Are You Self-Critical After Poor Play?
Bad days are inevitable if you play golf–it’s a part of the game.
But if bad golf days are normal, why is it so difficult for some golfers to accept them?
Many golfers are self-critical after poor play. These golfers become emotionally tethered to their poor play because they endlessly replay, review and evaluate the experience in their mind.
The two worst times to assess your poor performance:
While you are playing – Analyzing your performance will cause you to over-think your play further interfering with the fluidity of your game.
Immediately after your performance – Reviewing your performance will only serve to lower your confidence and keep you mired in a negative and unproductive state of mind.
While in-depth analysis of your performance may help you improve later, being overly-critical is often counter-productive.
How to properly assess a bad day on the golf course:
- Accept it… there will be some bad days on the golf course. No matter how talented you are or how great you have been playing, there will be some rounds where the ball seems to have a mind of its own.
- Move on… You need to brush it off as a bad day and not a judgment about your ability. By moving on quickly, you can lessen the long-lasting emotional impact of your bad performance.
- Be objective… When you do assess your poor performance, be objective. There may be logical reasons for your bad day on the course… Maybe you were sick, didn’t get enough sleep the night before, were injured, etc. This is not to say to have excuses in place prior to playing a round. It’s more about assessing the totality of your game.
- Take time… Take some time to allow your emotions to settle so you can gain some perspective and objectively evaluate your performance.
- Get real… Understand that ups and downs are a part of the game. Don’t expect to lower your score every time you step on the golf course.
- Don’t freak out… Resist the urge to over-analyze and overhaul your swing. Maybe your poor play was not technical. Perhaps, all you need to do is “let it go” and ready yourself to play the next tournament.
Tips to Effectively Evaluate a Poor Performance:
- Tip #1: Remain calm after a bad day of golfing. You will ruin your confidence if you panic. Take some time before you objectively evaluate your play. Take into consideration all the circumstances of your performance.
- Tip #2: Understand that bad days are a part of the game. Accept it and move on. Remember, one performance does not define you.
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