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NOVEMBER, 2000
"The U.S. Open's Mental
Test"
Davis Love
III explained, "A U.S. Open is not only just
a golf test; it's a mental test and you try to
win that battle. It comes down to scrambling, who
can get the ball up-and-down and make putts and
be patient."
Tiger Woods
has observed, "Usually right around par
wins, and you just need to hang in there. And
most of the players don't have that ability to
hang in there, to swallow your pride and hit
shots that you don't normally hit, because you're
used to making birdies and having to win. Most of
the players either haven't learned that, or
aren't willing to change from the birdie
mode."
Why is it so
hard for seasoned professionals to be patient and
learn from the past? The reason is because your
mind is programmed to repeat your past behavior.
Plus, your negative emotions distort your ability
to reason and play havoc with your ability to
perform.
Let's assume
you are a professional golfer playing in the U.S.
Open and you are at par after the second round.
Would you be willing to keep plugging away and be
happy to continue making par? Or, would you be
tempted to take a risk and go for a birdie once
in awhile? Chances are you would lose your
patience and go for it.
If you went
for it and made a birdie, chances are you would
feel pretty confident and go for it again.
Eventually, Old Man Golf would catch up with you
and you would pay the piper with a double or
triple boogie or worse because of the severe
penalties for making a bad shot on a U.S. Open
course, especially this year at Pebble Beach.
Then what
would you do? Would you wise up and be content to
go back to making par? Or, would you be upset
with yourself and take more risks to make up for
losing ground? This is only a small snap shot of
what goes through the minds of many of the
professionals playing in the U.S. Open.
The mental
test at the U.S. Open is having the humility and
patience to play for par for the entire four
rounds. If you had the talent and were playing in
the U.S. Open, would you be able to pass this
mental test?
PS. It seems
my article only applies to the rest of the field
that Tiger Woods left in his dust.
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"My game had
improved since reading your book and applying
your Mental Tips. Last year was my first year of
golf. When I applied your techniques, I
immediately took 10 strokes off my game. I am
also able to get my game back on track after a
"bad" hole. Thank you for taking the
time to write this book. Not only has it helped
in my golf game, but in other aspects of my life
as well! Thanks again."
-Nancy Edwards
Phoenix, NY
"I partially put your
program to work after reading the material. When
I began, my golf league average, at several
courses was a 94. My last three rounds have been
83, 86 and today an 80! I putted for birdie on
the last hole and that would have given me a 79
for the first time ever. I made the par.
"I am now rereading your material and plan
to absorb more from it and put it to use in a
more organized way. Being focused on the process
rather than the outcome has definitely helped my
score.
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