There is nothing worse than feeling negative before hitting a shot on the golf course. Negative feelings can be stirred up for a host of reasons but one of the most common is because of a previous experience.
If you have had a bad hole during a round and it has cost you a good score, the next time you step onto the tee on that hole, you may begin feeling anxious. Many golfers focus on the negative and cannot help but think whatever they do on this hole, it is going to result in a bad outcome.
One of the keys to preventing this negativity it to block it from your mind. Some professional golfers are very good at this and Jack Nicklaus was one player who took it to another level. If asked about a mistake he had made during a round he would often act as if it never happened.
Obviously, he did make the mistakes but he simply chose to ignore them and talked himself into believing they did not happen.
However, not everyone has the ability to do this and you leave the golf course thinking about what happened on that hole. The next time to arrive at the hole, the negative feelings begin to enter your mind and the same mistakes are made. It can be a vicious cycle so what can you do if you cannot block it from your mind?
When you next step on to the tee where you have had a bad experience in the past, why not try something new? You do not have to follow the conventional route on every hole and by trying something new it will help to release the shackles of your previous issues on the hole.
If you have always used a driver off the tee, why not try an iron? Simple having a different club in your hand can work wonders when it comes to banishing the thoughts of previous mistakes. If you have always played a shot over water but found your ball landing in the drink, why not lay-up this time?
If you have previously taken a negative approach to the hole, now is the time to change and try being aggressive. Attack the green on your second shot if it is a par-5, try and cut the dogleg or attempt to get the ball close to the hole rather than settle for anywhere on the green.
A change in perspective on a hole where you have previously made mistakes and suffered could make all the difference.
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