Many golfers are stunned when they are put in a situation where they are playing golf off the Championship Tees and playing stroke.
Firstly, each shot counts, so the mental approach is different. You cannot pick up after a certain amount of shots.
Secondly, the course is much longer, which usually means that you are not hitting your tee shots to your “normal” spot and it means your club selection into the green can increase to the point where the green is not reachable in regulation.
The above points usually take many golfers out of their comfort zone, which can cause poor decision making and different swings to account for the pressure the player is under.
The biggest problem that golfers face when they do not challenge themselves on a weekly basis by taking themselves out of their comfort zone, is that they do not adapt well when the course is set up tougher along with the event being stroke.
I have a few different approaches to help you adapt in a situation which you are not familiar, especially when playing the Club Championship.
- Clear your mind of the expectations you have put on yourself. Practicing and working on your game leading into the event should have your routine and mind set at the level you want.
- Clear your mind of what event you are playing in. Simply treat it as another round with no heavy consequences of what might happen or not happen.
- Have a practice nine, where you tee off the “normal” tees, but choose the club that will position your to where your tee shot would finish from the Championship tees. From there, play the hole and get comfortable with the difference in club selection for the following shots.
- Do not feel that you need to swing faster because the course is longer. Just choose the necessary club for the distance that you have to play. Swinging smoothly and trusting yourself will give you the ultimate results.
- Do not try to steer any shot! This will only cause poor shots and more tension and frustration to your game. Pick your target and simply swing and you normally would if you were just having a social game with your friends.
- Play each shot on its own merit. Do not put extra value on any shot. They are all worth the same!
These are just a few points that I believe will help you play the way you know, when under pressure. Play with a clear mind and a trusting swing. You will be pleased with the outcome.