“Golf is easy, I’ve never played before and I think I could probably beat you.”

If I had a dollar for every time someone has said that to me, I could pay all four years of my tuition without loans.

True, anyone with decent hand-eye coordination can hit a golf ball around a golf course.  The difference between kids who can just hit it, and actual golfers is the fact that actual golfers play mentally and not just physically.

Golf is a mental sport. Anyone who takes it seriously can tell you that the hardest part of the game is keeping yourself cool, collects, and focused.  One bad shot can take you from shooting even par, to shooting 10 over.  It all depends on how YOU, as a player, reacts.

I am a freshman in the Professional Golf Management Program here at PSU. I have classes that involve being out on the golf course, practicing the physical aspects of the game. But the most important class that I am in, is my Golf Mentality class. Even if you think you have a strong mental game, there is always room for improvement.

One of the biggest tips I can give, after having learned how to do this myself,  is to always have fun.  Whether you are having the worst round of your life or the best.  I try to laugh as much as possible on the course. I find the good in everything, even if the worst possible thing has just happened. Laughing makes the atmosphere of the course lighter.  For me, laughing gives me the mental edge on my opponents.

Having a goal keepers memory is also crucial to maintaining your cool on the course. For those of who don’t know what that means: Forget the last shot. It doesn’t matter anymore. The only thing that matters now is your next shot.

I would like to say that this WAS the hardest thing to learn and implement on my game, but the truth is I am STILL learning how to do this. I get angry with I miss a putt, or slice a ball to the right. The trick is just to make sure you don’t have two bad shots in a row.

“To develop a strong mental game it takes commitment to working on your mental toughness daily over weeks, months, and even years,” says one website. Every Pro has made a comment on the mental part of the game.  Take Jason Day for example. Day visualizes every shot he makes before he hits the ball. He stands behind his ball and closes his eyes and then hits the ball. That is how he mentally controls his game and emotions. Different things work for different people, and no one uses the same tricks.

The last thing, and probably the second hardest thing, is to stop thinking so much.  Go out and just play your own game.  Hit the crap out of the ball, and don’t hesitate.