1. Keep each shot in perspective. This is especially true in a 108-hole tournament. Q-School, of all tournaments, is understood to be a marathon and not a sprint. There is no rational reason to be unnerved by a bad hole or two. Similarly, the junior golfer has years and years of opportunities ahead. There is no particular shot in any tournament that is .life or death..

2. Focus on the task rather than the outcome. This is probably the most difficult of the basics for players to follow. It is natural to think about the result and then the consequences of the result. This thinking will not help get the job done. Whenever these thoughts come to mind, replace them with thoughts of the immediate task at hand.

3. Breathe. Even the best in the world get tense in this type of situation. That tension can increase a player’s tendency to hold his breath in anticipation of a shot Read the rest of this entry