We've all been there when we've had a real good round going right up until a few holes remaining. Sometimes we've been able to break through and finish the round successfully and other times fallen into pieces. What has been the difference between these two outcomes?
When the round has fallen apart, it is often due to an overwhelm of emotions usually caused by thinking of the end result rather than process. The process is really defined as the way you are rehearsing an evaluating each shot. It is important to stay in the moment by having rituals in not only how you prepare for each shot, but physical cues such as controlled breathing and how you walk.
The best way to rehearse these rituals is being aware of them and practicing them outside of compeition. Try the day before your competition game to simulate pressure that you might encounter so that you can be fully equipped when uner these conditions. Another great tip when handling pressure is to continue to make decisions that you would normally make even if scoring well wasnt a factor. . For eg. we often get conservative under pressure however continue to act aggressive and play like you normally would if there were no stakes.
The last tip is once you've decided on a shot, try and take the same amount of time each shot. This will let the mind and body know that you're playing a normal shot and hence be more likely to stay committed.
If you'd like any further help in closing out a game just let me know and we'll formulate a strategy.
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