Pressure

[VVega]

It comes up from time to time how golfers feel pressure in a round.

Given that club golfers don’t have to rely on their golf to feed their family nor they represent the country at the Olympics, it’s not very logical.

Do you feel pressure in your rounds? What does trigger it for you?

 

[nickjdavis]

Depends on how competitive you are....not only against other people but for your own personal achievement.

You know...you are stood on the 16th tee, knowing that a bogey, par, bogey finish will result in you shooting in the 80's for the very first time....I guess there would be a degree of pressure felt and, likewise a sense of crushing disappointment, when you finish par, par treble bogey!!

 

[Burnsey]

Every shot I feel it. Only the desire to be the best you can be.

More conscious than pressure, but nerves ease the better I play.

 

[Backache]

I think most people when they play any sport are at least partly trying to competed and improve and put some value on it. If you do that you will feel a degree of nervousness when it comes to decisive parts . It certainly does in any sport I have played . Golf being more proactive ,less reactive and having more thinking time possibly increases it compared with other sports where you can channel the nervousness into heightened physical activity.

 

[VVega]

Interesting that replies above equate competitiveness with pressure. I see people playing lots of sports competitively (on their level): cricket, football, tennis, squash, paddle and never hear them saying that they felt pressure before a game/shot etc.

 

[Billysboots]

Pressure either kills me or inspires me. And I’ll never know which way it’s going to go until it happens.

I can stand on the 15/16th tee in a singles comp with a decent card, and blow up like a cheap firework. Or I can absolutely thrive on it, like I did in the final of our Winter League a few years ago when we reached 16 one down, and I finished birdie, birdie, birdie in appalling conditions to take us to a two up win.

So I hate and love pressure in equal measure, largely depending on which side of the bed I got out of.

 

[Backache]

Interesting that replies above equate competitiveness with pressure. I see people playing lots of sports competitively (on their level): cricket, football, tennis, squash, paddle and never hear them saying that they felt pressure before a game/shot etc.

I think people usually use the term nervous, which I have heard from many people.

 

[Crow]

Golf gives you lots of time to think, we use this thinking time to build pressure on ourselves.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Tomorrow I'm playing with a friend. No cards, just a walk, whack and a chat. Genuinely zero pressure.

Monday I'm playing in an Open. And I'll feel a degree of pressure/nerves, definitely on the 1st tee, but also over a number of shots, putts etc. It's pressure I put on myself to play well, score well. Not with the intention of winning, but to be respectable. There is zero outside pressure, it's all internal.

What triggers it? A desire to start well. If I'm playing well, the realisation it's going well, don't blow it. If I'm playing badly, the need to improve and stop stinking the round out.

I've played other sports at decent levels, unlike my golf , and you need a degree of pressure/nerves to make you sharp. If it's controlled it's a good thing. It's a problem when it runs away from you. I agree with @Crow golf gives you a long time to think about your shots. Sport is easier when you can be instinctive.

Oh, and yes, it's irrational

 

[Crazyface]

Nope. Not anymore. I've lost my competitive edge completely. Oh, and I don't say this as a good thing.

 

[Orikoru]

Pressure I put on myself I think. Not deliberately but I've always, in any sport, wanted to play the best I can every time go out. Golf isn't really a sport that lends itself to that, but I can't help the way I am now.

Lately I haven't reacted too well to as I've already documented on the forum, doubling the last two holes when leading matches for example. I think I go to safe or cautious and it ends up being the wrong decision. E.g. take plenty of club to be 'safe' and cover the bunker - it's too much and go off the back. Or try and lag a putt up, which I never normally do, and leave it eight feet short and miss the next one. I think it causes me to overthink instead of going on instinct like you do when there's nothing on it.

 

[nickjdavis]

Nope. Not anymore. I've lost my competitive edge completely. Oh, and I don't say this as a good thing.

mmmm.

 

[JonnyGutteridge]

Pressure is for tyres

 

[Voyager EMH]

I used to feel pressure and/or be nervous.

Then I decided to stop that. It was not helping.

Similar to Burnsey, I try to play the best shot that I can each time.

 

[bobmac]

It's all about confidence.
If there was a roaring river 150 yards across in front of the first tee, would you be worried about carrying it? Possibly.
Replace the river with a wide open fairway, would you be worried about hitting the ball 150yds? Probably not.
Be confident about the shot you are going to hit and the nerves will disappear.

 

[timd77]

I wouldn’t say pressure. I’ll often feel pressure at work, that comes out as being a bit red cheeked, heart sometimes pounds a bit, I’ll be irritable.

If I’m in a pressurised situation in golf, I think I get more nervous than feeling pressure. Don’t do this, don’t do that, that kind of thing.

Club champs today so that may change! I think of if I was stood on the last tee needing a par to win, I’d probably feel some pressure then!

 

[Arthur Wedge]

None

It’s just a game , annoying as it is but certainly not under any pressure

 

[VVega]

Be confident about the shot you are going to hit and the nerves will disappear.

I’d add that the other part is accepting any outcome and not having it to impact your confidence on the next shot.

 

[Golf is fun]

I would say pressure is pretty normal, it means you care, obviously if it's the difference between paying your mortgage or not you'll probably care a lot, but even just for pointless bragging rights amongst your group most people care a bit. We are social animals and these things that impact our status however small matter to us.

Generally where things differentiate with top performers are how they handle that pressure. High performance usually comes from embracing and enjoying it to some degree, but also being mindful and acknowledging it without engaging with it. Effectively not trying to silence the thoughts in your head, just accepting they're there without responding or justifying them. Having a solid routine helps with this, but the routine must be purposeful and mindful, not just done on autopilot because you always do it.

 

[Soft hands]

Interesting that replies above equate competitiveness with pressure. I see people playing lots of sports competitively (on their level): cricket, football, tennis, squash, paddle and never hear them saying that they felt pressure before a game/shot etc.

I think the difference for a lot of these sports ad you’re either active for large parts or reacting to situations.

In golf it’s really more stationary and the time to think about outcomes and scenarios can creep in.