28 Apr Act like Jack, quell negative thoughts

There are holes that you routinely play poorly or have catastrophic meltdowns on. Curiously, the challenges that these holes present don’t seem to correlate with the performance of the golfer. The holes might be difficult, but not quadruple bogey difficult. One of the reasons is that we often give these holes higher regard than all others. You may exaggerate their importance and draw on negative memories from previous attempts of playing them.

This type of defeatist attitude makes it really hard to score, because you think that even if you hit a great drive or solid approach, something bad will still probably happen. Many great players avoid blow-up holes by dealing with their negative experiences in a much healthier way. Jack Nicklaus, who won a record 18 major titles, was famous for not remembering blunders others were positive he had made.

To be clear, Nicklaus did make those mistakes, he just chose to disregard them — at least when he was playing. Golfers who mess up certain holes don’t use this tactic. Instead, they obsess about their mistakes, which makes them even easier to access in their minds later. If this sounds like you, it’s likely you no longer have the ability to act like Nicklaus and suppress negative thoughts about a particular hole or holes.

So next time you reach the tee of a personal disaster hole, treat it as if it’s a new experience. Perhaps go with an iron off the tee instead of driver — maybe lay up short of the water hazard you normally try to carry. Or if your strategy has been conservative all along, be more aggressive and do whatever gives you a fresh perspective on the hole.

Out of Bounds: When an Aussie says “just down the road” it can be anywhere from a block, to a kilometre, to a three-day drive.