Open champion (and speed golfer in disguise) Ryan Fox has captured the hearts of golf fans worldwide with his unique swing and play style. His no-nonsense pre-shot routine and rapid pace of play are refreshing qualities for a pro golfer in an age where overthinking and over-analysis routinely lead to five-hour rounds, all while his unorthodox (yet highly effective) swing has caught everyone’s attention.
After watching the Kiwi claim the Claret Jug last weekend, I got to thinking about four factors that undoubtedly helped him on his quest to become a major champion. Check them out below and apply them to your own game. They may just help you shoot lower scores.
1. Grit
Fox showed big cajones throughout the tournament — especially down the stretch on Sunday at Royal Birkdale. He played with confidence when the pressure peaked, being fearless instead of fearful.
How about you? Does your practice include anxiety, pressure and a little fear? Or is every session relaxed?
If you want to perform under pressure, you need to practice under pressure. Add a bit of stress and discomfort to your practice sessions. Challenge yourself with pressure drills, consequences and uncomfortable situations. Building grit in practice helps you stay composed when things get tough on the course.
Want more science-backed strategies and real-world ideas to help your practice transfer to the golf course? Check out my practice program here.
2. Calm aggressiveness
It’d be wise for you to cool your jets on the idea of being “relaxed” on the golf course. When it’s time to perform, great competitors aren’t relaxed. They’re calm, focused and fully engaged.
The Navy SEALs have a mantra worth embracing: “Calm is contagious.” It’s something that Fox certainly exhibited on his back-nine charge at Birkdale.
When you’re on the course, stay calm, alert and aware. Think of a lion on the hunt. They’re composed, intentional and completely committed to the outcome. But don’t mistake being calm for being passive. It means having complete control while applying relentless intent.
Find the calm within … and then keep your foot on the gas until the ball finds the bottom of the cup.
3. Toughness
Legendary University of Oregon track & field coach Bill Bowerman didn’t like being called “coach.” Instead, he preferred the title “Professor of Competitive Response.”
Bowerman understood that success wasn’t just about speed, strength or talent. It was about how athletes responded to adversity. And in golf (at every level) adversity is lurking behind just about every tree, bunker and water hazard. The question is: Are you ready to respond in ways that boost performance rather than bust it? The next time you tee it up, embrace the Four A’s of Competitive Response.
First, acknowledge what happened. Don’t waste energy whining, complaining or wishing it hadn’t. Simply recognize reality for what it is.
Next, accept the outcome, the good, the bad, or the ugly. There are no time machines on the golf course. The only shot that matters is the one in front of you, not the one you just hit.
Then adjust. If you can’t change the situation, what are your options? You can complain (no one wants to hear it), or you can adjust to the circumstances and make the best possible decision with what you’ve got.
Finally, adapt. Great golfers, and great performers in any field, are exceptional adapters. Too many players cling to mental and physical patterns that no longer serve them. Assess the current situation (there’s another “A” for you), then adapt accordingly.
4. Focus on the goal
Allow the iconic author and journalist Hunter S. Thompson to rescue your golf game. Thompson coined the term “fear and loathing” in the political arena, but there’s another concept woven throughout his work that’s highly relevant to golf: an unwavering determination to pursue what matters.
Far too often we’re distracted by the obstacles that golf places in our path. And there are plenty of them. Trees. Bunkers. Water. Bad bounces. Tough breaks. Self-doubt. The best players, however, never lose sight of the goal. Their objectives remain crystal clear, regardless of the obstacles.
Becoming Champion Golfer of the Year was the goal for Fox. What’s yours? And what’s really standing in your way? Are the obstacles truly immovable? Or are you simply not yet willing to do what’s required to achieve your goal?
When it’s time to compete, don’t confuse kindness with competitiveness. The best performers know how to flip the switch. They become relentless, decisive, and unapologetically committed to the task at hand.
Fox did so at Royal Birkdale — and he’s a major champion because of it.
Christopher Smith is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher, Guinness World Record speed golfer and four-time Oregon Chapter PGA Teacher of the Year.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: golf.com
