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3 Simple
Steps To Better Golf When The Pressure
Is On
by Dan Boever, Pinnacle
Long Drive Team Elite Member |
3 Simple Steps
To Better Golf When The Pressure Is On
In 1996 I had the chance to compete in my first
sanctioned long drive contest in Sioux Falls,
SD. It was a local qualifier put on as part
of the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship.
You could show up and pay your money to see
if you had what it took to make it to the next
level. The cost was $25.00 for six attempts
and they measured your longest. The longest
two hitters of the day made it to the district
level several months later. Winners from that
district competition then qualified to compete
with the best hitters in the world at the World
Long Drive Finals in Las Vegas, NV.
The day was no fun whatsoever. There were some
very large humans swinging at incredible speeds
with some intimidating testosterone laced grunts
to go along with it. Being my first ever try
at the long drive world I had no idea if I had
the ability to make it. As you can imagine tension
was high and the tightness in my body was at
an all-time max.
Somehow I hit it OK in my first set of swings
and I jumped into the lead. This was not pleasing
to the Neanderthals waiting off to the side
with a vested interest in how I did. You see,
when I went into the lead it knocked someone
out of the qualifying spot. Over the next two
hours I agonizingly waited and watched as hitter
after hitter paid his money and launched balls
off into the distance trying to knock me off
the top spot.
With each attempt I became tighter and tighter
as I heard the yardages being called back to
the tee box. Did I mention it was no fun? Finally,
after two hours the wind switched and successive
hitters knocked it past me by a few short yards.
Not much, but enough to edge me from not only
the lead but the second and last qualifying
spot as well.
This turn of events forced me to jump up and
try again. Now I needed more yards and I was
anything but confident. Qualifying rules say
you can go as many times as time allows if you
continue to pay the $25.00 for six attempts.
I went three more times for a total of 18 drives.
All the drives were short of the mark of out
of bounds. It was a horrific display of wild
swings and a panicked golfer on the tee box.
I did not make it and I failed to qualify that
day.
That June day, although very painful in every
way, actually laid the foundation for me making
it to the World Finals later that year and every
year since. As tension grew in my body I did
some things that guaranteed my failure.
1. I let the tension grab hold of me and control
me. You cannot, I repeat, cannot hit a ball
your best if you have tension in your body.
We all have to fight it when the pressure is
on. Whether a member guest or club event or
a two dollar Nassau with some friends we have
all experience it. Step one is doing your best
to relax and let all the tension drain from
you. This, “I do not care” attitude
will help maximize your swing speed at impact.
Grip the club as loose as possible.
2. The second thing that killed me that day
was my all out swing speed. I was swinging at
150% and it paved the way for failure. Watch
any Tour player and you will see control. You
will see amazing tempo and timing. Slow it down
and let your body parts work as one instead
of all working alone.
3. The last thing I did that was a huge mistake
was a direct result of my over swinging. I hit
very few balls in the sweet spot. I was all
over the club face and that is a sure fire way
to loose yardage. Wild slices and hooks mean
you have not gained maximum compression of the
golf ball. For you to hit it your best you must
focus on good solid contact. Think solid, not
hard.
So when the pressure is on remember these three
simple steps:
1) Grip the club as loose as possible and release
all your tension.
2) Do not try and kill the ball. Work on your
tempo and slow it down.
3) Make good solid contact. Think solid not
hard.
Have fun and treat it like a game, cuzz that’s
what it is!
Read more from Dan Boever!
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