Faltering under pressure is something that we see at every level of golf. Even the greatest players in the history of the game have fallen victim to its effects and while hitting shots under pressure isn’t exactly something you can go out to the range and practice, there are a number of tips you can use to facilitate success when you come across a very demanding situation on the course.
Develop a Routine – The key to hitting shots under pressure is to make yourself feel comfortable and developing a routine can help you do that. Whether you’ve got a 10-foot putt to win your club championship or an iron shot from the middle of the fairway that you know needs to find the green, you want to feel like you’ve hit that shot a million times before. If you plan on playing in a big tournament, develop a routine before you get to the course. How long ahead do you want to get to the course? How many range balls do you want to hit? What do you want to eat? All of these things can be coordinated so that your entire game becomes more repeatable.
You should also develop a pre-shot routine as well; something you do before you hit every shot. Get into the habit of doing the same thing over and over again so that the shots on the practice don’t feel any different than the shots on the course. Once your routine becomes second nature you’ll see how much less stressful hitting pressure shots can be.
Take Long Slow Practice Swings – When you get nervous, you tense up. And when you tense up your swing becomes short, quick and out of rhythm. So before you get ready to hit your shot, take nice long (longer than you normally would) rhythmic practice swings.
Focus on the Good, Not the Bad – Instead of standing over your big putt thinking “I really don’t want to miss this one”, think “I really want to make this one”. Focus on success, not failure.
Breathe – In the heat of the moment, your body wants to speed up. The adrenaline gets going, you start moving faster and it becomes harder to focus. Taking long deep breaths and getting some oxygen into your system will help slow you down, stay loose and concentrate on what you need to do.