How do you perform well in high pressure moments?
We’ve all watched journeyman golfers with the lead late in a major. Almost invariably, they stumble while more experienced players hold steady. What’s the main difference? Usually, it’s experience.
Tim O'Connor
Tim O'Connor is a golf coach, an award-winning writer, and speaker. Tim takes a holistic approach, coaching golfers in the physical and mental aspects of golf. He co-hosts the Swing Thoughts podcast, and is the author of The Feeling of Greatness: The Moe Norman Story and Getting Unstuck: Seven Transformational Practices for Golf Nerds. He plays bass in CID — a Guelph punk band!
Ken Dryden: A national hero and model
I believe that Dryden knew there was a bigger game being played, and it was vital to contribute to the greater good, whether in his family, on teams, in organizations or for his country.
How do you stop leaking oil when you’re unaware of what’s causing it?
Whenever you struggle, instead of revisiting your index of swing thoughts, always review your fundamentals, such as alignment, set-up, and ball position. You’ll often sort things out right there.
Scottie and Moe: not “the” way, but their way
The idea of a self-coaching golfer exploring their own experiences runs counter to a golf culture that preaches there are right and wrong ways to swing a golf club.
A lesson in grit: a bad start didn’t finish J.J. Spaun
It’s my strong sense that acceptance is not something you execute like it was a tactic kept in your back pocket in case of an emergency.
Mystery solved: why you’re better out of the trees than from the fairway
This speaks to the brain’s amazing ability to take in millions of bits of data from the environment, adapt, self-organize and hit the shot. All unconsciously.
Feeling stuck? Listen to the stories you tell yourself about yourself
I used to think awareness was enough. That once we’re aware of the dumb things we do, well, it’s obvious that we’ll change. It makes no sense to do the same stupid nonsense over and over.
You can’t improve what you’re unaware of
Almost every golfer I know swings with some kind of “swing thought,” such as “turn this” or “shift that.” While they swing, their heads are full of mental chatter. You cannot think your way through a golf swing. It’s a recipe for bad golf.
Are you paying attention? Or just thinking?
“The quality of your golf—and your life—is determined by the quality of your attention.” I’m not sure who I first heard utter this nugget of wisdom, but I have heard myself saying it a lot lately to my coaching clients.
