Written By Mike Cooney, Director of Golf

It’s easy to play Monday morning quarterback. We are all likely guilty of describing the perfect play to win the game, like the sure shot on the 18^th Hole to win the round.

Such may be the case if you were watching Sergio Garcia on Feb. 22, 2015 during the final round of the PGA Northern Trust Open at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.  One may think that Garcia, considered one of the best players in the world, was a 10 handicapper. He played great for 70 holes and is known for being a great driver of the golf ball.

Eyes On The Ball

It was highly visible that Sergio’s back-swing with his driver had gotten much shorter than usual, resulting in quick hook shots to the left. He ended up bogeying the final two holes and lost a chance of making it to the playoff.

Talk about pressure! Professional golfers, just like amateur golfers, feel the pressure of making the perfect shot too. And all eyes on the pros that have a lot more on the line than just bragging rights. So sure they may make it look easy, but oh the pressure.

Golf Tip: Count to yourself 1-2-3-HIT

Lesson Learned

Other golfers can learn from Garcia by keeping the same routine throughout the round, more importantly, the same tempo throughout your swing.

Golf Tip: Count to yourself 1-2-3-HIT. It works!

Channel the pressure by focusing on your shot. Try that out and see how it works for you. Look for other tips in our golf blog to help improve your game.