How can relax when taking a golf shot. I always seem to tighten up and take a bad shot.?

Question

when I take a practice swing it always feels good, then when the time comes to hit the ball something makes me change and I hit the ball poorly a lot of times.

Answer 1

I don't know how long you have been playing but some of that stuff takes some time to get used to. You can go to the improve your game part on www.pga.com and find some good tips. I have several links on l my blog roll that may help you.

Answer 2

As you stand behind the ball taking a Pre-shot ritual (practice swings etc.) just try to visualize the shot put everything else out of your mind. Don't think about water hazards bunkers or any thing else just the shot. then address the ball try not to stand over the ball to long. Make your swing and follow through remember the club, shaft, grip, ball will do the job don't force it. The best shots I have ever made have seemed effortless. Most players can't clear there mind to do this but with a little self control you can do it. Good luck!

Answer 3

The main thing you want to do is focus on your grip pressure. That by far has the biggest impact on how tense you may become. Practice keeping a light grip pressure THOUGHOUT your entire swing on the range. This will help you keep a nice fluid rhythm and at the same time keep you less tense.

A little tension though is a good thing so that when you reach the end of your back swing you will be tightened up and ready to release like a rubber band!

Try breathing properly too. Take a deep breath filling up your stomach and not your lungs, hold it for a second, and then let it out slowly as you do your waggle.

Answer 4

ok, i dont think anyone answered your question!
I love the bit on visual imagery, i will research it a bit and use it for sure, thanx!!

For your question, try this.

Make sure ure set up well to the ball, move 2 steps back , make your practice swings, once atleast while youre looking at the target,

then step 2 steps forward to your orignal adress position AND JUST GO!!! no shufling, no thinking, no waggling the club, just go,

the key here is to have a quite mind during your swing just like you have in your practice swing,

you can also try saying words to mark your swing rythm, this will quiet your brain too, try it on the range, i usually say SWING to begin my upswing , SET to start my Downswing and THRU to mark the impact when im driving through the ball,

so SWING-SET-THROUGH, these 2 tips will help you a lot, the second one will build the Mystical Rythm, that they all talk about.

Answer 5

You need to use "visual imagery" techniques. When we drive a car, we do it automatically, don't we? As if we become part of the car. That is because the neural pathways in our brain for driving are firmly established and automatically fire in the correct sequence after a while. This is what is happening with your brain whilst you are playing golf.

Visual imagery techniques (people like Niklaus, Tiger Woods etc use it) is where you spend, say, ten minutes per day playing out the perfect shot in your head. This starts to set new neural pathways in your brain so that when you actually play, those good neural networks start firing and you start playing good shots. Give it a go.

Answer 6

all these answers are just telling you to just do it but the problem you have is focus!!!

you need something to focus on as you make your practice swings and chips.

one way to do this is by learning more about rhythm, and by counting 1.2.3.4.5 which means:

1.down (look at the ball)
2. Look (look at the target)
3. Look (look back at the ball)
4 Back (make your back swing)
5. Through (make contact with the ball)

the rhythm should be down, look, look, back, through,

Hope this helps,
Nick

p.s. you can use this for putting as well

Answer 7

Relax,man! Do not put some pressure on your swing! Just swing normally... And when you go to the course, just relax! You're a biginner like me so don't think about your score but just think to your best shot and you will have a low score. That's what I do. But remember to relax!
NO PRESSURE! Golf is a relaxing sport!

Answer 8

Just breathe. Don't worry too much about machanics on the course because that's not the place to change anything (the range is). The swing is only a split second, and if you try to hard to control each fine detail of it, you'll go nuts. You can tweek things on the driving range, but on the course, just trust your swing. good luck.

Answer 9

Take your practice swing. Place the driver in front of the ball, take a good deep breath and swing away..

Answer 10

that happen a lot i do it too try to focus in keeping your head down watching the club hit the ball,after you hit the ball look around at the trees ,don't care about what other people think it just a game