Every golfer has some shots in a round that create some anxiety, concern or doubt about his or her ability to deliver. Maybe it is near the end of a low round and you start thinking about your score. Maybe the lie feels awkward or you feel in between clubs. Maybe you just start to have doubt and fall into the mental rabbit role of thinking about swing mechanics.  Any of these circumstances will unravel a decent swing, ruin your tempo and probably result in a quick and quirky swing. Plus, the added anxiety about your performance and outcome will probably result in lifting your head too quickly to see how you did, since you had no confidence in the first place. Once you have started thinking too much, your chances of success have greatly diminished. So, how do you stop thinking when in these awkward moments on the course?

Your imagination is a great resource. If you imagine you are in a different context you can reduce tension and remove doubt instantly. In a given awkward situation, I suggest a couple of mental scenarios. 

One, imagine you are on the practice range hitting a shot. Mentally take yourself off the course and out of the high-pressure context and pretend you are in a relaxed position in which you have hit hundreds of good shots. Do your pre-shot routine, pick your target and then pretend it is just another shot on the range. This will reduce your anxiety and enhance your ability to maintain good rhythm, timing and tempo.

Two, talk to yourself and say, “This is just a lay up.” A mental reference to a lay up is more relaxed than feeling you have to hit it a mile. A more relaxed swing should result in better contact and a better result.

Third, remember a time when you hit this shot extremely well. Recreate that feeling in your body and take a couple of practice swings with this mental image and physical memory.

The point is, the more imaginative you can be about your context, the more tools you have available to manage anxiety and tension during your round. A good imagination can save you a couple of strokes every round.

Dr. Ron Mann is a Peak Performance Coach who integrates a mind/body/spirit for mastering all of life’s challenges. He is the author of the LA Times Bestseller, Integrating Spirituality with Psychotherapy, The Yoga of Golf, and the audio CD Find the Zone II: Master the Mental Game of Golf. His latest book, Bouncing Back: How to Recover When Life Knocks You Down will be available in all major bookstores in July. You can contact him at mannr@ronmann.com or 602.687.5115. Please visit his website www.ronmann.com for more free materials.