Dealing with nerves?
 

Hey all,

I'm going to be playing in my first competitive golf tournament next weekend, the qualifier is this Saturday. I am playing in the San Antonio city amateur championship. Anyhow, I am starting to feel some nerves about it, even though it is just a stupid golf tournament.

Anyone have advice for dealing with my nerves on Saturday?

Imagine everyone else in their underwear.

Its hard to get past the nerve thing. When I did some competative car racing I would always be a bundle of nerves leading up. As soon as things got underway I was no longer nervous.


Good luck!!

Inderal.

Being a golfer you should know how to deal with nerves. Drink! :)

I at first had a John Daly joke.

Bananas. Seriously! They're natural beta-blockers. I heard this lots of times from musicians, but never really believed it until I tried it myself a few years ago. I was really surprised at how much more settled I was during the performance (violin). Eat 2 good size bananas 30 minutes before the game, maybe bring a couple more to munch on throughout.

Yukon Jack, 3 shots 35 mins before tee. Lime to taste:D

Bananas is an interesting idea, never heard of that. I've dealt with nerves before, exams and whatnot, but in golf your swing is so affected by muscle tension that nerves can really screw up your first few shots and then you start to get mentally out of it and worried about not hitting it poorly again.

I keep telling myself that this is just a golf tournament that no one will remember a week from now, but I still am nervous about it. Plus it doesn't help that my driver seems to have left me for the time being, I played a round on Tuesday and was not hitting it well off the tee which makes it pretty tough to score. Hopefully the swing will come back to me before Saturday!!

That's exactly the same thing I face as a performer. When the nerves get going, the fine muscles in the hands don't respond properly. So much of violin technique is in the subtleties, particularly the bowing, and when my nerves kick in, I get a bit shaky. That ends up completely destroying my tone. The bananas really helped to settle that shaking. I still wasn't as calm as I would be at home practicing, but it was a notable difference.

I've found trying to talk myself down does no good, because my nerves don't kick in until the very last second, usually as I'm tuning, right before playing. Same thing happens at the dentist... :)

How would I know man, you're the one shooting chili peppers up Lee Jansons' ass.:)

Do what I do when they alarm me in the middle of the night because of a newly born baby that does not breath and have no heart activity. Keep telling yourself 'I can only do my best - and thats good enough'.

Then again, Moses advice is right on!

For real? Do you have to take it every day? Or can you pop one and have it settle the nerves?

Here's a routine that works pretty good for any sport (don't need a golf club). Close your eyes and check the muscle tension in your neck and shoulders - inhale while tightening the muscles in the neck and shoulders - relax the muscles as you exhale. Allow the shoulders to slump loosely. Then shake your arms and hands -allowing the muscles to shake loose freely. You want "spaghetti arms".

Use the routine before a shot - loosening shoulders, arms, and hands. Keep the same loose feeling as you swing.

Use a three wood off the tee. Tee the ball up so most of the ball is above the top edge.

Have fun!!!

Yes Joel, you take it when you need it.

You would not believe how many artists, speakers, musicians etc that use it on stage to keep it together. Basically it put a bit of brake on the internal throttle, avoiding unpleasant heart beating and sweat dripping from your forehead. Calms you down. And it works.

Edit: Hence, it does not work if you are nervous running a 400 meters dash! :D At least, you won´t win.

One small dose two hours before public speaking/performing. Works magnificently. It can exacerbate asthma and drop blood pressure. Check your doc to see if it's OK for you.

It got me through two day oral exams and a few TV interviews.

I hear you Livi, it's wierd, I can run a code without being nervous but a friggin golf tournament gets me.

The worst nerves I have had yet were before my board exams. Man, that was worse than my wedding day and I was plenty nervous then!!

Rick,

Just had a 3 day event this w/e. Was 1 under for the 54 holes and had to go sudden death playoff for 1st. Had been cool as a cucumber all w/e, then got nervous in the damn playoff (lost on 3rd hole to a PAR). So I know of what you speak....

Having said that, I'm usually OK at battling the nerves. Non-pharmaceutically, that is. During the round, ignore score and focus only on the shot at hand, don't get ahead of yourself. Fairways and greens...if you give yourself a lot of birdie putts good things happen.

As far as the swing goes...at address, I make sure that my forearms are relaxed before I begin the swing (for me, that's where the tension collects). During the swing, I think only about maintaining tempo, to avoid the tendency to get short & quick.

Give 'em hell!

Wow, Ed, that's a hell of a tournament you put together!!

I'm a 6.5 handicap index right now but I've been having some trouble getting under 80 in my last few rounds, mainly due to inaccuracy off the tee.

I'm just hoping to make the championship flight (which is top 80 out of 144 entries) and then just have fun in the actual tournament.

My solution is not to play golf. Some say it's relaxing, but I've never been so pissed off after playing a round.

Golf can be relaxing, I just find it to be the most challenging game I have tried yet.

Plus I have gotten to where I am passable at it so that makes it easier too. It isn't much fun to hack it around and get frustrated.

I really enjoy being outside and getting my mind off of the everyday hassles of life. Nothing is better than teeing off early while the dew is still on the fairways or coming in on the 18th hole as the sun is setting and the shadows are falling across the course. THAT'S relaxing...