I learned something very important early on: You accept what happens and move on. In other words, if I hit a bad shot, I can't change it. There is only the next shot. That was a big lesson.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Sometimes the biggest problem is in your head. You've got to believe you can play a shot instead of wondering where your next bad shot is coming from.
Even when my opponent hits a very good shot, I don't just want to get it back. I want to get it back so they have difficulty. And then I can control the point.
The only difference between a good shot and a bad shot is if it goes in or not.
How do I handle it? I would say more times than not, if I have a bad shot, I just get angry and almost like kill the next one. And it usually works I would say 9 times out of 10.
My game is kind of built around hitting shots - that's what I take pride in, and it's what separates myself from other guys.
Do your best, one shot at a time and then move on. Remember that golf is just a game.
I don't worry about the last shot or the next shot. I concentrate. Every shot gets a clean slate. And when a shot is over, I wipe it out absolutely. Tell a joke or something. If you worry about how you looked, how well you did, you'll go insane.
You gotta learn that if you're gonna take the last shot of the game, it's either gonna go in, or it's not gonna go in, and you're either gonna be the hero or the goat.
I firmly believe that you live and learn, and if you don't learn from past mistakes, then you need to be drug out and shot.
I don't believe in hitting a bad shot and then insisting it's no big deal. No, you just messed up, so react. I'm not saying you need to throw your club. I mean, take 10 seconds to get angry at yourself, but then start over.