6 keys to help you win your next gaming event, by top teachers

With the Solheim Cup wrapped up less than a month ago, and with Friday's action now underway in the Presidents Cup, golf fans have been enjoying the game lately. While these formats feature top professionals competing head-to-head, they also provide a valuable learning opportunity for recreational golfers.

If you look closely, you can find some clever strategies used by Tour players – and you can use some of them to win. yours next game play event.

To better explain what these trusted habits are on tour, I contacted four top instructors to share their expertise and insights, as well as a few of their favorite gaming tips, all of which will elevate your game. Check them out below!

1. Take the Momentum Early

You've probably seen the impact the crowds and energy can have during a playoff tournament like the President's Cup or the Solheim Cup. While your events may not draw huge crowds like the pros, the momentum in these games is just as strong – which is why GOLF Top 100 instructor Drew Steckel says it's important to capture that momentum early.

By doing so, Steckel says, the psychological battle will shift in your favor, forcing your opponent to take risks and step outside of their comfort zone to try to regain momentum on their side.

“Now the ball is in their court to make a mistake because he quickly applied pressure,” said Steckel.

Catching momentum early also frees you up mentally, helping you avoid making emotional decisions or taking low-percentage risks.

So what's the easiest way to build momentum? Steckel says to spend more time practicing your putting before the round.

“It's hard to hit a fairway,” said Steckel, “Even if you make a 15-footer to split the hole in half, it creates the same feeling as a birdie.”

And if you can make a few solid putts out of the gate, the momentum of the game will be on your side.

2. Don't keep score

It's not uncommon for preschoolers to keep their scores aside during a gaming event, but Steckel explains that this can pull your focus away from the main goal.

“It's not about the score, it's about winning against the opponent,” Steckel said. “Now, you want to do things well and you want to shoot the best scores, but you also don't play the game per stroke.”

Instead, Steckel says take a moment and avoid dwelling on the past or getting ahead of yourself. Staying in the moment is key to maintaining your competitive edge, and it prevents you from losing your mind before the hole ends.

3. Stay angry

One of the fastest ways to lose a game is to play defensively. But according to GOLF Top 100 Teacher Trillium Rose, for underachievers, this doesn't always mean being aggressive with your technique.

“If we look at Mark Brody's research, it's the shooting technique that makes the biggest difference in scoring goals,” said Rose. “I call those offensive guns. You go after the pin, instead of defending where you missed the green and now you have to catch and avoid the bad number.”

For tour pros, attacking shots can look like taking a dangerous line drive to the pin, or going for a par-5 both, and you'll see a lot of that this weekend at the Presidents Cup. But for the average golfer, this can be as easy as hitting the green because you have correctly calculated the elements, such as wind, temperature or slope.

Rose says you can refine these scoring charts by focusing on two things.

First, choose the shot and club with the highest chance of success. Sticking to the shots you know will keep your confidence high and help you avoid costly mistakes.

The second priority is to make a smooth swing with firm contact. When you generate consistent, focused communication, Rose says you increase the effectiveness of your clubs. This increases your chances of hitting the green and helps you stay on the error.

4. Assume that your opponent will do everything

If you watch the pros, you will notice that the strongest opponents in the game are the ones who are easily distracted or moved by their opponents. The same can be said for novice golfers – and a great way to build your mental game before the game is to take the focus away from your opponent.

It may sound counterintuitive, but GOLF Teacher-to-be Rick Sessinghaus says that taking your focus away from your opponent helps you stay in the moment and focus on manageable things.

A good way to do that is to assume that your opponent will do everything. By assuming they bring their A game, Sessinghaus says it will help you avoid getting too confident or too far ahead of yourself before knowing the outcome of the hole. This is also a smart way to stay calm and focused on the course.

“Think they're going to make a good shot, then think they're going to make a long par putt,” Sessinghaus said. “Then you're not surprised, and you're not surprised when they do it.”

5. Master 'stop' golf

Knowing when to hit and when to back off is a skill, and you'll see the pros demonstrate this weekend during the Presidents Cup. If you want to improve your risk analysis, GOLF Top 100 Alumni Tom Patri says to use his simple rule of thumb.

According to Patri, there are three types of dungeons you'll encounter on the course. The first is the red area of ​​the hole, which are pins that should not be attacked because the risk is not greater than the reward – such as pins with a small green to work with, or protected by bunkers or side hazards.

The next type is the yellow hole area, which requires some strategy before deciding which shot to hit. This varies depending on how much you rely on shooting, and where you are in the game. Patri says consider your shooting situation and the likelihood that you will land that type of shot. If it's out of your comfort zone, or you're at a high level, you may not need to take the risk. However, if you're down a few points or it's playing in your natural ball plane, Patri says playing aggressively is OK.

The last type of hole location is the green flag, which is the pins you have to attack regularly. Generally, these pit areas will be close to the green, or located away from potential hazards. But just because a hole is green, it doesn't automatically make it easier or guarantee you'll get an even or better score. These should be treated with the same amount of focus that you would give a very heavy pin.

Patri's “stopping” method is a great way to streamline your decision-making process and sharpen your game, not your opponent's.

“You can't be impressed or intimidated by a player who has different strengths than you,” said Patri. “Usually, those situations lead to losing the hole, so you have to play to your strengths if you're trying to score.”

6. Reframe your attitude

Most average golfers consider the sensors on the golf course to be a negative. But according to Sessinghaus, with the right perspective, emotions can be powerful. He points to one of his teammates, Collin Morikawa.

“Collin actually likes to be nervous, and he likes pressure because it actually improves his focus,” Sessinghaus said.

So how can you learn to accept these feelings and stop seeing stress as something to avoid?

Sessinghaus says the first step is to reframe your thinking. If you view high-pressure situations as negative, you are unconsciously creating a threat. This causes your brain to tell your body to produce a stress response – otherwise known as the fight or flight response. Often leading to stronger muscles or speeding up your process.

Instead of thinking about what could go wrong, think of high-pressure shots as a challenge you enjoy doing.

Sure, you'll still feel some adrenaline — maybe a high heart rate or butterflies in your stomach — but Sessinghaus says remember that these aren't bad things.

“Enjoy the adrenaline, and enjoy being a little uncomfortable,” says Sessinghaus. “That's a cool feeling you don't usually have, and it is [often] it shows that it is important.”

The second step in learning to accept your emotions is to focus on what is important and what you can control, such as your breathing.

Sessinghaus says a good breathing exercise you can use is to breathe in three times, then breathe out six times. This short-to-long breathing technique helps activate your parasympathetic response, he adds, which is responsible for lowering your heart rate and relaxing your muscles — both of which are key when it comes to making a valuable shot.

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