Webb Simpson finally gets his first PGA Tour victory at the 2011 Wyndham Championship after posting three second place finishes this year. Coming in to this tournament Webb was 12th on the FedEx points list, 15th in Greens In Regulation and 4th in scoring average. It was only a matter of time before Simpson would figure to break though.

What seemed to finally get Simpson over the top and claim his first tour victory? One element that really stands out was the execution of his routine. This is an area Webb had admittedly felt was a struggle for him late in tournaments. Under pressure, he would back off many shots which ultimately broke his rhythm of play. His rhythm and routine has been traditionally great for three rounds. Now he just had to do a better job of getting in to his shots when the pressure was more intense.

The experience from previous tournaments and being in contention helped tremendously. He learned more and more what he was doing wrong and how his routine was affected. In the end, Simpson became a better competitor by solving this rhythm problem.

Figure out your routine and what works for you. It should be something simple and executed with consistency. A good routine will allow you to focus on your task of execution instead of the outcome of what’s in front of you. The more you practice your routine and become familiar with it, the better prepared you will be for competition.

Knowing your routine, the steps and most importantly the rhythm of your execution will pay big dividends for you during a competitive round. You’ll know right away that pressure is getting to you as soon as your rhythm changes.

Usually one or two things will happen. You’ll get too fast or you’ll get to slow. If getting fast is your problem then anxiety has gotten the best of you. When that anxiety takes over things tend to happen much faster thus a quicker routine which can lead to a faster swing tempo. Take your time and relax. Use a breathing technique to slow down heart rate. Walk slower to your next shot. Smooth out your practice swings to establish a better flow before going to hit the ball.

On the other hand, if you get too slow then most likely you are trying to over execute and get too perfect to pull off a shot. Being too perfect can be a killer when it comes to having good rhythm. Things like over analyzing shots, double and triple checking to make sure you are lined up to your target and resetting multiple times to pull off one shot. These actions will cause you to loose your instincts and feel. It will take you much longer than normal to pull off a shot.

Trust all of your hard work and practice you’ve put in. Also, stay committed to your natural rhythm you have consistently worked on and executed. Doing this will allow you to handle pressure with confidence and help you become a much better competitor.

Sports Psychology/Mental Training from Mental Apex

Tommy “Two Gloves” Gainey sits on a 3 shot lead going in to the third round at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, NC. Gainey is known for his unorthodox swing mechanics where he uses a 10 finger baseball grip and jerky follow through motion. He’s also known for wearing golf gloves on both hands at all times, even while putting. Lets face it, some of the things that Gainey does is just different, weird and down right ugly. But if you look deeper than just the surface you can gain a lot from “Two Gloves” and became a much better competitor.

First of all, take a good look at his grit and determination. It hasn’t been an easy road getting to the PGA Tour for Tommy Gainey. Prior to becoming a professional golfer, he worked on an assembly line in South Carolina, wrapping insulation around hot water heaters. Gainey turned professional in 1998 and for 10 years he played mini tours, worked hard and never gave up on his dreams. He finally made it on tour in 2008.

But the struggles didn’t stop there. He lost his PGA Tour card after 2 years and played on the Nationwide Tour in 2010. That year on the Nationwide Tour he won two events and finished fourth on the money list to regain his PGA Tour card proving to himself that all the hard work was well worth it.

The second quality that stands out with Gainey is his ability to not care about what people think when it comes to himself or his game. This is an extremely important characteristic to posses for upcoming golfers. Many players worry too much about if their swing is perfect or looks a certain way. They also concern themselves too much about how they look if a mistake is made during competition. The sooner a golfer can say “who cares” when it comes to what others think they will be able to make tremendous strides in their game.

Here’s a news flash! There is no one way to swing a club. Oh yeah… and everyone makes mistakes. No one golfer is immune to that, trust me. Not caring about how others perceive you will allow you to be a lot more comfortable in your own skin. This will lead to much higher levels of confidence. With higher confidence comes a dominant mentality that will produce a great deal of success!

Sports Psychology/Mental Training from Mental Apex

The Georgetown Hoyas men’s basketball team lose their cool in China during an exhibition game Thursday night. A game that was described as very physical ends early due to a bench clearing brawl where punches were thrown and chairs were launched at opposing players.

Stats from the exhibition shows a huge disparity in free throw attempts (52-15) in favor of the China’s professional team. The admitted physicality and perceived unfairness of officiating leads to a breakdown in composure by the Hoyas.

Now everyone has a tipping point. Unless you’re there it’s hard to know what really happened down in the trenches. I mean, someone could’ve said something about somebody’s momma! A racial slur could’ve been thrown out there. There could’ve been multiple ill-advised cheap shots. Many factors can lead to an athlete loosing his cool. Even the best loose it every now and then.

But to be great you have to excel at keeping your composure. The second you allow someone, something or some element get you out your game you have completely given up your power. It is impossible to be successful at any sport once you become powerless. If you are allowing a bad call, a terrible break, trash talking from an opponent (the list can go on and on) to distract you from what you want to execute, then you mind as well go home. Untie the shoes and walk off the court. Put your clubs back in the bag and leave the course. Take the helmet and shoulder pads off and call it a day. You have officially allowed yourself to become powerless at this point.

Never give up your power to anyone, anything or any element! Maintain your power and control at all times. This is the mark of a true champion and the sign of an athlete that has the mental toughness to take on all challenges.

Sports Psychology/Mental Training from Mental Apex

Tiger continues to struggle and many wonder what is causing this once invincible force to now be mere mortal. We can all speculate that the scandal in 2009 has derailed Woods. Or the injury to his left leg, up to this point, has just been too much for him overcome. Others can point to the change in swing coach and his development of a new swing.

I’m sure all of these factors collectively has played some role in Tiger’s recent shortcomings, but one element stands out in bright and clear. TIME! Tiger just hasn’t been able to put in the necessary time it takes to maintain the level of excellence he has shown over the past two decades. Woods now has kids and other factors in life that he has given a higher priority.

This is a guy once known for his 16 hour days whether its lifting weights, conditioning, practicing or playing. You must be able to put in the time to be great. With good practice comes being prepared. The more prepared you are the better you’re able to handle adversity. The great ones have the tendency to handle adversity better than others. Being able to handle adversity starts with practice and hard work. The hard work you put in during the week, during off-season, throughout the entire year. You can’t just show up the day of a tournament and say “OK…. I’m ready!” You have to prepare yourself by putting in the time and working hard.

Go out there and prepare yourself for greatness. Don’t just hit balls at the range or play a round of golf. Go to the gym and lift some weights. Go run and condition yourself to be in better shape. Make sure you eat right and have good nutritional habits. Do everything you can to be better prepared for competition. All this hard work will pay off in the long run both mentally and physically.

Sports Psychology/Mental Training from Mental Apex