Have you ever suffered through pre-tournament jitters?

Tournament golf competition can be a gut-wrenching experience for amateur golfers who are not prepared for the pressure. Even the tour pros feel some pre-tournament jitters as they start their quest for victory (and golf immortality) on the first tee. Jack Nicklaus once admitted that if he wasn’t a little nervous starting a competition it wouldn’t feel normal to him. Jack always contended that a really good opening drive – the first shot of the round – gives a strong sense of confidence and a feeling of being in control for the rest of the day. It all starts with solid preparation and an attitude that you trust your swing. Slightly edgy is normal; too tense and anxious is a recipe to play your worst. Here’s how to get over that.

Most golfers hit decent warm-up shots on the range, but they don’t pick precise targets and often don’t visualize and execute the very shots they are certain to require during on-course play. Hit your practice shots like you’re already there. On the practice putting green, don’t get all caught up in 20- and 30-foot chest-pounders; find a flat 3-foot spot and make at least 10 in a row. That routine will give you the confidence you need as you head into the round that counts.

When you approach your opening tee shot as you begin your tournament, be sure to focus only – I mean only – on your established pre-shot routine. It’s crucial that you hide in the cocoon of your pre-shot routine, while erasing all other considerations, including visual uneasiness and negative self-talk. The main purpose of a pre-shot routine is to normalize the feeling of what you are doing, thereby eliminating any interference. That’s why you see tour players stop and re-start their routine once they’re distracted.
If you haven’t settled on a rehearsed automatic pre-swing routine, then spend the next couple of weeks on the range establishing a personal one. It should take about 10 to 14 seconds, once you are ready to go; waggle once, take a deep breath and swing like you mean it. Any more than that and you risk too many negative swing thoughts.

In a report called “The 10 Deadly Mistakes Athletes Make With Their Pregame Attitude” sport psychologist Dr. Patrick Cohn talks about the pregame nerves. (Dr. Cohn’s website is www.peaksports.com.) “Pregame jitters are a natural part of sports,” he observes, “but pregame performance anxiety will cause most athletes to tense up and not perform to their ability.” He advises golfers to use their preparation as a time to get control and manage emotions and thoughts about an upcoming competition. According to Dr. Cohn, who has worked with pro tour players for many years, the number one mistake competitors make is placing strict expectations on the performance to follow. “You (may) set yourself up for a success or failure proposition,” he says. If you don’t achieve your anticipated expectations you tend to question your ability that day, leading to a drop in overall confidence on the next outing. In my personal view, I say you should look at your on-course play as a process, with full attention paid to how you are playing in terms of focus, concentration, being in the present and staying relaxed. Dr. Cohn has found that a lot of the damage is done mentally by players worrying too much about results or outcomes before they tee it up. Let’s not worry about the outcome – results will take care of themselves, providing you attend the process of playing.

For overcoming pre-tournament jitters, attitude is everything. Stop worrying about how you will do and about what others will think. Worry just guarantees you to psych yourself out; if you allow fear of failure to be your main motivator you are sabotaging your performance. Winning golf takes self-discipline, so start by deciding on positive attitudes and feelings that will enhance your play, not undermine it. Prepare a little 3-by-5 card printed with three simple keys: keep relaxed, just play this shot, forget the past. Look at it for every shot. Play “process golf.”

Dr. Charlie Blanchard is a licensed psychologist specializing in sports and leadership. Contact him at docblanchard71@gmail.com.