It’s no secret that you play a better game of golf when you’re relaxed. When you’re stressed or pressured, you tense up and don’t play well. But more importantly, when you’re stressed or pressured on the course, you’re not having fun. And quite simply, if you’re not having fun, then you’re missing out on the best part of being out on the course. Well, this past week, I had the pleasure of playing one of the most relaxed rounds I ever had the pleasure of playing. It probably helped that all of the cards seemed to be turning up in my favor.
For starters, I left work early to go play golf. Most times when I leave work early, it’s for a legit reason – doctor appointment, pickup a kid from school, go to a school conference or concert, etc… But this time, I was leaving work to go play golf. Who’s better than me?
Second, I’m playing with someone who looks at the game the same way as I – we’re out there to have fun. We’ll both try to do well, but first and foremost, it’s a Thursday afternoon and we’re on the golf course instead of at work. The stress and pressure are left behind with our co-workers. We don’t have a care in the world, and that leaves nothing but calm and relaxation – the way the game should be played.
Third, and this is the first time I can say I ever did this – I’m wearing jeans. That’s right. I was wearing jeans and a polo to work that day, so that’s what I wore to the course as well. It’s funny, but I didn’t realize how much the way you dress on the golf course can affect your mindset. When I took the course wearing a pair of jeans, any thought I had of putting any extra pressure to do well on myself was out the window. All stress was left entirely behind.
What it all boiled down to was, I shot better than average, had a good, relaxing time, played at a nice, leisurely pace and enjoyed myself for a nice round. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m most certainly not going to get into the habit of playing golf in a pair of jeans. But I’m just sayin’…
Swing ’til you’re happy!
When you ask golfers what is their biggest pet peeve about the game, there’s a good chance the most common response is going to be the pace of play. It seems everyone is in a hurry to get their round over with, like they don’t have the time to be playing the game right from the start. What’s that all about? If you don’t have the time to play the game, maybe you should consider something else…or playing only nine holes instead.