Sure, golf is a physical game that requires strength and flexibility. But the mental game of golf is probably the most challenging part of the game, and what attracts so many people to it. It has said that playing a round of golf brings out the best and the worst in us; playing a round provides the opportunity for all to see how we react under good and bad conditions and how we handle unexpected situations. Keeping your cool during a game of golf is important, although sometimes hard to do!

Almost every golfer knows someone who gets so frustrated when their ball ends up in the water or the trees that they throw their clubs – that person may even be you! Remaining composed, calm and focused during a round is the best way of giving yourself a chance to win.

It’s not always easy. There are distractions along the way, and we become our own worst enemies as we squint and try to focus on putting the ball in the hole. Saying to yourself, “I’ve got to make this” as you a putt is a sure fire way to make sure you don’t!

Focusing and letting go of the distractions is obviously easier said than done, but the fact is that you are the only one in control of where and how you focus your attention is something to remember. If your attention is on something other than the immediate task, it’s probably unreasonable to expect a good result.

Golf requires an individual to keep improving his or her mechanics and to play in the present one shot at a time. Rob Mangini, an assistant golf coach at Arizona State University once said: “If you are interested in improving your game, I would highly recommend helping your head as much as you are helping your swing. What makes me laugh is you see golfers spending hundreds of dollars and hundreds of hours on their golf swing only to walk around the golf course with a ten cent head. Believe me, your mental approach is every bit as important as your physical approach”.

Keep this quote “in mind” the next time you tee off!