Stay Calm and Focused Under Pressure

The key to remaining competitive is to stay calm and focused when things don’t go your way.  It’s easy to get frustrated if you miss a putt, or if your ball heads to the right when you tee off. It’s much harder to forge ahead unfettered by a poor swing or bad luck. 

Even PGA pros face struggles with their mental health - both in their daily lives and as they make their way through 18 holes. Golf is a mental sport, and when you lose your cool, or your mind wanders, your game will likely suffer. 

There are a few things you can do on your own to both help yourself and your golf game. 

• Get enough sleep, and eat healthy.
• Use breathwork to calm your central nervous system.
• Do your best to remain focused and energized. Don’t let fatigue be a factor!
• Talk to yourself in third person to help soothe your brain when you get emotional. What advice would you give your friend?
• Manage your stress off the course. 

You can also make an appointment with a medical professional.  They can help you with any mental health concerns - big or small.

Middlesex Health provides both inpatient and outpatient mental health services, helping nearly 10,000 children, adolescents and adults annually. It continues to invest in its mental health programs and is in the process of moving its nine Middletown-based outpatient mental health program offices into a single building called The Crescent Center. 

The Crescent Center, located at 1 MacDonough Place in Middletown, was recently renovated. In addition to housing these mental health services under one roof, the space allows Middlesex to expand its outpatient mental health services to close gaps in care that are particularly acute, including services for women with postpartum depression and young adults ages 18 through 26.

Middlesex continues to also have an outpatient mental health services office in Old Saybrook.

By creating The Crescent Center, Middlesex Health is doing what it can to improve access to mental health services and better serve its community, and that community includes golfers who get frustrated and lose focus! 

For more information, visit MiddlesexHealth.org/mentalhealth.