"To me, there's nothing like being in position to win a major championship on Sunday. Everything you've experienced the prior three days builds to a crescendo. My feelings in the last round of the1980 U. S. Open at Baltusrol are a perfect example. Tied with Japan's Isao Aoki going into the final 18, I was anxious to get off to a good start. However, this anxiety worked against me, as I missed three fairways in a row on the front nine. After that third errant tee shot, I was able to calm myself with a touch of self-diagnosis: I concluded that I was moving my head forward and up a smidgen too soon on the downswing. So, my swing thought for the rest of the day became "Head steady." I went on to hit every fairway and every green and to claim my fourth U. S. Open title"

The point Jack is making is that when the heat is on and your game starts to slip, try to figure out how the pressure is affecting your swing. Then, develop a swing key -- a simple reminder -- that you can recite to yourself to head off the recurring fault. This should also take your mind off the results of your game and the situation. It has worked for Jack on many occasions and it just might work for you.

Written by,
Professional Golfer
Tony Maloney

PGA PRO TIPS