7 Reasons Why You Struggle in Golf

Let me first add that this post has nothing to do with your swing or your clubs. Even though those two things are just as important, you may be struggling in golf because of something that is blocking you mentally in reaching your full golf potential.

There are many reasons why we put up a bad score, and several are out of our control such as the weather, bad lies, illness, and so on. This list is about what you CAN control and what you can start working on immediately.

So what is stopping you from performing your best?

You struggle in golf because…

You are a people pleaser

Being a people pleaser is not always bad, but it’s not always good either.

Let me give you an example. Oftentimes, when I played in big, televised events, or tournaments where a lot of my friends and family came to watch, I ended up not scoring well because I had the heavy pressure of wanting to play well for them.

I was constantly worried about what everyone thought of me and I always wanted to make others happy. Yes, I am the true definition of a people pleaser. Sometimes that way of thinking just doesn’t work when you’re trying to shoot low scores. People pleasers are often insecure and have low self-esteem—two things you don’t want in golf.

There are times when being a people pleaser is good though. They tend to be very likeable and therefore, are able to build relationships and create strong connections. This is important for business-related golf outings and may even help pro golfers land a sponsorship.

The main takeaway is to focus on your game, and not worry about what others think. However, if you’re a pro in a pro-am event, then I hope you’re making an effort to make the sponsor happy.

You don’t practice like you play

Do you hit decently well on the range, but struggle to execute on the course?

You may not be practicing like you play. On the course we have hazards, out of bounds, bunkers, uneven lies, all of which make a shot difficult and makes us tense.

The best way to fix this is to hit balls like you are playing the course. Start with driver or whatever club you normally would tee off with and work your way down. You don’t have to play all 18 imaginary holes but try to play at least three holes. This will help calm the nerves the next time you stand up to the tee box or when you have a nerve-racking shot.

The same goes when practicing putting and short game. Play an up-and-down game with yourself and try and make as many up-and-downs (chip and one putt) as you can for 9 holes. Change it up each time and use different clubs.

You are not able to control expectations

How often have you hit absolutely horrendous shots on the range and end up hitting it better on the course? Or vice versa, hitting it pure on the range and forgot how to hit it on the course? Expectations are simply pressure that we create and put on ourselves. We naturally get so concerned about the score, that we oftentimes self-destruct.

Some of the best rounds I’ve had came from me not expecting much on the course. When I shot 67 in a qualifier to get into the tournament, I remember that I wasn’t hitting it that great or doing anything spectacular leading up to that day. It was even raining hard that morning so the driving range was closed. All I did was do some air swings and then hit a couple putts.

Looking back, I realized that the reason why I was able to play so well was because I was so focused on the present. I kept my swing thoughts very simple and wasn’t concerned about the outcome at all.

I completely understand why we get frustrated on the course. We imagine hitting a certain type of shot in our head and instead, we do something completely different. It’s definitely aggravating when we keep missing fairways, greens, and putts.

What we need to understand is that changes such as swing changes take a lot of time. It may take some people longer than others. We can’t expect to hit great shots every single time or make every putt we look at. In fact, golf is all about having “good” misses. The smaller your misses are, the better you’ll score.

You don’t own up to your mistakes

When things go wrong on the course, it’s very easy to blame it on the equipment, course conditions, etc. I know of several people who always wanted to change things up in their game and get new clubs because they felt that it helped.

Most of the time, it doesn’t make much of a difference. Perhaps the reason why you’re struggling could have something to do with course management or not spending enough time practicing short game.

My swing coach back in high school and college made a very good point. He said that if you’re struggling with your long game leading up to a tournament, the best thing to do is to not stay on the driving range, and instead, to spend more time on the chipping green and putting green. By having a solid short game, you will be able to score consistently well, no matter how bad you’re hitting the ball.

Always learning and trying new things is a good thing, but constantly changing your swing or clubs when you really don’t need to will lead to slumps and inexhaustible frustration.

Oftentimes, it’s solely because the person hasn’t practiced enough with the clubs or their swing. It takes A LOT of practice and patience to play well consistently on the course. Therefore, make sure you have your clubs and swing checked out first and then go work on it.

Oh, and try not to change too many things without getting expert advice. This includes experimenting after watching YouTube!! No need to get stuck into bad habits.

You are stubborn or too much of a sponge

I heard that one of the reasons why Lorena Ochoa was such a great player was because she was always asking questions and was very coachable. She knew that if she wanted to be one of the best, she had to learn straight from the best.

There are times when it’s really necessary to swallow your pride and ask for help and other times, to keep doing what you’ve been doing and not listen to all the advice out there.

Take me for example. I’ve naturally had a strong grip for as long as I can remember and because of that, there are people who don’t know my game very well that want to change my grip immediately. Believe me, I’ve thought about changing my grip, but I was told by the people I trust that my grip wasn’t the issue and they were right. I’m actually happy with the way I’m hitting the ball right now.

It’s important to only take advice from coaches you trust and to block out all the other information out there.

You are a perfectionist

How often have you hit ball after ball on the range, trying to hit each one perfect? Or how often do you play a course trying to not make a mistake?

I admit, it’s very easy to do. When I first moved to Japan, I was told that I should try to hit 1,000 golf balls every day in order to get better (very old-school way of thinking). I highly DO NOT recommend that. I injured myself from spending too much time on the range and it wasn’t like I was playing that much better.

The problem with trying to have the perfect swing is that you’ll start thinking too technical as soon as things start going wrong on the course. Too technical=loss of feel and loss of feel=a big mess.

Perfectionists are also never satisfied with their game. It’s a good thing when you are determined to improve, but not being able to accept any mistake or even avoid mistakes at all costs will only lead to heavy anxiety and stress.

I think one of the biggest differences between pros and amateurs is that pros know where to miss and how to scramble when they do hit a bad shot.

When your best never seems good enough or you get frustrated when you don’t reach your goals, it is very easy to experience burnout and that is not a fun place to be. If you ever feel like you’re in that dark place, remember to see the bigger picture (such as realizing how far you’ve come) and try to stay positive.

You forget to have fun

This one is probably the most important.

If you are having fun with what you do, you will naturally work hard and do well.

I think it’s important for golfers to learn how to not take every single round of golf seriously. Sometimes when I’m playing a casual round with my pro friends, they take it way too seriously and don’t even talk much during the round. It can get a little awkward when the other players in the group are more laidback.

Remember, your golf will have its ups and downs, but if you are not having fun then it’ll be really hard to get your game to the next level.

I believe that this is why the top pros are able to play so well consistently because they know when to relax and blare music on the course with their golf shirts untucked haha

Conclusion

I know I may have sounded harsh in this post, but I promise I mean well!

Everything I wrote came from experience. I admit, I am guilty of most of these. Having been around a lot of different kinds of golfers, I learned over the years why some of my friends are successful on tour. I hope that I can now share my experiences with others, especially with those who aspire to play professionally.

And honestly, everything I listed here is not just for golf, but for life in general. Golf and life go hand in hand and that’s what makes it such a great sport.

I hope you now have a better understanding of yourself and why you may be struggling with your golf game.

Let me know if this helped you and if I missed anything!