Feeling nervous before the big game? Some of us use this weird feeling to fuel and will our way through the experience, but others find this as unsettling and may cause problems approaching the game.
If your nerves are getting in the way, here are a couple of ways to calm it down before the start of the golf tournament.
Breath it in and out
Heard of the 4-7-8 breathing technique? That is, breathe through your nose quietly for 4 seconds, hold the air in for 7 seconds and let it go forcefully through your mouth for 8 seconds. This is more recognized as a “relaxing breath.” Repeat the cycle as you see fit.
Chew it up
If you are looking for a perfect time to chew those gums, this is the moment. You need better concentration and a level head to counter those nerves. To achieve this, you need a constant flow of blood to your brain. And what better way to keep the blood flowing to your brain than chewing gum. Don’t worry, you won’t be the first to work your jaw at the same while playing. In fact, some professionals chew their way to big wins. Tiger Woods is just one of the many golf pros who have been observed doing so.
Laugh it out
Do you have a joker in your contact list? It’s time to ring him/her up for a nice and solid laugh before the big game. Touching base with someone, if you’re like most of us, is already a good thing to do to bring those nerves down, but how much more if this someone can also crack up jokes and can make you cry laughing your lungs out. Laughing releases endorphins which helps our brain release tension and drop those unsettling nerves.
Smell it in
We react to things we smell around us differently. Some would irritate us to the core, while others calm us down. The question is, what’s that smell that calms you down in an instant? Your loved one’s hair? Fragrance? Your dog’s? Favorite perfume? Specific flower smell perhaps? Whatever that is, this is the time to smell it.
Tune it up
Music is therapy. If this is true to you – that music has the ability to warp you instantly to places in your head or, more importantly, has the ability to calm you down, then fire up your favorite playlist in your Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube Music or what have you, And don’t be shy to sing along and make those moves when you really feel it. Singing and dancing releases endorphins, too, the “feel-good chemicals” that elevates your overall mood and snaps you out of your nerves.
Being a public golf course in Doral hosting golf tournaments on a regular basis, we’ve seen all kinds of nervous golf players. Of course, they all managed to break away from their nerves in their own unique way and maneuver through the course packed with challenging holes with their A game. The point here is to identify the things that help calm your nerves down and make use of them when necessary. If this is something unknown to you, try the above ways.
Source: cdsgolfclub