[November 1, 2020] I’m not a golfer, but many of my friends are fanatical about the game, playing regardless of the weather and sometimes disregarding their health. Occasionally I’ll play a game, but those same crazy friends put a lot of pressure on me to win. The sweat pours off my forehead as I try to make that last putt into the 18th hole cup. Winning under pressure is a real skill that few of us have developed.
Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas… wow, can those guys play golf. They have adapted to the tremendous pressure of winning while under enormous pressure to perform. They have mastered the skill to concentrate yet relax while playing a challenging game under extraordinary circumstances. Growing up, my golfing heroes were Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Arnold Palmer. I wanted to be like them and imagined myself being them, as a 10-year-old, as I played a round of putt-putt golf.
These golf players are not the only ones in sports where the pressure is enormous. Just watch any professional or semi-professional baseball, football, or hockey game to see people perform with grace and skill while under immense pressure. I do admire them. They are tough men and women.
“When the body fails or becomes weary, and that shot into the howling gale seems impossible, it is the mind that enables the player to pull it off.” – Gary Player, South African professional golfer
Winning under pressure is not just a golf skill; it extends to every event that uses competition to determine the winner. My wife likes to watch Wimbledon tennis competitions, as well as the Olympic Games. I like to study military history to read about what happened in particular battles and why one side overcame the other, despite incredible odds stacked against them. It wasn’t luck that got these men and women to succeed where so many failed.
Competitive human behavior is about winning, overcoming significant obstacles, controlling your nerves, and living life to the fullest. Winning under pressure means being able to demonstrate a winning attitude by having a tough mental attitude. It requires training your mind in a positive process. Leaders are winners as well, and it is what makes them so attractive.
Hi everyone, I’m new to Mr. Satterfield’s website. I was given the link by a friend at work. He said it a good thing to read and also to comment. I hope that what I have to write is accepted. This article makes an interesting read for me. My dad played golf and loved it. He said the best part was being with friends but also the competition was what kept him going back. Must be something built into the human psyche that keeps us wanting to compete and be under pressure.
Welcome Honey Flower Betsy. You will find these forums well suited to your purpose. You can get a more robust understanding of the issues by reading the comments forum.
I don’t play golf either but would like to play. I just don’t have the time in my busy schedule. It’s play golf or be with the family. Choice is simple.
Not always such an easy choice, Dennis. But, like anything in life, if it is important to you, then you make the time. In this case, Gen. Satterfield is discussing winning under pressure. Whether golf or any competitive endeavor, competition naturally brings mental pressure to perform. Winning is a good thing but not easy. If it was easy, we wouldn’t like it or call it winning.
“A pint of sweat, saves a gallon of blood.” by US Gen. George S. Patton
He was making the point to be prepared but also that to win you have to be mentally ready as well. That meant preparation in body and mind. This is not a new idea, actually it’s quite old. Go back into any ancient texts in any civilization and you will read about this idea of mind & body.
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/george_s_patton_103750
Gary Player makes a good point and I want to emphasize it. The only way I know to overcome freezing up or your brain melting down is to practice, practice, practice. There is simply no substitute. Maybe there are folks out there who can compete, enjoy it, and not freeze but for the most of us, that is not the case.
So true, Dead Pool Guy. I remember seeing politicians on tv practicing their debate performance (after-the-fact, of course). Like any good debater, you must be prepared not just with the facts and logic tactics but also toughen the mind. That is why I like the article earlier on They Were Tough SOBs.
https://www.theleadermaker.com/they-were-tough-sobs/
Let’s keep this in mind as we go about our day and with our leadership responsibilities.
You got that right, Shawn. Once again, Gen. Satterfield nailed it with his daily article. I look forward to them each and every day.
General Satterfield, I know what you mean when under real pressure. Not only do we ‘sweat’ and feel terrible but we also ‘freeze up.’ I also think it’s an innate reaction.
“Why Competition is Good For You” Good article.
https://fstoppers.com/originals/why-competition-good-you-127242
Yes, why? Easy to answer:
1. It makes you set goals for yourself.
2. It keeps you learning.
3. It will help you develop your “style” (of competition, of leadership, etc.)
4. It will help you identify your target market (in business or social contexts)
5. You’ll figure out what works and what doesn’t.
Competition is more about developing and improving our own work than it is putting down others. If we remember that then we can use the healthy competition to strengthen our community, family, and continue to grow and learn from one another.
Gary Player’s international record, unsurpassed by any golfer, was a tribute to his remarkable fitness and love of competition.
Player was an integral part of the popularization of golf in the 1960s, as his weekly competitions with fellow golf stars Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer showcased the sport being played at its highest level.
Read more about Gary Player here:
https://www.pgatour.com/players/player.01955.gary-player.html
I think what Gen. Satterfield is talking about here (actually writing about, duh) is that it takes PRACTICE to not chock when under pressure. There is a built in mechanism, inherent behavior, that freezes us when we are under threat. Like the bug that rolls over when threatened or the opossum that plays dead when he sees you. Overcoming that in-born behavior is not easy.
You are right again, Max. Overcoming this inherent behavior is very hard to do. It takes a strong mind, developed thru years of conscious effort to do this. Many sports have this challenge. Target shooting under timed circumstances is just another, and there are many. Loved today’s article. Made me think of my dad who was a big golfer.
Good comment, Max and thanks. I like to get out and play softball – underhand pitch – with a small league that we have here in St. Louis, MO. We go to a local park and spend the day playing ball and watching others. The big pressure for me is at bat. I don’t want to strike out. That would let the team down and besides, the other team is always yelling at me to chock. Ha Ha Ha Ha…. so far, I’ve done well.
Thanks for sharing, guys! 👍
Very interesting. I’m a big golfer in that I play at least twice a week. I still have to work, of course. Golfing is a great past-time but there is always pressure to “win.” Winning may be defined in a number of ways but for me it means getting out on the courses and being with friends.
I know what you mean but very different from a super competitive atmosphere that many have when they are out and about.
I just like to be outside in the fresh air with plenty of good friends and a good stiff drink at the end of a round of golf.
Yep, that is for me also. I like playing in the right kind of weather so my family and I moved from Boston to Miami where there is no snow. You just have to adapt to the humidity down here.
Thanks guys for a very interesting discussion.