============================================================== [ TomTuckerGolf.com Tips ] Issue 9 - Date 04/18/12 ============================================================== If you like this newsletter, please do me a favor and forward it to your friends so that they may subscribe: Subscribe - http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/signup.html If you wish to Unsubscribe from this newsletter click here. My bio is here: http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/ If you wish to comment, respond, or ask a golf related question, please email me directly at ttucker@rochester.rr.com The venue where I give lessons, the Plum Creek Driving Range and Practice Facility, has their new simulator installed, and it will be available to the public as soon as the indoor remodeling is complete - very soon! There's a link to Plum Creek here: http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/ IN THIS ISSUE: - Tom's Quick Tip: Let Optimism Prevail - Tom's Featured Tip: Pressure on Approach Shots - Golf Lessons - Sponsors ============================================================== Tom's Quick Tip - Let Optimism Prevail ============================================================== How many times have you walked up to a tee and said to yourself  "If I pull it, I'm in the woods", or "If I don't hit it solid, I'm in the water"? A much better mental approach is to step up to the tee and ask yourself this: "What's the BEST thing that can happen?" - then visualize it and make your swing or stroke your putt. Let optimism prevail in your pre shot visualization and good things will have a better chance of happening. ============================================================== Tom's Featured Tip - Handling Pressure ============================================================== For the sake of simplicity, all advice on swings and drills is provided from a right handed perspective; lefties .... well, you know what to do :-) Pressure itself is not necessarily a bad thing, but feeling tremendous pressure is not good. Feeling pressure to perform should be welcomed, not something you should avoid. If you are too comfortable playing golf, I will guarantee some loose shots simply because your concentration level is not up to par. You need to find a balance between too much pressure and being too relaxed. You need to find the level of pressure that helps your game. There are generally two types of pressure. One type is when you look at your score and realize that you are playing extremely well, and as a result you are thrust outside of your comfort zone. The other type of pressure may appear when you are playing poorly. There is a third type - I call it the Lee Trevino pressure - when you are playing a match for a $100 bet with only $50 in your pocket, and you're down two holes with three to play. We won't deal with this type of pressure in this issue, other than to say never play this type of match with someone that can outrun you. If you are playing so well that you feel pressure, enjoy it - it's beats the heck out of the opposite. Personally, I say to myself "Why not me?" when everything seems to be going better than normal. I mean what the heck, I deserve it. This may be the one instance in life where I would recommend fostering an "entitlement" mentality, so to speak. Enjoy it and learn from it. Playing poorly, however, evokes a type of pressure is hard for some players to handle. Here are some things that you can do to snap out of that pressure trap during a round: 1. Revert to your "go to" swing, whether it's a fade, draw, or straight shot - just do it. Even if it's not the optimal ball flight for the situation, you're better off making a swing that your brain trusts. If you don't have a "go to" swing, get one. 2. Don't try a Bubba Watson shot - one that you've never practiced. Actually, Bubba practiced that shot a million times, but you know what I mean. 3. Don't get fast, don't hurry, don't rush - stick to your pre-shot routine. 4. If you make a bad shot, fuggetaboutit 5. Take enough club for the shot and don't overswing. 6. Being on a golf course - even when you aren't playing your best - is still better than being where most of the rest of the population is. Stop, smell the roses, count your blessings.  Enjoy, Tom ============================================================== Golf Lessons ============================================================== I conduct lessons at The Plum Creek Driving Range & Practice Facility there's a link with info here: http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/ Lessons are available for all ages and skill levels, please contact me - Tom Tucker - at (716) 474 3005 or at ttucker@rochester.rr.com for more information. Lesson rates are here: http://www.tomtuckergolf.com/lessonrates.html ============================================================== Sponsors ============================================================== Batavia Country Club - http://www.bataviacc.com/rates.html check out their great spring rates Chestnut Hill CC - http://www.chestnuthillcc.com/ Buffalogolfer.com notes the "challenge and diversity" of this course at a playable level. Spring rates available. ============================================================== All the best, and remember: Victory Loves Preparation ~ Anonymous Tom Tucker Teaching Pro, Plum Creek Driving Range & Practice Facility WGTF "Top 100 Golf Teacher" USGTF Class "A" Teaching Professional Cell: (716) 474-3005 Email: ttucker@rochester.rr.com http://www.TomTuckerGolf.com http://www.usgtf.com/top_100_wgtf.html