Don't Let Pressure Get The Best Of Your Swing

Maybe you’ve had a few good holes and you’re starting to feel the pressure of carding a great round. Or maybe you’re four down in a match against your buddy and need to win a couple to regain some self-respect. Regardless, when you start to feel pressure, your swing can take a turn – for the worse. A lot of the reasoning behind this is that when you feel pressure, you get tense.

According to swing coach Jeff Ritter, a common mistake people who are under pressure make is looking at the target for a short time, and looking at the ball for a long time. Ritter says to flip that around.

The longer you spend looking at the ball, the longer you have to tighten your grip or tense up your shoulders. That’s not doing your swing any favors. That moment you first address the ball is when you’re most loose and in more of a natural athletic stance.

To ensure that you swing from that position, Ritter says to stand over the ball, look at the target for a few moments, look back at the ball, and immediately start your swing after you’ve grounded your club. Adding this fluid motion to your pre-shot routine will keep you from getting tight under pressure and help you close out that $5 nassau like a champ.

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