Golf Diet for Champions

Competition is the protein of the improvement diet, providing essential elements for building and sustaining strength. As with any diet, balance is advised. Practice and coaching, study and play are essential for gaining golf competence as well. If our goal is to develop the confidence and consistency that becomes second nature under pressure, then we must routinely submit ourselves to the particular pressures of competition.

Find a competition that intensifies the pressures on your mind. Any sort of pressure might work. For example, I might feel a heightened sense of tension, just because I have put a lot of money on the game. The risk of losing money, creates the feelings of anxiety. I might be more distracted if I am playing with significantly better players, my self image or status in others' eyes now being at risk. Perhaps my goal for the year is to win the Club Championship, then entering this tournament will most certainly invite more pressure. In a tournament situation, all my dedication to improvement will be exposed as either successful or a failure, as I subject my skills to the test.

Competitions are particularly useful because they exist outside of our control. Most of our practice routines comply to our needs and comforts. Routines, by nature, become safe and manageable, so tournaments will require that we extend ourselves outside of our comfort zone. In doing so, we must rely on the skills that have matured and integrated themselves, emotionally and physically. Under pressure, executing these skills deepens our trust and confidence. Performance failures always allow for heightened learning opportunities for the future. Both results will accelerate the development of competency.

In another lifetime, I had a career as an opera singer. This pursuit demanded many long hours of practice in studios, far from public hearing. Skills were developed, mistakes were made, in private, with little risk of embarrassment. But, all the practice would inevitably be tested by performing before the public. This almost always exposed any anxiety or lack of confidence lurking under the surface. The freedom to sing an aria without tension is similar to the freedom to swing a golf club, without tension. Both challenge your freedom to focus on the moment, with clarity, confidence and passion.

Most clubs, men's or women's groups, regional tournament organizers offer innumerable competitions throughout the year, offer scheduled events that will give you a chance to experience the unique challenges of competitive play. Practice hard. Enjoy getting better. True improvement will become more enduring when you submit yourself to the challenges of a competition where you will either win or lose something worth the effort.