Golf Tips: Two Keys to Bounce Back After a Tough Round
By Brendon Elliott, PGA
Published on
Anyone who has ever picked up a club knows that golf can quickly become a frustrating and grueling challenge.
Even for professionals.
It is rare that we see the best players in the world struggle, but it does indeed happen, and more often than one would think. Look no further than what's happened the last few days at the U.S. Women's Open. Lancaster Country Club has challenged the world's best players, most notably World No. 1 Nelly Korda who missed the cut.
Korda during Round 2 of the U.S. Women's Open.
Nelly's opening round of 80, which came off the rails early with a ten on the testy par-3 12th, her third hole of the day, made it hard for her to bounce back and play the weekend. One thing to note — and it is critical — is how that round in no way, shape or form, is an indication of her fantastic play this year. She said it herself: "It was just a bad day at the office."
Nelly's struggles, and much of the field's challenges at Lancaster, just proves how hard this game really can be. But there is much to learn from watching the world's best, well, not have their best.
Start with resiliency
One key takeaway is the importance of mental resilience. Even the best golfers in the world face challenges and setbacks but demonstrate resilience by staying focused and positive. Amateur golfers can learn from this by developing their mental toughness and learning to bounce back from bad shots or difficult situations on the course.
Nelly's opening round of 80, which came off the rails early with a ten on the testy par-3 12th, her third hole of the day, made it hard for her to bounce back and play the weekend. One thing to note — and it is critical — is how that round in no way, shape or form, is an indication of her fantastic play this year. She said it herself: "It was just a bad day at the office."
Right after her press conference, she was at the range with her PGA Coach Jamie Mulligan. Nelly could've easily gone home and tore apart her round, but she knew there was another chance to get better. While she ultimately missed the cut, think about hitting some putts or maybe a quick bucket after a bad round. It's a step in becoming more resilient.
Solidify your pre-shot process
This weekend, observe how the players approach difficult shots or tough course conditions at Lancaster. It can really provide valuable learning opportunities. By studying their decision-making process and shot selection, we can gain insights into course management and strategy that can help improve their own performance.
A solid pre-shot routine, like Minjee Lee displays, can help eliminate the big numbers
Golf is undeniably hard for even the most skilled and experienced professionals. The mental and physical demands, the unpredictable nature of the game, and the vast array of skills required all make golf a formidable challenge at any level. While the sport's serene exterior may deceive casual observers, those who have experienced the relentless pursuit of excellence on the golf course understand the true difficulty of the game.
If you want to learn more about how to recover from setbacks, contact your local PGA of America Golf Professional! They're expert guides in giving you the proper tools to succeed.
Brendon Elliott is considered by his peers in the industry as one of the top youth golf coaches in the world. He is a multiple local, state, regional, national, and world award-winning instructor who focuses on junior golfers ages 3-18. With numerous appearances on Golf Channel's Morning Drive, local TV, nationwide radio, and countless publications, Elliott is one of the foremost experts in the youth golf arena.
His Little Linksters organization is recognized as an example for introducing children as young as three to the game as well as how to help introduce youth with disabilities to our golf.
Elliott has been recommended by industry titans such as Nicklaus, Player, Floyd, Sorenstam, Speith, and more. Among his numerous accolades, Elliott was named the PGA of America's 2017 PGA National Youth Player Development Award Winner in 2017.
Additionally, Elliott is a very busy freelance golf writer who works for various golf media outlets, including PGA.com, Golf.com, and many more. You can catch his three weekly columns on both GolfWRX.com and rg.org/news/golf.
The PGA of America is one of the world's largest sports organizations, composed of PGA of America Golf Professionals who work daily to grow interest and participation in the game of golf.
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