Are you easily affected by noise, and other distractions, on the golf course?
I am not referring to birds chirping in the trees, or squirrels rummaging through your snacks on the golf cart.
Instead, I am referring to golfers speaking on adjacent fairways, and carts driving nearby while you are preparing to hit your shot.
We all react differently in these situations, but how you handle it can say a lot about the state of your golf game.
Golf is meant to be a quiet sport.
When we are on the golf course, it is proper etiquette to stand still and stay quiet while another player is playing their shot.
I certainly agree with this practice when considering players within the same group.
However, I am always amused when I see players so easily distracted by noise and movement from outside of their group.
When I witness this, I immediately determine that the golfer being distracted is over thinking their golf shot, and the results are typically not positive.
You’ve probably felt at times that the less you try, the better you perform.
There is some truth to that.
Players who try too hard have a tendency to overthink, become easily distracted, and play with plenty of tension throughout their body.
On the other hand, players who don’t try quite as hard, are less distracted and play with less tension in their body.
Remember, distractions can work in your favor, if you allow them to.
I noticed this in the Ryder Cup a few years ago with Bubba Watson.
Watson was preparing to hit his opening tee shot in the Ryder Cup, and the gallery was absolutely quiet.
The moment is already pressure packed, so Watson encouraged those watching to stand up and make some noise.
This noise and commotion, I’m sure, helped Watson to relax in that moment, and he hit an absolutely perfect tee shot.
You will become a much better golfer if you learn to be less distracted by outside agencies during your round of golf.
Whether it’s noise coming from others around you, or the beverage cart not stopping as they drive past your group, you will find yourself much less tense if you just “go with the flow.”
Heck, if it helped Watson in the Ryder Cup, I know it can help you, too.
