How to deal with Nerves, proper mindset

Do your best to mimic the mindset you are in when you are playing casually or are at the range.  I imagine that you (and all of us) get a little tight in matches because "oh shit, this matters.  I better not screw up!"  And then every bad shot makes it worse.  See if you can make yourself relax and not care what happens during a match, and remember that you do it to have fun.

And one thing I learned when I started playing in tournaments is how one bad shot, or even two, or even a couple of bad holes DO NOT mean it's over.  The first few tournaments, after I blew up a hole or two, I'd get down on myself and "give up" only to find out at the end that I was still in it and if I kept grinding, then who knows what may have happened.  (I didn't quit or stop trying, but I did lose some focus and get careless)

Hope that helps a little ... good luck!

I know someone exactly like you. Ordinarily he's really good (exactly like you), but then playing 9 holes against another high school he tripled one hole and shot 11 over 35 par.

The only thing I can suggest is to relax and not worry about if you are going to play for the team next round. Just relax and enjoy the game and let the dice fall where they may for your team ranking. . .

Pretty much this. It is cliche, but it is taking it one shot at a time.

For me I try to make everything the same as my practice rounds. I will do the same routine before the round. I will just keep things relaxed. Basically I just keep competitive rounds as casual as possible. That isn't to say I am not serious. What I try to achieve is a state were I am just into my golf game and nothing else. I find that I can do that when I am relaxed and just playing golf.

Basically during a round I never think about consequences. I just focus on the shot. If at the end of the day the results are the results.

I do think there is some self examination and realizing what type of person you are under pressure and what mindsets work for you. Some of this comes from just competing.

Best thing I can say is, don't get frustrated with the process. Embrace the process. If you get frustrated then you will start to become adverse to the situation instead of embracing the situation.

And if you watch the Tour players, many of them are very much like this.  They are intense in spurts of one or two minutes prior to each shot, and then hands-in-pockets-shooting-the-breeze-with-their-caddy-or-competitors the rest of the time.  I think that is really healthy.

This is what I was not trying to convey. Either way, I focus on my shots I just make it consistent from when I play non-competitive versus competitive. For me it is a mental thing over being more serious or focusing more.

I just continue on, and do the best I can with the tools I have. It's not a life, or death thing for me. It's just recreational fun for me. Even in tournament conditions, it just fun to be playing. I am not a professional golfer, and my next meal, or house payment does not depend on what score I shoot. This, even though my  home is paid for, and I could probably stand to miss a few meals.

In my life time I have been in some pretty serious life or death situations. I suspect that folks who have never been in a serious situation before,  would find playing golf a more serious adventure than those who have. I know if I went out today and shot a 100, I would still leave the 18th green with a smile on my face. If anything I might have an extra cold one at the 19th. Maybe that 2' putt I missed for a 99 might mean something.

In golf, it's your mental toughness that helps to create your score for that round. A tough mental attitude creates relaxation. If you are relaxed, you will score better.

exactly - Use my natural tendencies to deal with nerves.  In my case it's a short attention span.

when nerves get going, sometimes l'll just step back and tr

Wow, that is a really short atten

Wow, that is a really short atten[/quote] Not bad....

Being relaxed and not caring isn't the best way to play golf. Once you learn to manage your thoughts you should be able to bring out your best golf in competition. There is already a good thread about this.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/53453/the-mental-game-in-two-words

Beta blockers are not allowed in golf, especially in high school, NCAA, and upper level amateur and professional competition unless you receive a medical exemption. That would be for a heart condition, not for anxiety.

Take the game one shot at a time. Focus not on "not missing your shot," but on hitting the good shot. If you hit a bad shot (and everyone hits bad shots, everyone) let it go. It's over. Move on to the next one.

A place to practice this is at the range. When you do your drills, you have a certain number of balls you hit for a drill. When you finish hitting the last ball in that set, it's over. Done. It doesn't matter if you hit it well or shank it. If the symphony orchestra misses the last chord in a concert there are no do-overs. It's over. Move onto the next drill.

I have a problem with this because I'm an emotional player. Most sports reward emotions. Golf will absolutely punish you for them. You have to restrain emotions until the final ball is in the cup at the end of the match.

You were just joking right?

I think he was joking.

Doesn't matter still banned from use by the PGA Tour.

If a player has hypertension, unless he gets a waver by the PGA Tour, then he has to just deal with his hypertension with out the use of Beta Blockers while being a PGA Tour player.