Golf Tips: Coping With Frustration

I was recently paired with a PGA master instructor, in a local tournament. This gentleman is one of Southern California’s most-renowned golf instructors and perpetually cracks the Top 100 list of several major golf publications. Everything was going well for the first four holes. Suddenly, I mis-hit two shots in a row and then shanked a wedge. My misery continued for four more holes, and I was mystified as to what I was doing wrong. I generally don’t like bothering people for advice, particularly in a social situation like this. But I was desperate. “What do you do when the wheels fall off?,” I asked him, sure he was going to advise me to go back to basics, make sure I was taking a slow backswing using the proper grip and shoulder turn, etc. But instead, he smiled and put his hand on my shoulder. “My best advice,” he said, “is to take a deep breath and relax. It’s a beautiful day outside, this is a fun group and one of the top courses in town. Just enjoy yourself. And whenever you step up to the ball for the rest of the day, take that deep breath again and just appreciate where you are and what you’re doing.” It instantly changed my mindset. Here I was in a technical mode, overthinking all of my swing mechanics. And he disarmed me, making me instantly forget all of it. What surprised me more is that after I heeded his advice, I rifled off eight consecutive pars.