I love playing golf with friends, my regular golfing crew, because it’s comfortable, fun, and a zero pressure situation. I know what to expect from everyone, and they know what to expect from me. But, recently I’ve said yes to playing in a few events with people I don’t know, and it’s had an unexpected outcome on my golf game: improving my overall mindset on the golf course.
I’ve written about my struggles with nerves and performance pressure. Playing with people I don’t know typically brings out the worst nerves in me, so I generally avoided it and stuck to what felt comfortable as I worked on different techniques to stay focused and remain calm during important rounds. But, I’ve heard over and over that you must put yourself in uncomfortable situations to improve.
