Controlling your emotions during your Golf Shot Routine
Golf is fundamentally a game of executing shots. To execute golf shots effectively, players must make good decisions. To make good decisions, players must manage their emotions while going through their golf shot routines.
Emotions are complex in nature. Certain events or stimuli will trigger your emotions and have as a result psychological and physiological responses. These are typically associated with feelings, which we experience as our emotions. Hitting a great or terrible golf shot can activate your emotions real quick.
Emotions are often accompanied by physiological changes, such as increased heart rate and can influence thoughts, behaviours and a golfer’s ability to make sound decisions. Emotions can be positive or negative and they play a role in how we perceive and interact with the world around us. This is is especially relevant during a golfer’s golf shot routine.
Some common emotions golfers experience are happiness, sadness, excitement, fear and anger.
Some golfers perform better when they are emotional, while others do not. In general, it is better for golfers to have less emotion while playing.
How to control your emotions on the golf course
Practice mindfulness: Paying attention to your thoughts and feelings in the present moment can help you to become more aware of your emotions and how they affect you.
Take deep breaths: Deep breathing (quick deep breath in and slow breath out) can help to calm your mind and body, which can in turn help to regulate your emotions.
Identify your triggers: Try to understand what causes you to feel certain emotions and try to avoid or manage those triggers when possible. Eg. The result of a shot can generally serve as a trigger for emotions, try and move your focus away from results and towards process goals.
Use positive self-talk: Pay attention to the things you tell yourself and try to replace negative self-talk with positive affirmations.
Find healthy ways to express your emotions: It’s important to find healthy ways to express your emotions and this should form an integral part of your post-shot routine.
Seek support: If you are struggling to manage your emotions, consider seeking support from a skilled mental coach or golf coach.
Becoming aware of your emotions and their triggers is the first step in learning to manage your emotions on the golf course. This will help your game in a major way.
