If you have ever come close to breaking 80 then you know what playing under pressure is like. Let’s say you get through fifteen holes and realize that you need to par the last three holes in order to break 80. All of a sudden the throat gets a little tight, the mouth gets a little dry and the swing gets a little loose.

For me, the most similar recent experience that comes to mind was when I was trying to par the back nine at a golf league outing. I was one under par with two holes to go. I bogeyed the 17th hole and had to par the last to shoot 35 (even par for the back). I hit my approach over the green and I had a tough downhill chip out of deep rough that I had to hit with perfect touch to get it close. I got it to about six feet from the hole. As you can see, there was no relief as the pressure built on each shot. I somehow sank the putt and shot 35. Just like when you are trying to break 80, the pressure can build on each shot.

The problem is that we rarely get in these situations, so we don’t have much experience playing under the gun. If you want to break 80, you’ll benefit from placing yourself in pressure-packed situations on a frequent basis. I try to play in amateur tournaments 2-3 times a month. Or you can put some money on the line to create a little pressure the next time you play a round.

Usually when golfers are under pressure or nervous, their shots follow a pattern. For me, I lose the ball to the right when I’m under pressure. I know that I need to work on releasing the clubhead on my practice swings so that I have a better chance of doing it during the real swing. By knowing my tendency under pressure, I can adjust for it as well. I’ll aim a little farther left of my target when I’m faced with that 120 yard approach shot again.

From my tournament experiences, I also know that I need to adjust my expectations. The difficult shots that I pull off in a no pressure round may not be such a good idea with something on the line. You’re better off playing more conservatively when the pressure is on.

Strangely enough, my putting seems to get better in pressure situations. Maybe I’m more focused in this area of my game when something is riding on it.

The point is to get used to playing in pressure situations so that when you have to par 16, 17 and 18 to break 80, you will know your tendencies, play more conservatively, know what parts of your game you can rely on, and won’t fold under the pressure.

Looking for more tips on how to break 80 - see my publication, 79 tips to break 80 in golf.

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