Should You Strive To Be Perfect In Golf?
There’s an old saying, “Shoot for the moon and even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
Many golfers have this mentality which can be problematic. These golfers often say, “Shouldn’t I shoot for perfection on the golf course? If I miss, I will still shoot my best score.”
This is a debate that has gone on forever in sports: If perfection is the best possible outcome, why shouldn’t I strive to be perfect (or my best)?
First of all, perfection and striving to be perfect are nowhere close to meaning the same thing.
Perfection is an outcome, a faultless or flawless result, which is not a good goal.
Striving for something is a process that focuses on producing an optimal result in the present.
The Perfect Conundrum
The big issue with perfection lies within the realm of expectations. Some golfers erroneously believe that having high expectations brings better results.
That’s not true at all.
Setting the bar so high that you can’t reach it tends to destroy confidence in golfers. They judge every shot based on the best shot they hit in the past.
Also, when you set the bar unrealistically high will cause to you to unravel emotionally after a mistake.
Your emotions will feel so intense that it will be difficult to focus on what you are doing in the moment.
Golfers that are obsessed with perfection cannot recover after a bad shot…
After a double-bogey, many golfers will beat themselves internally and become anxious…
All these reactions will be competing for their attention when they should be focusing on the next shot.
If you are shooting for perfection, a bad hole will indicate failure and you will see the round as over and conclude that the day is a total loss.
The Excellence Alternative
Of course you should strive for success, instead of failure. But your personal success does not need to be defined as perfection.
Having the right objectives, shooting for excellence in your golf game, can help you achieve more from your golf game.
You should know that things will go wrong on the golf course… accept this fact.
It means you are prepared for everything… Having an “Excellence” mentality will help you roll with the punches and keep your emotions in check.
You cannot control every bad bounce you get, but you can control how you react to it.
Striving for excellence means seeking ways to continually improve, going for it for during each round of golf, and finding new ways to grow your game.
Try these tips to develop your “Excellence” Mentality:
- Tip #1: Keep your expectations in check. Think of what could happen before a tournament and be prepared with possible solutions. Write out some if/ then statements so you are better prepared for whatever comes your way. This will help you keep a clear head during those tough times on the golf course.
- Tip #2: Look at tough situations from an outside perspective. What advice would you give to another golfer facing the same circumstances? Be objective and focus on what’s next.
Successful golfers have learned how to perform with ultimate confidence in competition. We’ve developed The Golfer’s Mental Edge Workbook and CD program to help you do this.