DAN’S PAPERS
danshamptons.com
May 25, 2012 Page 139
Conquering the Mental Golf Game By Darren demaile
M att Kuchar won this year’s Players Championship, however, most of the cameras were not on him. Their attention was focused on Kevin Na, who was leading the tournament heading into Sunday’s final round. Na was the center of attention because he was possessed by golf demons, which prevented him from swinging the golf club. He took hundreds of waggles as he set up over the ball. He backed off the shot if he didn’t feel comfortable and many times purposely swung and missed hitting the ball just so he could start over. Na was quoted, “I’m screaming at myself to pull the trigger. All I can do is try my best and do what is best for me to play well”. Playing well under these circumstances is what Na did. Despite battling the best players in the game and a golf course setup with extreme difficulty, Na’s game was consistent posting scores of 67, 69 and 68. Saturday’s bogey-free 68 was an impressive display of how hard Na battled, “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I had a lot of people heckling me out there, also people pulling for me, which I appreciated,” Na said. “I do need to work on my pre-shot routine. I do need to play faster. But the average golfer has no clue how much pressure we’re playing under and how tough it is and how much of a fight
for it it is mentally. I honestly exercise the demons. think with all that going on, As painful as it was to watch I did pretty well fighting. I Na last weekend, I cannot had a good fight. I hung in imagine what it was like there.” The average golfer to endure. As a club doesn’t have to worry about professional, I have the that kind pressure, but does luxury of teaching the game goes through similar jitters. as opposed to playing it Here are a few thoughts for for a paycheck. Kevin Na is you to keep the demons out of going through a difficult time, your own game. but there is no question I have always contended that how much heart and inner a good pre-shot routine is the determination he has to put best way to relieve pressure himself in front of millions of and focus on the task at hand. people for them to watch his Elements of the pre-shot struggles. All of us struggle routine include visualizing with our own career difficulties the shot, a rehearsal of the and anxieties and can learn a swing needed, aligning to the lesson from Na. If Na held on target, a waggle to relieve and won the tournament, it any tension and possibly would have been the greatest Kevin Na one swing though. All good victory ever. He would have players approach this routine defeated a game that no one differently but all perform it precisely the same else in the history of golf has ever won, The every time. Kevin Na’s routine would typically Mental Game. include two waggles before he swung the club. After performing the typical two waggles, Na’s Darren deMaille is the Head Golf Professional mental breakdown began. The usual two turned at The Bridge in Bridgehampton, NY. Prior to into four, which turned into six, and then he The Bridge, Darren worked at The Bear’s Club found himself needing to restart. Complete in Jupiter, Fla. and The Country Club of Fairfield chaos. The next time you play or practice make in Fairfield, Conn. Darren has had many top 100 sure you have your own routine and stick to it instructors influence his philosophy but most of precisely every time. Make sure you incorporate his principles are based on Jack Nicklaus’ way all the elements above and in the long run it will to play golf.
Dan’s PaPers Offices Will Be clOseD MOnDay, May 28 in HOnOr Of
16048