Welcome

Welcome to issue number 17 of The 3 Minute Golfer. This FREE, weekly publication is here to help every golfer improve their mental game and their personal wellbeing.

In this issue we take a break from the mental styles and explore how your level of arousal impacts your performance.

In this issue:

• Getting Aroused to Play

• Wellness Tip – The Health Benefits of Gratitude

• Mental Demons Q+A

• In Person Events - Book The 3 Minute Golfer

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Getting Aroused to Play

Have you ever felt tight and anxious when hitting your golf ball? Or maybe you’ve been bored or distracted? Either way, the same poor outcome probably resulted. Your best golf is always played somewhere in the middle between being either under aroused or over aroused.

Signs of being over aroused in golf include too many thoughts when swinging, tight hands and general body tension. While under aroused players are easily distracted and find it hard to concentrate on their shots. 

Welcome to the wonderful world of golf arousal where your level of mental and physical alertness can spell the difference between your best round ever and a tragic meltdown worthy of a viral YouTube clip.

In this issue, we’ll explore arousal theory and why balancing your personal levels of boredom and anxiety is crucial to how you play.

Exploring Your Arousal Curve

Psychologists Yerkes and Dodson (1908) introduced the inverted U hypothesis to describe how your performance changes as your level of arousal moves on the curve. Too little and you become bored and distracted…too much and anxiety takes over. More importantly, your arousal curve will be different to every other person in any given situation. But all things being equal, your performance will improve with physiological or mental stimulation…up to the point of optimum arousal…where your best performance will be found. Go past the optimum point and your performance will quickly start to deteriorate.

When you’re very bored…like after waiting an eternity for your partner to finish their 15 practice swings…you can easily lose focus and, perhaps…the will to live. You start thinking about tonight’s dinner, the next Netflix series you plan to binge, or that one hungry bird that keeps eyeballing your sandwich. That’s when the excitement of playing disappears, your arousal levels drop, and your performance goes south.

Alternatively, if your heart’s pounding like you just saw a snake, your palms are sweaty, and you can’t stop your panicked inner monologue, then you’re way too anxious. Your performance will drop because your mind is rushing faster than your poor body can manage.

The golden zone is right in the middle where you’re adequately amped but not ready to spontaneously combust. The Goldilocks Zone…your flow state. When you’re in that perfect range, your concentration sharpens, your swing feels effortless, and your putter transforms from a three-putt broomstick into an eagle-making wand.

It’s All About The Flow

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1990) studied “flow” states, those magical moments when you feel completely immersed in the task at hand. In golf, it’s that glorious stretch when the rest of the world fades away, every shot happens without any real thought, and you momentarily forget that your mobile phone exists. 

Flow is often described as an optimal state, where your perception of the challenge and your actual skill level match perfectly. If you’re a beginner forced to play from the Tiger tees, you might feel total panic. Conversely, if you’re a seasoned pro playing mini-golf, then you might slip into a boredom-induced coma.

The key to finding flow is playing in a way that challenges you just enough to keep you fully engaged, but not so much that you need a stiff drink to calm your nerves.

Finding Your Personal Flow

No two people have the same arousal curve, and your curve can move as you become more proficient. The better you become at hitting a golf ball, the more your arousal curve for that specific activity will move to the right…meaning, you will arouse more slowly. 

If you’ve ever lipped out a two-foot putt because your concentration drifted to other things, you’ve experienced the perils of under-arousal. Conversely, a knee-buckling surge of adrenaline that sends your driver 50 yards off target, is definite over-arousal.

The trick is to recognise your personal arousal signs. A small hint…if you start scrolling social media on your phone between shots, you might be too relaxed. If you start hearing your pulse in your ears, you might be overanxious. Finding that middle ground where you’re moderately focused without the heart palpitations is your biggest golf challenge.

Pro Tips for Managing Your Arousal Levels

Breathe… Simply take a few slow, deep breaths before every shot. This slows your heart rate and lulls your brain into thinking you’ve got everything under control…even if you’re still sweating on the outcome.

Have A Routine…Watch the pros, and you’ll notice they all have pre-shot routines…waggles, practice swings, or even that intense laser focus as they visualise the shot. A consistent routine cues your body and mind that it’s time to find the flow.

Manage Your Internal Dialogue…Take conscious control and don’t let your internal dialogue devolve into a doom-and-gloom monologue. Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations…take charge. 

Stay Present…The next hole doesn’t exist. The last shot is history. All that matters is the shot you have right now…and how calm your body feels for the crucial two seconds. If your mind starts wandering to your final score or that embarrassing drive from two holes ago…shake it off.

Choose the Right Challenge…If you’re consistently overwhelmed, consider playing from closer tees or picking courses with fewer forced carries over hazards. Likewise, if you’re bored with your golf, challenge yourself by attempting different shot shapes or making bigger bets with your partners.

Practice Under Pressure…Practicing short putts with a little added tension, like wager-based competitions with your friends, can help train your neurological system to handle the on-course pressure (more on handling pressure in future issues).

Enjoy the Game…Golf can be the most rewarding and maddening sport ever invented. One moment you’re strutting down the fairway like a peacock in full display, and the next moment you’re rummaging through the bushes looking for your brand-new ball. But if you can harness the power of arousal, your scores will get better, your meltdowns fewer, and your enjoyment will be maintained.

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