A better Golfing attitude on the Course can help us all

By winning the Open Championship last month Darren Clarke underlined the beauty of the game of golf. There are no age boundaries, no golfing moulds and without a doubt any certainties in the game. Clarke looked calm, relaxed and as though he was enjoying his golf again. He commented throughout the week how he was working with Dr.Bob Rotella, the acclaimed golf psychologist who helped Padraig Harrington make the leap to a major winner.

If you have had the opportunity to read any of Rotella’s books or listen to his audio tapes he is a big believer in both staying in the moment and also enjoying your golf, whatever the outcome. Without a doubt, this mindset will help golfers at all levels. We all love this game; it is strangely addictive, frustrating and rewarding. We spend a large amount of money on memberships, green fees, equipment and apparel and a great amount of time playing the game. However, I am always taken back by the number of people that are out on the golf course that looks unhappy?! Granted the frustrations of the game can take over at some point, but surely not for all the 4 and a half hours we are out on the course.

My advice to all golfers would be to take the shots and outcomes as they come. Enjoy the great shots, remember them and they are far more likely to happen and your self-confidence will be increased tenfold. When you hit your bad shots just have a little laugh and move on, forget it ever happened. The time to fix it is on the range not on the course. Jack Nicklaus was famously quoted saying that he had never 3 putted on the back 9 of a Sunday major. when he actually did it a number of times. When he arrived on the back 9 of the next major I can guarantee he wasn’t thinking about 3 putting though!

We are extremely spoilt in the UAE with some fantastic golf courses and views out on the course. Whether it be the Arabian Gulf and shoreline at Yas Links, the impressive Dubai skylines from the Majilis or even the Creek at… (yeah you guessed it!) Dubai Creek, so enjoy your time out on the course. A more positive attitude will result in your best performance that you can possibly give on that particular day. So next time you slice a drive or thin a wedge shot just think it could be worse….you could be in the office!

All the best from the Links,
Craeg Deery