How To Prepare For Pressure

May 28, 2019

GM Top 25 coach Kevin Craggs and son Ben talk us through how to hit good shots under pressure

How To Prepare For Pressure

1 Having already selected the club and the type of shot, stand behind your ball and pick your target. Be as specific as possible and draw an imaginary line from a spot in the distance back through your ball. Pick a mark just in front of you on the line to make your alignment as precise as possible.

2 Now step into the ball and take care to align the clubface with that imaginary line. The clubface will become your reference point for your body alignment. Check your clubface alignment one last time before you set your stance.

3 Now build a stance that’s square to your clubface. Your feet, hips and shoulders should all be parallel to your ball-to-target line. This is the only truly static position in the swing, so no excuses for getting it wrong! Try hovering your driver head at address to prevent tension creeping into your forearms.

4 You are now in the best position possible to hit a good shot, so don’t freeze at address. Keep your grip pressure light and as soon as you are ready to swing, pull the trigger.

Try not to have more than one swing thought and then commit to the movement you are trying to make.

Routine is key…

Competing well under pressure requires a clarity of thought that can be hard to find when you’re trying to build a score. A simple pre-shot process will help.

*Shot on location at Bishop’s Gate GolfAcademy, Orlando, Florida*

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