Watching Jim Furyk agonize over his last four putts in what may be his last Ryder Cup as a player on Sunday was very painful. Even more painful was the picture of Jim with hands on head in utter disbelief as the European team celebrated the win next to him. The scene reminded me of seeing Justin Leonard’s putt to tie fellow competitor Jose Maria Olazabal and the Europeans back in 1999 at The Country Club (Brookline, MA). Interestingly the Americans won that competition by the score of 14 ½ to 13 ½.
Dealing with pressure is critical. Nerves. Technique. Routine. Rhythm. Martin Kaymer is a VERY METHODICAL golfer. European Team Captain, Jose Maria described him as a “golfing machine,” but Martin didn’t take a quarter of the time to hit his putts to win as Jim took in the losing effort. Hmmm…did the extra time take Jim out of his rhythm? I believe it did. So, to take a pressure-packed golf swing I teach my students four keys.
- See it. First, observe the situation. What do you see? How’s the lie? Where’s your target? Distance? Any wind? Shot type? Shot shape? Risks? Decide what shot you are going to take. Jack Nicklaus would visualize the shot in his mind like a movie.
- Commit to it. Second, commit to the decision by stepping over an imaginary “commitment line.” Decision is made. Thinking time is over. Time to play.
- Feel it. Third, after your brain has committed to the decision, take a few seconds to synchronize the decision with your body. The mind and body MUST agree. Make a practice swing (or two). Take your stance. Look at your target spot. Waggle the club. Feel the club head. Look at the target one last time.
- Trust it. Last, just do it. Execute the shot.
IMPORTANT: If a doubt enters your mind in either step #3 or #4, go back to #1 and make a new decision.
Have you written out your pre-shot routine? How long does it take to execute? If your routine takes longer than 30 seconds from start to finish, then you may be taking too long. Also, if your routine timing varies from shot to shot by more than 3-5 seconds, then you may be getting out of rhythm.
Golfers in the recent Ryder Cup on both sides of the competition appeared to have difficulty dealing with the intensity of the moment as they read putts, re-read putts compared them with yardage booklets, consulted with their caddy, read the putt again, and so on. Working methodically through a pre-determined pre-shot routine can help you minimize the impact of pressure-filled situations on your next shot.
Want your Game to Withstand “Ryder Pressure?” See it. Commit to it. Feel it. Trust it.
[Editor’s Note: “See it. Feel it. Trust it.” are taken from David L. Cook’s book Golf’s Sacred Journey. The reference to “Commitment Line” is recommended by Marriott/Nilsson in their book Every Shot Must Have a Purpose.]
