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5 Ways to Reset Your Golf Game When You’re Not At Your Best
1. Stay Calm
- I've been there...many, many times, when things are just going off the rails and no matter what I do, it doesn't seem as though I can ever get things back on track. A big part of this happening has to do with the expectations I have for what a "Good Round" looks like for me or what a "Good Shot" looks like. If I don’t pull that "Good Shot" off, then my brain almost always goes into panic mode. Sometimes I can calm down and gather myself and other times, especially after a series of bad shots, it's tougher. When in panic mode, I get tense, start to hurry things up and my normal flow gets knocked off. Learning how to stay calm, mentally, will help the physical manifestations of this from taking over.
2. Stay Positive
- A bad shot or two is inevitable and depending on your level of play, several bad shots are inevitable. If you can fight off those negative feelings, much like fighting the urge to lose your cool as mentioned above, you can stave off things from getting worse. It absolutely sounds much easier to do than it often is, but if you can learn to follow this pattern after a bad shot- Accept, breath, refocus, visualize a good shot, and think positive, then you are much, much more likely to hit a good shot after a bad one.
3. Stay Focused on One Shot at a Time
- We all have those shots we remember at the end of a round that are the "What if'' scenarios...if only I hadn't missed those two tap ins, grabbing and hitting a wrong club, scuffing the green with our putter on a back-stroke, not backing off when that dog started barking on our backswing. In all these examples, a simple lack of focus can be to blame. Making sure you have a routine that you stick to is only part of this…being aware and focused during that process is what's most important...don't just do it to do it...make sure it has meaning.
4. Bit-Sized Golf
- I've written about this before, and this is one of my all-time favorite strategies for playing good golf. Play your round, whether it's a quick 9 or a full 18, by breaking it up into 3 hole segments. Within those 3-hole segments, pick a total score to strive for and forget about the cumulative "par" for those holes. For example, if you are looking to shoot 90, then you need to score an average of 15 every 3 holes. So, let's say the first three holes are a Par 5, Par 4 and Par 3 and you start off double bogey 7, bogey 5 and a par 3, you may be 3 over on the card but you are level par for your 15 per every three hole target.
5. Enjoy the Game
- My last bit of advice is this...Have Fun! If you love golf, then why get mad when things start to get bad? It's a game and it's meant to be enjoyed...no matter what...so enjoy and have fun!
Sorrento, FL
Brendon Elliott
Director of Instruction, Freelance Golf Writer[Brendon Elliott, PGA](https://brendonelliott.com/), is an award-winning PGA Professional, player-development coach and nationally recognized golf writer with three decades of experience in the golf industry. As of 2026, he has been a PGA Professional for 17 years and has earned more than 25 PGA Section and Chapter honors for his work in coaching, education and player development. In 2017, he received the PGA of America National Youth Player Development Award. ## Coaching Competitive Teenage Golfers Through [BE A GOLFER](https://beagolfer.golf/home), Brendon specializes in working with competitive teenage golfers who want to improve their performance, better understand their games and prepare for the demands of high school, junior tournament and college golf. His primary focus is [Remote Coaching](https://beagolfer.golf/remote-coaching), which allows him to remain actively involved in a player’s development regardless of location. Rather than relying on occasional lessons or isolated swing fixes, Brendon works with players throughout their competitive journey. His coaching covers much more than the golf swing. Players receive ongoing guidance in structured practice, short-game development, putting, course management, tournament preparation, performance analysis, goal setting and the mental and physical habits required to improve over time. Using video analysis, virtual coaching sessions, performance data and regular communication, Brendon helps each player understand what to work on, why it matters and how to make meaningful progress between practices and tournaments. Brendon accepts only a limited number of in-person students in Central Florida. His priority is building long-term [Remote Coaching](https://beagolfer.golf/remote-coaching) relationships with competitive teenage golfers and their families. The goal is not simply to help a young player hit better shots. It is to help that player become more prepared, more accountable and more capable of navigating everything competitive golf demands. Brendon’s career has included serving as a head golf professional, general manager, college golf educator, career development director, academy owner and longtime junior golf leader. He founded Little Linksters Golf Academy in 2008 and led the organization for more than 16 years before selling the academy in late 2024 and launching [BE A GOLFER](https://beagolfer.golf/home). ## Golf Writing and Media Brendon is also a nationally recognized and prolific golf writer and storyteller. He is the Senior Golf Writer for [Athlon Sports](https://athlonsports.com/author/brendon-elliott) and has written extensively about professional golf, instruction, player development, equipment, golf history and the people shaping the game. His work has also appeared with PGA.com, GolfWRX, PGA Magazine, MyGolfSpy and several other prominent golf media outlets. Through [One More Roll Golf Media](https://onemorerollgolf.com/), Brendon provides editorial content, feature writing, consulting and media services throughout the golf industry. His background as a coach and educator shapes the way he writes, while his work as a writer strengthens the way he coaches. He understands how to explain complicated ideas clearly, ask better questions and connect the technical, strategic and personal sides of golf.