What Does A Successful Round of Golf Look Like to You?
Some golfers narrowly define success as winning. The problem with this limited view of success is that when these golfers don’t win a tournament or shoot their lowest score, they feel like failures.
“Needing to win” to feel successful is a trap that golfers unconsciously fall into. When you equate success with winning, you create an unrealistic and unreachable standard.
Excessive expectations are self-sabotaging. Unrealistic expectations generate unproductive levels of pressure and are counterproductive to peak performance.
The reality is that success and winning are not necessarily the same. In other words, you can be successful on the golf course without winning.
How to Consistently Be Successful on the Golf Course
- Success is Personal – Each golfer chooses how they define success, such as playing a bogey-free round, finishing in the Top 10, keeping their emotions in check, improving their handicap, or lowering their putting average.
- “Progress is Success” Mentality – Every time you improve an aspect of your game, you succeed at becoming a better golfer. When you have a “Progress is Success” mentality, you play with greater confidence and maintain high motivation and commitment to improve your game.
- Objective Evaluations – Evaluate your performance according to your personal success goals and not on whether or not you won a tournament.
You don’t need to win to play a successful round of golf. Expanding your definition of success increases your opportunities to be successful when competing.
PGA golfer Anthony Kim played in just his first professional tournament since 2012, finishing dead last at the 2024 LIV Golf tournament in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Kim shot 16-over par, 32 strokes behind the winner. Kim, who won three career Tour events, took time off starting in 2012 to recover from several injuries.
After the tournament, Kim didn’t focus on his score or his last-place finish.
Instead, Kim focused on his progress. For example, in round 3, Kim shot his best round since his return to competition, and on his final 14 holes, Kim shot an even par.
KIM: “Obviously, it was a rough week. I’m excited to be playing professional golf again, and I feel pretty blessed I have this opportunity. I’m definitely hitting the ball well, doing lot of things well. I know scores don’t reflect that.”
Though success and winning may be related, they are not the same. In golf tournaments, there is just one winner, but every golfer has the opportunity to succeed if they frame success correctly.
Challenge your concept of success. How have you defined success in the past?
Recall a few past tournaments. What were your thoughts and expectations prior to the round?
Did you feel you needed to win? How did that thought process affect your performance?
Next, identify a few successful elements from those tournaments. When you get into the habit of “seeing” successful elements of your game, you will play with greater confidence.
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- Do You Mentally Prepare for Tough Conditions?
- Mental Techniques to Trust Your Swing
- Get the Mental Edge. Train Like an Elite Athlete.
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