One of the best feelings in golf is the one you get when you conquer a hole with a challenging hazard. Success in these circumstances is remembered for years to come because you only had one shot at success and made it happen.
Ocean holes are some of the most breathtakingly scenic, with the ocean and trade winds seeking to foil your attempt and lay claim to your ball. When standing on the tee box with this kind of challenge, if you become consumed by thoughts of hitting your shot into the hazard, you might want to incorporate the location of the nearest drop area into your pre-shot calculations.
Thoughts and words have the power to shape what you experience. While playing golf, what you experience as a consequence of your thoughts is immediate. When you think and believe you can or can’t do something, you either pave your way to success, or erect a mental road block to impede your performance. Mental road blocks only serve to increase the games degree of difficulty. I do, however, have a suggestion that will save you a lot of strokes.
When you head out for your next round of golf, consider making it a practice round. This single inspiration just might lead to one of the least frustrating and most enjoyable games you have ever experienced. Why? Because heading to the course for a practice round allows you to approach your game with a completely different mental purpose than if you were playing a game where achieving the lowest score was your primary objective.