Do you play your best golf when it really matters? Not many golfers do.
Take the players who attend our golf lessons.
Like many weekend golfers, they sometimes underperform when the pressure is on. That’s because they haven learned to play under pressure.
Learning to play under pressure in golf is a skill, just like hitting a good pitch or chip. To pay your best when it matters most, you need to work on this skill.
If you’re a weekend end golfer and you want to break 80 consistently, you have to play your best golf when it matters.
Get The Most From Your Swing
The key to playing clutch golf is getting the most from your swing. And you need to do that on every shot, especially when the pressure is on.
Often, getting the most from your swing depends on what type of shot you’re hitting. Below we look at five principles to getting the most from your swing when it counts:
1. Go with the swing you have that day
You can’t always control what your swing is doing. But you can learn to control what happens before the swing. That’s the biggest secret to getting the most from your swing when it counts.
Here are five keys to doing it:
• Pick out a landing spot for the shot.
• Focus on your target.
• Lock the target into your brain.
• Stay focused on it as you address the ball
• Make a slow smooth swing.
Be as precise as possible when picking out your target. And take your time with the shot. Rushing only makes you make mistakes.
2. Commit to the shot, then hit it hard
Swinging slower than normal on a clutch shot spells trouble. In fact, swinging slower than normal generally cause more problems than it fixes. Instead, swing at your natural pace but stay relaxed during the shot.
Put another way, commit to the shot, and then hit it hard. This feeling comes from having confidence in the club you’ve chosen and the target. If you’re between clubs, hit the lower club.
Also, stay in your address posture—no matter how fast or slow you’re swinging. To do that, try relaxing the muscles in your hands or your face. The rest of your body usually follows suit.
3. Keep it simple from the sand
Make your shots one at a time—especially when hitting from the sand. Too often, players try to hit the sand shot and try to make the putt simultaneously. That’s asking a lot when under pressure.
Instead, make it simple. Aim at the hole, but make your target the green. And don’t try to be a hero by hitting next to impossible shots.
Getting it on the green provides an opportunity to make a clutch putt and save par. If you miss, it only costs you a stroke.
4. Develop a putting stroke you can trust on the greens
Consistency is the key in putting. So if you keep switching strategies, moves, and positions, you’ll never putt well. Also, forget thinking about mechanics when putting. That just feeds the pressure.
Instead, think about nothing but making the putt. See yourself do it in your minds eye. Also, make useful practice strokes at the pace you need to roll it in.
Finally, aim correctly. Don’t miss the putt before you even swing by misaligning the putt. Pointing the club correctly when putting shouldn’t be affected by pressure. Use your instincts.
5. The less you think the better you’ll do
If there’s one way to sum up how to play under pressure, it’s this key. It’s hard to perform well in the clutch if you always thinking about your swing. More than likely, you’ll never get there.
Instead, forget your mechanics. When swinging, don’t try to hit the ball. Try to make a good swing and let the ball get in the way.
These five golf tips will help you play better under pressure. You need to play well under pressure to break 80 consistently and chop strokes off your golf handicap.