As a competitive young player, I used to envy others who consistently performed when it mattered most. While others rode an emotional rollercoaster, they seemed remarkably stable. I assumed they had something I didn’t. The more I got to know these golfers, the more I realised I was wrong. They still cared, got nervous and felt the pressure. The difference wasn’t what they experienced, but how they responded. They’d learned where to place their attention, what to ignore, and to focus on what they could control. This was one of the biggest shifts in my own golf (and life). I stopped trying to control the score, the outcome, others’ opinions or how confident I felt. Instead, I focused on what I could influence: my preparation, commitment, routine and decisions. Ironically, the less I tried to control everything, the easier golf became. Many golfers believe they’re stuck with the mental game they have. I certainly did. But just like your swing, these skills can be learned and improved. Something worth considering: When you play your best golf, where is your attention? And when you struggle, where does it tend to go?

We see a variety of putting styles on the greens, with players adopting different visual strategies. Jordan Spieth has famously focused on the hole while putting from inside 8 feet, Cameron Smith fixes his gaze on the hole before starting his stroke, and Lexi Thompson even experimented with closing her eyes to overcome short-putting issues. If you find yourself worrying about your stroke or trying too hard to control the putter, shifting your focus externally could be worth a try. The Quiet Eye putting technique involves maintaining a steady gaze on a specific point, usually the ball or target, for a few seconds before executing the putt. Research suggests this prolonged fixation, typically lasting 2–4 seconds, can improve concentration, reduce distractions and support better coordination. With practice, Quiet Eye can help develop greater spatial awareness and a more consistent putting stroke, particularly under pressure. Combined with controlled breathing and a reliable pre-shot routine, it could be a valuable addition to your putting game… give it a try!

Pressure has a way of making golf feel like a completely different game. The fairway seems narrower, the hole looks smaller, time over the ball feels longer, and the consequences of every shot seem greater. A shot that felt straightforward on the practice ground can suddenly feel very different standing over a putt to win a match or facing a tee shot with everything on the line. But pressure does not necessarily create a new weakness in a golfer. Often, it reveals the process they fall back on when certainty disappears. A golfer might rush their pre-shot routine, become consumed by the potential outcome, steer the club rather than commit to the shot, or try to force a result that was never entirely within their control. The challenge is not to eliminate pressure or expect it to disappear. It is to recognise how it influences your decisions, attention and behaviour, then learn to return to a process you can trust…even when the shot matters most!

Indecision often follows the golfer all the way into the stance. Is this the right club? Is the wind stronger? Should the swing feel different? What if the ball goes left? The body is preparing to move while the mind is still negotiating. Create a commitment line. It can be an imagined line on the ground, the edge of the practice mat or a point beside the ball. Behind the line, thinking is allowed. Read the shot, select the target and choose the cue. When the decision feels complete, cross the line and enter performance mode. After crossing, do not add information. If genuine doubt returns, step back across the line. Reassess and recommit. Stepping out is not weakness. Swinging while undecided is the larger risk. For players, the line makes an invisible mental transition physical. The player needs ownership of the decision. Practice this with one ball at a time. Say the decision quietly behind the line: target, shape, cue. Cross, look and swing. The commitment line does not remove uncertainty. Golf always contains uncertainty. It creates a point where the golfer stops trying to eliminate uncertainty and chooses to act anyway. That is commitment: not knowing the outcome, but completing the decision!

Feel like your mental game needs work? Try these three drills ⬇️ 1. The Best-Friend Voice Play 3 holes (on the course or a simulator). Your only goal: Talk to yourself the way you would to your best friend or a junior golfer - before, after, and between every shot (in your head or out loud). Yes, it takes discipline. Afterward, reflect on what that mindset gave you. 2. The Caddie Drill Play 3 holes with a friend (course or simulator). Before every shot, describe exactly what you're going to do. Speak like you're talking to a caddie… Only say what you want to happen, not what you don't. Reflect on how this changed your focus and commitment. 3. Pressure Progression at the Range Start with your wedge and work up through your bag. You have a 20-yard dispersion window (left or right of the target). Hit it within the window ➡️ move to the next club. Miss it ➡️ move back a club. If frustration shows up, pause, take a breath, reset, and use helpful self-talk!