We constantly research many facets of the game at Tarun Sardesai Golf Academy (TSG) to assist our golfers in improving their performance. We discussed the importance of decision-making in golf and how it directly affects a player’s performance on the course at our most recent weekly student engagement session.
Every movement counts towards the success or failure of your game. Every golfer has a unique way of making decisions and this ability can be divided into two:
- Feelers
- Thinkers
Understanding these traits and their influence on a golfer’s performance can help players refine their game strategy. So, let’s talk further about these behaviours and their impact on a golfer’s game.
The Emotional Decision Makers: Feelers
The actions of such people are highly based on feelings and intuitions. The decisions made by such people are influenced by factors like relationships, personal values, and the impact of their decisions on others. And in the world of golf, every minute thing that can give a feeling of attachment or emotion for a player, becomes the very factor of influence to them. These aspects include:
- attitude
- body language
- emotional environment
- and the relationships with fellow players and coaches
They frequently base their decisions more on their feelings than on what would be the finest technical option since they are emotionally motivated. For instance, people may choose a club not because it’s the most fantastic for the shot but because they feel comfortable using it.
On the other hand, a feeler may experience emotional overload in a challenging environment. This could cause them to lose focus on their plan or make snap decisions. They may obsess about prior errors or allow outside influences to impact their performance.
Feelers should train themselves to concentrate more on the following to better their game:
- The ‘What’ and ‘Why’ aspects of the game rather than just over doing the emotions part.
- Developing a more analytical approach to decision-making while still harnessing their intuition.
- Practicing mindfulness and stress management to avoid emotional disruptions in crucial moments.
Thinkers in Golf: The Logical and Analytical Players
Conversely, thinkers are the people who make conclusions based on logic, facts, and impartial analysis. They prioritize their task in hand and pay more attention to facts than feelings. In golf, such players approach the round like a project with clear goals and focus entirely towards goal achievement. The foundation of their game is a well-defined strategy and accurate calculations.
A thinker’s strategy for playing golf consists of:
- Analyzing every shot with precision
- Trusting one’s judgement in situations
- Committed decision-making
- Filtering out distractions and focusing solely on their performance
Since they are fact-driven people, there are less chances for thinkers to get swayed by emotional distractions and other influential factors. They are also said to be fierce competitors because they play with purpose and clarity.
However, when confronted with stress or an uncomfortable zone, thinkers are more likely to . This frequently leads to:
- overanalyze and overthink
- Misjudge and hesitate
- draw comparisons with other players
- develop a feeling of self-doubt
To counterbalance these tendencies, thinkers should:
- Instead of overanalyzing every shot, they should learn to trust their gut feelings.
- When necessary, maintain your flexibility and be willing to make impromptu decisions.
- Gain self-assurance and refrain from making pointless comparisons with other people.
- Finding the Correct Balance Between Thinkers and Feelers
The decision-making behaviours of Thinkers and feelers have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Finding a balance between the two is essential to being an expert decision-maker in golf. At TSG, we advise our athletes to:
- Acknowledge how they make decisions and try to strengthen their areas of weakness.
- Create a well-rounded mentality that incorporates both rational thinking and emotional intelligence.
- Regardless of whether they are prone to overthinking or emotional decision-making, they use stress-management skills to remain composed under pressure.
- Consider golf a social and personal sport where reasoning and feelings go hand in hand.
Golf is a sport having elements of both mental and physical skills. Whether you’re a thinker or a feeler, becoming an expert at making decisions will help you advance. The most successful players develop the ability to adjust, control their emotions and reason, and play the game with a strategic attitude.
At TSG, we keep developing our players to become well-rounded individuals proficient in the game’s mental and technical facets. We hope our players embrace the challenges of golf, have fun, and develop into the most excellent versions of themselves as we continue our educational adventure.
Happy golfing!
