Using the Strengths of My Mental Style

I took a “Mental Golf Workshop” test after finishing my last tournament. What an eye-opener!

My coaches since I started golf have always talked to me about things I can do to get better at the mental side of golf. I have grown over the years, such as worrying less about the score and more about the shot I have to make. I’ve tried to stay positive too and control my emotions in the moment. But, I have known all along that there’s much more to the “mental game of golf”.

In many ways, it’s been hard to figure out what to do. I like concrete ideas. The mental part is not that way. So, the great thing about the test is that it’s explained the mental part in more detail and it gave me practical ways to improve.

Take the competitive part of my nature. It came out as really dominant. That’s good especially for pressure situations. On the flip side, I can try too hard and create tension that hurts my performance.

I also learned something I’ve known for a while: my results orientation and aggressiveness on the course can lead to wasted shots.

The great part about the test is that it spelled out specific practices for four important areas of the game: goal-setting, pre-round preparation, mental tendencies over the ball and course management.

I’ve got a break now in the Gateway Tour. I will use it to try out the tips from the test.

One of the big ideas is about positive energy and positive self-talk. The test advised me to “gear down”. When my competitive nature tells me “you should have done better”, turn it into “what can I learn from this”? or just let it go. The positive fuel creates positive energy.

Overall, the suggestions focus on managing tension. My competitiveness increases tension. So, I’m going to work on some practices that help me relax more while I keep my competitive focus.