How To Take Charge Of Your Nervousness Problem

The temptation is to fight the nerves and fear. You shouldn’t.

You might be thinking that your ideal golf game is going to turn up when you finally rid yourself of nerves. It’s not going to happen.

You’re probably hoping that your next game of golf is going to be free of nervousness. Nope, ain’t gunna happen.

Here’s a different perspective.

Instead of fighting the nerves and being scared, embrace it. We all get nervous – even the great champions. So instead of hiding, learn to accept it as being human. It’s takes less effort and is one thing less to have to worry about.

“Oh Jesus! I’m not feeling too good right now. I hope those people aren’t watching and I make decent contact with the ball”. This can be replaced with,

“Where do I want the ball to go and what is the club for the job?”.

Nerves are a sign that your body is getting ready to play. There’s nothing to be scared of and the sooner you can realise this the better you’ll do.

A little case study on point about me: (as told in an email)

Playing in the golf final earlier this year I got really nervous. Not sure why but I was feeling sick in the gut and telling all sorts of stories to myself,

“don’t duff it”
“you’re no good”
“you can’t play”
etc

But I remember laughing it all off and made a point to myself that this kind of thing is normal. If we only played when we were truly confident we’d never leave the house. When it was my turn to hit and in front of about 50 people I said to myself,

“just hit the bloody ball”.

I walked up to the ball, got set and smashed it. To my surprise the ball took off like a bullet and hit the middle of the fairway. The crowd clapped and I had a laugh with my caddy when I told him all the stuff that was going through my head.

The bottom line is we can play great with all this stuff going on. It’s normal and part of being human. So embrace it and don’t let it scare you. Keep playing!!

When you accept and embrace what you’re scared of you gain control. It really is a stupid game isn’t it?

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8 Comments

  • Lukey

    Reply Reply August 10, 2012

    Something similar to some afl footballers that have potential to get aggressive (whack people)and they recommend that they channel their aggression in other ways.My point being if you do get nervous use it to your advantage in a positive manner.
    Cheers Lukey

  • Grayden Provis

    Reply Reply August 10, 2012

    Was reading the other day that we need to learn to make “fearless swings at specific targets”. Good summary I thought.

    • Cameron

      Reply Reply August 12, 2012

      We need to be very clear of our intention but accepting of the result. Often easier said than done.

  • Cam280

    Reply Reply August 16, 2012

    Nerves can be drowned with water!. Thoughts can be drowned with water!. Next time you get nervous and start to over analyse, have a drink of water, at the very least you will be hydrated!.

    • Cameron

      Reply Reply August 16, 2012

      Cam: Breathing is good too. Nothing like a few deep breaths to control that noisy mind.

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