Equipment and Gear
• Do I have the clubs I need to perform at my best?
• Are my clubs properly fit to me?
• Are there clubs I need for the conditions or the specific course I’m play-
ing?
• Are my clubs in working condition? (e.g., clean grooves and unworn
grips)
• Am I prepared for the weather?
• Is my golf bag properly stocked? (e.g., balls, tees, ball marker, divot repair
tool, club brush, rangefinder with extra batteries, towel, extra glove, Band-Aids, athletic
tape, sunscreen, bug spray, permanent marker, Rules of Golf)
Strategy
• Do I have a plan for the course I’m playing?
• Does my plan include weather and course conditions?
• If in a competition, did I play a practice round noting course conditions, hole layouts,
yardages, green complexes and contours, etc.?
• Are there specific shots, or clubs, I’m going to need to hit that require extra practice be-
forehand?
Technical issues
• Do I have a reliable understanding of my golf swing?
• Can I effectively read the lie of a golf ball understanding its potential impact on the flight
of the ball?
• Do I have a system for reading greens?
• Do I have a repeatable pre-shot routine?
• Do I consistently set up to the ball in the same way with proper alignment?
Physical fitness
• Do I have a realistic sense of what I am physically capable of based on my level of
strength and flexibility?
• Do I have pre-round warm-up plan?
• Am I properly nourished and hydrated?
• Do I have food and water for the course?
Mindset
• Do I have a positive mindset going into the round?
• Am I mentally prepared to deal with whatever happens on the course? (upset, anxiety,
nervousness, excitement, frustration, disappointment, anger, etc.)
• Have I visualized the shots I plan on hitting?
• Do I have a good sense of my level of physiological arousal prior to and
during my round? And, can I adjust it if it’s too high or too low?
• Am I distracted? Or, am I able to focus on the task at hand?
Without preparation, you deny yourself the knowledge and understanding of what it
takes to play effective golf, but most importantly, you deny yourself the very thing that will
propel you towards playing the best golf of your life: confidence.
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CSGA Links // July 2018 35