Tanking…
Beautiful course, hilly terrain, ocean views – the only thing required now is to get ‘into the zone’ and play well. Sounds easy doesn’t it? yes easy to say, easy to think, but one of the hardest things to achieve.
I am one of those golfers that love to look the part! Clothes, gloves, bag, club covers, clubs, socks! But looks aren’t everything when you head to the 1st tee. You can feel the anxiety and tension build and the nervous twitch starts. I take my cobra out of the bag and begin my practice swings, feeling better now, confidence building and ready to play. As I turn around my heart sinks – other golfers watching, waiting, wondering what that first shot will look like, wondering why you choose those socks. I start talking to myself, motivating myself for that first shot of the day. The shot that will define the day.
How hard can it be? I just have to hit that little ball, yes hit that little ball! Thump it into next week. I pretend there is no-one around and that it’s just me and the cobra – how hard can it be?
Please, please let me have a good tee shot and I promise I’ll keep my cool for the rest of the round. It’s an oft repeated and unfortunate scenario caused by too little time dedicated to practice, long delays between rounds or too much time selecting my socks rather than focus on the intricacies of the game.
‘Tanking’ Steve mutters as he wanders over to tee up. I look it up later– to do poorly, decline rapidly – but it was the first tee!For some tanking can occur on the very 1st tee and for others occurs gradually over the next 17 holes and 4+ hours. How do you get back? Do you talk to yourself, motivate yourself? How do you protect your game and stop the wheels falling off altogether?
Top 10 tips to avoid tanking? Stuffed if I know.
sigh
Aunty Lush
I am right with you sister! I’ve made lots of prayers, promises and deals with the devil just to have a good round! Who would think it would be so hard, and so compelling? I used to yawn and roll my eyes when hubby recounted every hole he had played that day. Now I do it too!! No tanking, pure grit…