Golf is a unique sport in its own way. The sport is individualistic, and Websters defines individualistic as “Characterized by individualism, independent and self-reliant.” If you’ve ever played golf, you truly understand. Even in a team setting such as the most famous “Ryder Cup,” or on a college or high school team, the sport still is individualistic. Only the individual golfer can get the ball in the hole, and no one else can do it for him or her.
In basketball on a bad night, the player can pass to a teammate to take a shot, and do extra on defense to try to make up for his or her bad play. In soccer, it is very similar and the player struggling can depend on others to pick up their slack. In golf, the player has to still hit the shot, no matter how bad the golfer’s range session was, no matter if the lie of the ball is terrible, no matter if they just hit two in the water, the player must go on.
Be Prepared – Bad Golf Shots are Going to Happen
It takes a mentally strong person to handle the pressures of golf due to how individualistic it is. Wayward shots are presumed to happen, but when they do, it seems the golfer is never ready or it doesn’t happen at a convenient time. How the golfer handles the adversity will affect his or her rest of the round. If a golfer reacts negatively, i.e. throws a club, curses, or even worse breaks a club the golfer has a very small chance to hit a great recovery shot to get them out of the negative position.
Walter Hagan was once quoted saying that “Three bad shots, and one good shot can still make par.” He was absolutely right, but with that being said, it takes a very strong mind to commit to that attitude. Walter was known to hit the ball all over the golf course. He would then pull out the miracle recovery to the awe of the crowd, and walk away with par and sometimes birdie! The more one plays golf, the more one will accept that bad shots will come. Having the confidence to get themselves out of a trouble situation is what separates the good players from the great players of all time like Mr. Hagan.
Learn from Tiger Woods, One of the Greatest Golfers of All Time
When a player is not feeling great about his or her swing, it is important to always keep trying to battle and stay in the match as long as the player can. Not every player in every tournament is at their 100% best or feeling their 100% best at the driving range before they tee off in a tournament. The good from great battle through the low points in their golf game and fight through the struggles. One great player that is known to still play great even when his “best stuff,” isn’t there is Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods is a professional golfer on the United States PGA Tour.
Tiger Woods’ arguably best tournament happened in 2008. He was playing at the US Open while having a torn ACL. The pressure of golf on TV is enough to buckle most players, let alone no cartilage in his/her leg. The crowd watched in awe and sorrow as after every miracle shot Tiger Woods hit, he nearly or did fall to the ground in pain. The mental toughness of Tiger in this tournament was remarkable. Not only was he trying to win a US Open, but he was trying to do it while using his golf club as a cane to walk.
To top the story off, 72 holes wasn’t enough. Tiger Woods went to battle barely walking in an 18 hole playoff the following day. It was because of his mental toughness and will to win 1) he was able to complete the tournament, but 2) WIN.
Without the mental toughness he displayed, it would be impossible to play the kind of golf Tiger did in 2008 and did throughout his career. The average golfer can take a lesson from Tiger, by trying his or her best to remain positive at all times, treat golf as a challenge to themselves, and finally want to win at all costs.