 confidence: the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust. updated 5/1/2024 The best way to gain confidence on the golf course is to play. Over the years, I have had adults and juniors come to me week after week to learn the golf swing but they never get out to play. It is easy to become a master on the range when you are practicing and applying everything that you have learned but playing the course is a completely different animal. If you mess up on the range or while practicing your short game, you can always try again with a different ball. When you are on the course, the stroke counts. When you are on the course, it is easy to get frustrated. When you are on the golf course, your ball could end up in the water, in the trees, on a hill, in the bunker, near a bush, near a tree...you need to be ready to play the ball. While a lot of things can go wrong when you play, a lot of things can go really well. You can make a par or even a birdie. You may hit the straightest drive of your life or chip-in. You might see a racoon with her babies, you might see a rabbit hop by your cart, you will probably see a gator and other common wildlife. If nothing else, take in the beauty of playing golf in the fresh air on a beautiful course. Just go play and build your confidence!! When I teach beginner golf students, the most common feedback I hear is "this is harder than it looks." While this may be true, by the end of the first lesson, they leave with more confidence in their ability to learn and eventually play the game. I fully believe when you have experienced some level of success you will be motivated to get to the next level. It is my goal to help all of my students get to the next level and become more confident in their abilities. I also believe confidence is a state of mind. If you think you can, you will, if you think you can't, you won't. I ran a very successful contracting business in Chicago prior to moving to FL because I was confident in my abilities to deliver what my clients needed. When my kids graduated from high school, I decided to become a golf teaching pro because I was confident in my love for the game and I wanted to help develop that in others. Today, I am humbled by that confidence as I see my students progress. After some quiet years on the PGA Tour, Tony Finau is making some noise. He has never waivered in his confidence, he remained patient with his game and things are starting to come together for him.
I've always felt like I've been very mentally strong. Sometimes I feel like once my game matches up to my mental attitude, I feel like I can be a great player. I feel like I've been a good player, showed some brilliance in spurts, but being consistent, to be consistently great takes a full game both mental and physical, and I feel like, honestly, my physical game is starting to match up to my mental. I've always been tough, I've always been strong mentally. Having a game that matches that is, I think, a great combination and I'm starting to see that with myself. Confidence is developed through practice! Scottie Scheffler is a perfect example of what I meant when I originally posted about how to develop confidence. Last year, he was invited to player on the Ryder Cup team, a decision that was considered to be controversial since he had never won on the PGA Tour. Scheffler was a huge factor in Team USA's win over Europe 19-9. This year Scheffler has built on that momentum by winning four out of his last six tournaments including The Masters and he is ranked #1 in the world. He is grinding it out one round at a time and has remained extremely humble through the experience. Personally, I like that he is continuing to learn and improve his game every time he plays. He also has surrounded himself with a strong support system in his family and faith.
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AuthorGlen Beaver 
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