, or anything that helps you get set up and in the right frame of mind to focus on hitting that ball.
- Get Out of Your Comfort Zone – Growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone. Sometimes you need to push yourself. It’s incredibly intimidating to golf with someone you don’t know (especially when you’re new to the sport), but sometimes golfing with someone else can help you grow. You may pick up tips along the way, or even make a new friend. Don’t be afraid to try new things in golf.
- Positivity – I know it can be difficult sometimes, but try to stay positive. Golf is a very mental game. A positive mindset goes a long way. Even when you hit bad shots, try to find the good in it. It might be a terrible round, but at least you showed up, maybe the weather is good, or the scenery, or the company. In general, if you look for the good you will at least be happier.
- Set Some Goals – They don’t have to be big goals. They don’t even have to have anything to do with your score. Maybe your goal is to golf 9 holes once per week, or maybe it’s to make par on one hole during your round. Whatever it is, it will help you get better. Once you hit your goal, make a new one. Keep them attainable but push yourself and you will see results.
- Seek Help – Pro golfers have coaches who work with them all the time, but I went years thinking I didn’t need help from a pro to get better. People sometimes feel it can mess with their game, but if you can do them regularly for a little while and practice in between lessons, you’ll get better…. Maybe not all at once, but eventually you’ll see it all come together.
Do you have any tips on what helps you be successful in golf?