Does pressure get the best of you one the golf course? Are you ready to finally conquer your nerves so you can play well when it matters most?
If so, you’re in the right place. Nerves are a part of golf but with the right tactics you can overcome them and not let them ruin a round.
Today, I’ll share 10 tips that I’ve learned and used in the highest levels of amateur golf tournaments, including Q-school. When you implement these strategies, I know you will come up clutch when it matters most.
How to Play Under Pressure – 10 Strategies
Key Takeaways
- The first step to playing better under pressure is reframing nerves and thinking about it as an opportunity.
- Other ways to play better under pressure include improving your body language, better self talk, and breath work.
- The more you can put yourself in “nervous” situations, the more you will feel comfortable in these situations.
1. Reframe Pressure as an Opportunity
The first step to play better under pressure is to reframe it! Instead of getting worried, anxious, or fearful during a pressure packed moment, start thinking about it as a privilege. Get excited about the opportunity in front of you.
The only reason you feel any pressure is that you put yourself in this situation. For example, if you feel pressure on the 18th hole of your member guest event, that’s a good thing. It means you had the courage to sign up for a competitive event – now it’s time to execute.
Being “nervous” is a good thing – It’s okay to care about your results (as long as you don’t let the game define you). This is why you practice so hard, spend money on lessons, and commit too much time/money to golf.
Every time you get into a pressure situation, only one of two things will happen.
You will either get rewarded for all your hard work or learn where you still need to improve. There is no other outcome.
I once heard a quote that said, “No pressure, no diamonds. No struggle, no strength.” And it’s true – pressure isn’t a bad thing on the golf course unless you let it overcome you. But when you apply the rest of these tips, I’m confident that you’ll be better than ever.
Start by reframing pressure as privledge or opportunity.
2. Practice Under Pressure
The second step to perform better under pressure is to change up your practice routines.
Think about it, most golfers practice at the driving range hitting ball after ball. No consequences, no elevated heart rate, and sometimes no targets or purpose for the shot.
Which is nothing like the conditions you will face on the golf course – especially in any sort of competition. To play better under pressure, you need to practice with purpose. You can do this a few different ways.
The first way is known as competitive practice. In this type of golf practice, you do not work on swing changes or use training aids.
Instead, the goal is to get your heart rate up and simulate what it’s like on the golf course.
For example, I’ll do 10-15 jumping jacks, body weight squats, or burpees. Once complete, go through my pre-shot routine and hit a shot like I would on the golf course. This is very different from most routines but will help you get accustomed to an elevated heart rate.
Not to mention you’ll burn more calories too. Click here to learn how many calories you actually burn in golf.
3. Show Up Prepared
Once you have the right mindset and practice routines, the next step is making sure you show up prepared for the round.
A lot of times I’ve found that are much more nervous and not in a good way when I’m not prepared. If you show up never having played the course, not having a yardage book, or barely get there before your tee time, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
To avoid these negative feelings, you need to set yourself up for success. If possible, always play a practice round so you can familiarize yourself with facilities and the golf course.
If you can’t get a practice round, try to go to the golf course to hit some chips and putts on the greens one day after work. This will help you feel more comfortable and hopefully less nervous when you show up.
4. Stick to Your Pre-Shot Routine
I’d argue the most important thing to consider when playing under pressure is sticking to your routine. Let me start by sharing an example from my own game.
After shooting a 68 in the first round of a 2-day amateur golf tournament, I had a 2-shot lead to start the final day. I was in the last group and played perfect golf on the front to extend my lead to five shots.
Then, golf happened.
I had a bad hole, the guy chasing me made an eagle and all of a sudden it was a one shot lead with three to play. Heading into the 16th hole, after just making a double bogey (thanks to an unplayable lie and three putt) I had to refocus.
My mind was all over the place but reminded myself of one thing – stick to the routine!
I make sure to get clear about my target, take a few good practice swings, and commit to the shot. I hit a brilliant drive, landed a hybrid on the fringe, and made birdie. Heading into 18 I had a lead but it was still a tough tee shot and challenging finish hole.
On the final tee box I said the same thing – stick to the routine. I did and hit the drive of the day, hit a wedge on, and won the tournament. Despite my mind racing and knowing that I was in the lead, I focused solely on my routine.
If you watch the best golfers in the world, you’ll notice they always stick to their routine when it matters most. Make sure to create your pre-shot routine and stick with it under pressure situations.
Bonus Tip: Speed Up Your Routine
A good routine will change your game from tee to green – especially in pressure situations.
But one thing golfers tend to do under the gun is take too long over the golf ball. When you linger over the ball, this can have a negative consequence on your swing.
In the book, Golf’s 8- Second Secret by Mike Bender, he studied golfers who had won at least five major championships. All of them (except Jack Nicklaus) stood over the ball for eight seconds or less – this was timed from instance to hitting the ball.
Make sure to time your routine properly so you don’t get any more nerves or anxiety.
5. Visualize What You Want
Now that I’ve covered some basics, let’s get into the power of visualization.
During your routine, it’s important to get clear about the shot you want to hit. Think about it like giving your mind clear instructions on the upcoming swing.
The goal is to give yourself a clear picture or even talking it out like a PGA Tour player does with his caddy.
When they’re mic’d up, you might hear them say, “I’m going to hit a 6-iron at the left tree and fade it off there to the middle of the green. The cover is 210 and I want to hit it 215 to the 220 yard target.”
They’re getting insanely specific about the shot so they can take proper practice swings with purpose. Do the same so you give your mind clarity and less anxiety.
6. Watch Your Self-Talk
Imagine having to hit a shot over water on the 18th hole for your approach shot.
You have one friend saying, “You got this, stick with it man and hit a good shot.” You have another friend who says, “There is water everywhere, you’ve missed short a few times today, don’t screw this up.”
But the thing is, this is usually the devil/angel scenario that happens with all golfers. You have a choice, though – choose to speak positively or negatively to yourself.
As you can imagine, saying positive, uplifting things will help you perform your best. Don’t make golf harder by being pessimistic and negative.
Tap into the power of self-talk with this guide.
7. Check Your Body Language
Another tool to deal with pressure is your body language. Dr. Amy Cuddy, an expert in body language at Harvard Business School, conducted a study to figure out if people could “fake it until they make it.”
As mentioned in NSR, “All kinds of outcomes are determined by nonverbal behaviors. If you tweak your nonverbal behaviors in simple ways, in a short period of time, it’s going to make you feel more powerful through physiological changes in your body.”
Even if you’re nervous, act like a champion. Walk, talk, and pose like you’ve been there before because faking it until you’ve made it really does work.
8. Keep Breathing
If you’re nervous on the golf course, chances are you stop normal breathing patterns. It’s not intentional but a habit for most people. But the second you stop breathing regularly, your mind starts to panic.
A Calm article noted that shallow breathing negatively affects the body in six ways, but increased stress is one of the worst for golf. As mentioned in the article, “Stress can lead to rapid breathing, amplifying feelings of stress. It’s a vicious cycle. Without deep, calming breaths to activate your body’s relaxation response, you might find yourself stuck in a chronic state of tension.”
When you’re tense on the golf course, you won’t be able to swing like normal.
This can throw off your tempo and rhythm for a lot of errant swings. But it’s not your swing breaking down, it’s your mind being in fight or flight mode.
You need to keep breathing regularly during pressure packed moments. Always take a big deep breath before walking into a shot and keep breathing between shots as well. This will help relieve tension and allow you to swing like normal.
Learn more about the importance of breathing in golf.
9. Stop Playing Golf Swing
When you’re under pressure it’s easy to want to play your best and hit a heroic shot. But for a lot of golfers they get thinking about mechanics too often. This leads to playing golf swing vs. playing golf and reacting to the target.
You need to trust your swing on the golf course, especially if you’re feeling nervous. This is not the time to try and make swing changes or worry about mechanics.
Instead, focus on the swing you’ve developed in practice. Make sure to get into a good setup position, focus on alignment, and trust it.
10. Let Go of the Outcome
The final tip to master play better pressure is to stop worrying about the outcome. It’s easier said than done and instead focus on the process.
Focus on the previous nine tips, especially your routine, to give yourself the best chance to play well under pressure. If you focus on the process enough, you will get the results more often than not.
However, it’s also important to note that no matter how skilled you are, bad shots/results are part of golf. The average PGA Tour player only wins a few events in their entire lifetime. Despite having perfect swings, they still have meltdowns too.
Just keep things in perspective… golf isn’t paying the bills so make sure to cherish the opportunity and not let one bad shot or round define you.
My Experience
I’ve battled through some pressure on the golf course – including going to Q-school as an amateur golfer in 2019. This was the most nervous I had ever been in my life on the course but used all the tips above to play phenomenal golf.
My biggest tip is to get into these situations more so you feel more comfortable. The more you can get into pressure moments, the better you will be able to deal with them.
Final Thoughts
Remember the most important point – pressure is a privilege. If you’re feeling anxious or nervous, it’s because you want to do well. And that’s okay!
Even Tiger Woods said he gets first tee jitters and said every golfer should, or else they don’t care enough. When nerves hit – whether it’s on the first hole, mid-round, or the 18th hole – use these tips. So much is in our control and with the right body language, self-talk, breathing, and more, you will set yourself up to perform better.
Lastly, always enjoy the journey!
