One of my members recently shared that he expereinces a lot of anxiety on the golf course. From the first tee to worrying about the next shot, he had this crippling anxiety that made him want to give up the game. That's no fun! Golf needs to be enjoyed.

Anxiety and first-tee nerves (or jitters) is all part of the game. If you're struggling with anxiety try out my tip below:

Anxiety is normal in golf. Even the best players experience anxiety standing on the first tee. I bet we could find players who struggled so much with their nerves that they quit playing at a high level. It's uncomfortable.

I like to think of baseball players since that is my background. There was something called the yips in baseball, and I suffered from this. It's where you can't make a throw to your target. You'll throw it anywhere but your target and it's very frustrating. Think "Steve Blass disease" or "Steve Sax syndrome".

The anxiety that came with the yips in baseball caused me to quit the game. I could have stopped my anxiety by getting help from a mental coach, but golf was much more of a priority to me at that time.

My advice for overcoming axiety is to remember the “little victories”. Little victories are small wins that you can save in your mind for later. For example, something as simple as hitting the fairway. Rejoice in that moment and stay present. Anxiety comes from a fear of what is to happen later. Taking in the little victories of the day forces you to stay present and enjoy each shot as it comes.

Here are some little victories to save in your mind as you play. Keep your list broad so your mind gets used to storing lots of positive memories. Take these for example:

Hitting a green in regulation
Hitting your target
Making a long putt
Chipping it close to the hole
Getting out of a bunker

It's not easy to learn this. Your brain will want to go back to dwelling on the negatives. But, over time you'll replace the anxiety with a quiet mind that produces good shots.

Take in those litte victories SagutoGolfers and enjoy the ride!

Tom

Tom Saguto