Golf Post

Many golfers stripe balls on the range, then feel their hands shake the moment a scorecard appears. Your golf mental game under pressure, not your swing, tends to be what has the biggest effect on your score. The good news is, like training your body, it’s possible to train your brain to cope better with high-pressure moments.

What pressure really does to your body

On a key tee shot or short putt, your nervous system feels under threat. Heart rate climbs, breath moves into your chest, and muscles tighten. That tension alters clubface control and distance. Studies on slow, controlled breathing show that patterns such as box breathing and the 4-7-8 method can steady your heart rate and ease stress responses.

Borrowing routines from other pressure sports

One of the fastest ways to learn how to stay calm in golf is to watch people in even more intense environments. Stunt performers and extreme sports athletes rely on clear routines: a checklist, a breath pattern, and a simple focus word. The All In content series produced by Ignition Australia follows athletes and performers who manage risk with preparation and repeatable habits. Ignition Australia uses
interviews to show how they plan, rehearse, commit, and review under pressure.

For golfers, that series becomes a real-time classroom where you can see how they pause to breathe before action, how they adjust plans when conditions change, and how they talk to themselves after an imperfect result. The setting might be a film set or a stunt rig, instead of a fairway, yet the mindset is the same one you want over a
tight tee shot or a short putt to win a match.

A clear example is The First Pro FEMALE Flyboarder: Bridget Burt ALL IN. Below, you’ll see Bridget discuss her relationship with extreme sports and the way she handles the challenges it presents.

Use that as inspiration for your own approach to golf, alongside the tips we’re going to outline below.

Build a 60-second calm routine

When you feel your pulse racing, you do not need a long meditation break. Use this 60-second routine for tee shots and approaches.
1. Stand behind the ball with your arms loose.
2. Take three box breaths: inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four.
3. As you breathe, soften your jaw and loosen your grip.
4. Pick a very small target and say one intention phrase, like “smooth tempo.”
5. Step in, look once at the target, and swing on your next exhale.

Mental routine for putting under pressure

Putting exposes your thoughts because there is time to stand and worry. A consistent routine keeps attention on execution, rather than fear of missing.
● Read the putt once from behind the ball.
● Take one slow breath while you picture the ball rolling over a spot on your line.
● Walk in, set the face to that spot, then position your feet, and start the stroke on your next exhale.

● When you hear “do not miss this,” quietly swap it for “roll it past the front edge.”

Positive, task-focused self-talk supports confidence and performance on clutch shots.

Turn practice into pressure training

You cannot expect to feel relaxed in competition if you never practise dealing with pressure. Add small challenges that create tension, yet still feel fun.
● Play “one ball, one chance” and never replay a shot.
● Set mini goals, such as making 10 putts from one meter, and restart if you miss.
● Finish with a single “tournament ball” drive or approach that you treat as the score shot.
To track what works, keep a simple table in your notebook.

Situation	Feeling	Routine cue	Lesson after the shot
Short putt to win a hole	Tight hands	One breath and “roll it past the front edge”	Trusted the line and pace
Long bunker shot over water	Racing heart	Deep breath and “smooth tempo”	Focused on clean strike, not water
Drive on narrow final hole	Tight shoulders	Box breathing and soft grip	Chose small target and committed
Pitch after a poor approach shot	Frustrated	One breath and “new swing, new shot”	Let go of the last mistake

Bringing it all together on the course

On your next round, choose two commitments. Use your 60-second calm routine on every tee shot and your putting routine on every putt inside three meters, and track one thing only: did you stay present through the shot? Handling pressure shots like a pro is not about having no nerves. It is about knowing what to do with them, every single time.

Keep building your mental game toolbox

If you want to keep sharpening your golf mental game under pressure, it helps to see the same ideas explained in different ways. This guide on golf psychology with 12 tips to level up your mental game lines up well with everything you have just read.

Use it as a checklist against your own habits, then pick one on-course routine, one practice drill, and one self-talk change to apply in your next three rounds. Repetition turns tools into instinct.