Mental game

Stories from Competitive Golf: Lessons in Mental Game

For a calmer pre-shot routine, competitive stories show that every golfer has to manage the space between shots.

Stories from Competitive Golf: Lessons in Mental Game illustration

The lesson behind the story

For a calmer pre-shot routine, a player can look calm and still be fighting quick thoughts inside. The useful mental game skill is the reset: after a blocked drive, missed short putt, or clumsy chip, the next shot still deserves a full routine. For a calmer pre-shot routine, body language, walking pace, and target selection all tell you how well that reset is working.

What to borrow

For a calmer pre-shot routine, watch club champions, juniors in a playoff, or match-play opponents who never reveal much. For a calmer pre-shot routine, the best competitors keep the face neutral, pick targets without drama, and return the club to the bag as if the next job is already waiting.